When potential applicants are weighing which educational institutions best suit their needs, they not only evaluate the academic programs but also consider everything from cafeteria meal plans to lodging, to extracurricular offerings. While these are areas that are essential to one’s quality of life on any campus, and frequently factored into attendance decisions, one topic is regularly overlooked: mental health. In 2018, it was estimated that over 1.4 million veterans have distinct mental health needs. This study focuses solely on service members and does not account for the millions of individuals who comprise the rest of the military-affiliated community, such as spouses, parents, siblings, and children. Institutions of higher learning must be aware of the significant mental health challenges veterans face in pursuing their educational goals. Colleges and universities must proactively engage members of this population to ensure that their needs are met and to assist veterans in fully integrating into campus life.

No Cliché Zone
It seems that members of society in general, not just higher education personnel, associate veterans with a java lounge stocked with granola bars and pre-packaged muffins. Why has the stereotype that coffee and snacks resolve military-related issues persisted for so long? Where did this concept originate? I won’t attempt to identify and address those issues here, but I would like to take the opportunity to encourage education professionals to place a higher emphasis on the welfare, both physical and mental, of veteran students. Please do not perceive veterans as being a monolithic population, as even those with similar experiences, education, and assignment service patterns may have starkly different mental health needs. If you take nothing else away from this piece, just remember that while many veterans rely heavily upon their daily doses of coffee (I would be in the minority, as I do not indulge), providing a space for the consumption of food and drinks alone is not a viable means to support veterans’ mental health.

On-Campus Services
During the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities faced difficulties in adapting their operations to provide uninterrupted services to their students. Many institutions were woefully ill-equipped to deliver instruction solely via virtual platforms, and this unpreparedness extended to counseling and mental health services. While many educational institutions still do not offer robust in-person services, great strides have been made in providing teletherapy options for students. This is an area where education practitioners can make an immediate impact by making military-affiliated counseling services available through several telehealth channels. As an active-duty service member that receives frequent counseling, this has been an option that has provided me with the greatest flexibility in attending all scheduled sessions and can be an invaluable resource for the veterans on campuses across the nation.

Another valuable resource is the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) program, which seeks to improve academic retention and success by employing the following:

• On-campus clinical care and coordination.
• Improving understanding of veterans' unique strengths and challenges through education and training delivered to the campus community.
• Collaborating with the local VA medical center, the Veterans Benefits Administration, campus faculty and staff members, and community resources.

Academic institutions can also work to offer non-conventional rehabilitative and resilience programs for military-affiliated students. By coordinating with veteran service organizations, many can obtain funding for events similar to those provided by the Wounded Warrior Project, such as offering physically demanding events that build confidence and cohesiveness between participants. This can be done by inviting veterans to attend specially cultivated conditioning sessions with university athletic teams, free of cost to the organization. If the institution can acquire sponsorship, campus veteran support services can arrange weekend retreats that allow students to detach from the obligations of daily life to focus on self-development and restoration.

Closing Thoughts
Research has shown that approximately twenty-two veterans commit suicide each day, and these individuals are fifty percent more likely to succumb to suicidal ideations than their civilian counterparts. It is essential that faculty, administrators, and university support personnel be aware of the significant role that mental health support plays in assisting military-affiliated students. While this population may require a specific type of mental health assistance, it does not make them any less driven to be successful than their strictly civilian colleagues in achieving their academic goals.

Article Topics

Military Friendly Institutions Research on Student Veterans Serving Military in HigherEd Veterans Academic Success Women Veterans

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