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The 51���� Veterans and Military Student Services Center faculty/staff awareness training program, known as “Landing Zone,” is being offered twice this Fall.

One training session will be held via an in person brown bag lunch style on Athens Campus while the other will take place via Microsoft Teams.  

More than 270 veteran advocates across OHIO’s campuses have completed the training to date.  

The Landing Zone training was created to assist individuals who are committed to providing resources and aid to veteran students across the University. The program seeks to provide its participants with an understanding of the unique challenges faced by veteran students, GI Bill implications on course selection, discussion of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) impacts on learning, and resources to assist this special student population.  

The training is four hours in duration, broken down into four one-hour blocks, to facilitate college or departmental scheduling. Each training session, named Zones, builds upon each other.

The sessions will run Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during lunch time, to facilitate flexibility in attendance options. Tuesday sessions will be offered in person in Baker University Center 239 while Wednesday sessions will be offered via Microsoft Teams. 

The descriptions of each Zone training are as follows:

Zone 1: Military 101 — looks at various military terms, rank structure, differences in military culture and academic culture, and dispels common myths about veterans.

Zone 2: OUr Veterans in Transition — breaks out national veteran student characteristics, 51���� veteran characteristics, and 51���� student veteran transition experiences, while it also highlights a veteran student panel question and answers session.

Zone 3: The GI Bill — details the Department of Veterans Affairs’ organizational structure, student veteran success programs, differentiating types of VA educational benefits, and VA regulation implications/challenges for students.

Zone 4: PTSD/TBI and Resources 4 Vets — provides an understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury effects on student veterans, discussion of potential signs, and how to assist student veterans with each.  The Zone will also highlight internal and external resources available to veterans, provide web-based assistance, and answer any additional questions regarding student veterans still unanswered.

Faculty and staff are invited to show their support for veterans by attending these training sessions to help improve understanding of veteran students and enhance their educational experience.

Fall semester 2022 sessions are outlined below. If colleges, departments, or regional campuses would like to schedule specific training dates, please contact Terry St. Peter in the 51���� Veterans Center at 1-740-566-VETS (8387).

All training times are noon to 1 p.m. It is recommended that participants take the training in order, but they are able to attend as available. You can also change modes of training if unable to meet on a certain day of training.  Missed Zones can be taken at a later time.

• Zone 1 – Sept. 13, 2022, BUC 239 and Sept. 14, 2022, MS Teams – 12-1 p.m.
• Zone 2 – Sept. 20, 2022, BUC 239 and Sept. 21, 2022, MS Teams – 12-1 p.m.
• Zone 3 – Sept. 27, 2022, BUC 239 and Sept. 28, 2022, MS Teams – 12-1 p.m.
• Zone 4 – Oct. 4, 2022, BUC 239 and Oct. 5, 2022, MS Teams – 12-1 p.m.

Registration is required in order to receive the professional development pathway credit and the Microsoft Teams link:  

• Register here for the in-person classes:  (May have to copy and paste into browser).
• Register here for the remote classes: (May have to copy and paste into browser).

Faculty and staff will receive credit in the 51���� Professional Development Pathways (PDP) program as part of the relationship building concentration.