Eugenia Weiss: Military and Veteran Transitions
Eugenia Weiss is a clinical associate professor at the University of Southern California’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. She is the co-author of the book The Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and Identities* and Supporting Veterans in Higher Education: A Primer for Administrators, Faculty, and, Advisors*.
Key Points
Military and civilian cultures are very separate, and sometimes it’s difficult to transition back into civilian life.Most veterans with combat experience won’t have PTSD, it’s about 15%-30% that do. The effects of PTSD vary from person to person.In the past, service members typically had several weeks of transport time between combat roles and home, now it’s only a couple of days. This doesn’t allow them much time to process their experiences.Don’t be afraid to engage with veterans and talk about their experiences, just do it with care and concern. Most veterans do want to talk about their experiences.Volunteering for a veteran’s group can be very rewarding both for you and for the veterans you’re helping.Resources Mentioned
PsychArmor InstituteCorporate Gray: Connecting Employers with Veterans NationwideStudent Veterans of AmericaCareer One StopVeterans Upward Bound Program (college transition)My Next Move for VeteransCorporation for National and Community Service (veterans section)Vet SuccessWounded Warrior ProjectVeterans for AmericaIraq and Afghanistan Veterans of AmericaGive an Hour Foundation (free counseling)The Soldiers Project (free counseling)Cohen Veterans Network (free counseling and resources now based at USC)Team Rubicon (vets volunteer disaster work)Mission Continues (volunteer work)U.S. Veterans Initiative (housing and services)Pegasus Rising (Equine therapy for vets with PTSD)The Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and Identities* by Louis Hicks, Eugenia L. Weiss, and Jose E. CollSupporting Veterans in Higher Education: A Primer for Administrators, Faculty and Academic Advisors* by Jose E. Coll and Eugenia L. WeissHandbook of Military Social Work* by Allen Rubin, Eugenia L. Weiss, and Jose E. CollA Civilian Counselor’s Primer to Counseling Veterans* by Jose E. Coll, Eugenia L. Weiss, and Herbert A. ExumDiscover More
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