Eve Holzemer, DPN at SLU

Most people are unaware that women are the fastest growing group within the veteran population. Because of this, the number of female veterans in the Veteran Affairs (VA) health-care system has nearly doubled over the last ten years. The numbers are only expected to increase over time.

This can pose a problem for veterans hospitals when it comes to treating women. Female veterans are normally sent to outpatient and women’s clinics for additional gynecological and wellness exams.

Eve Holzemer, DNP and adjunct instructor at SLU’s School of Nursing is also the Women Veterans Program Manager in St. Louis, Mo. It was clear to her measures needed to be taken to accommodate female veterans in the VA St. Louis Health Care System (VASLHCS). Holzemer has proposed a three-phased solution to expand the VA’s health-care program for women veterans in the St. Louis area:

• Partnering with practitioners to treat veterans in their area
• Streamlining processes to allow for same day examinations
• Increasing and improving complex services (electrosurgical excision procedures, hysteroscopy, prenatal services, etc.)

In this article, Holzemer describes in detail how the VASLHCS can take more of a comprehensive approach toward treatment, including coordinating medical care and social services.

Some renovations to the VA hospital at John Cochran will be completed as early as May 2013. Further renovations are expected to be completed in early 2015.

Click here to read more about Dr. Holzemer. To learn more about VA health care for women veterans, visit their website.

The Call to Serve

Most individuals choose a military career early on in life; however, Peter Emerson went down a different path. While everyday life got in the way of his dream of serving in the military when he was younger, Emerson was able to achieve his goal later in life.

The Next Step

By earning his Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Studies (with a minor in strategic communications) from SLU earlier this year, Emerson was able to become a lieutenant in the Missouri National Guard while maintaining his senior purchasing coordinator position at Citi Mortgage.

He chose SLU because of the flexibility of the night and online business classes offered through the School for Professional Studies. He was very impressed with how highly qualified SLU’s faculty was. For instance, one of his favorite classes was taught by a marketing executive from Anheuser Busch. Lieutenant Emerson believed other universities couldn’t compete with the prestige of a SLU degree.

The New Role

His SLU education has positioned him well for his current job as well as for his future career. He has been able to take what he learned at SLU and apply it to his role as a National Guard officer. The organizational studies curriculum helped him understand large organizations like his employer, Citi Mortgage, while his knowledge of strategic communications helps with external crisis management.

He currently trains new soldiers in the Recruit Sustainment Program, designed for soldiers who have not been through basic combat training. In this class, they learn terminology and protocols that are part of the Army and National Guard service. Lieutenant Emerson looks forward to the day when he can lead his own platoon.

Live Your Dream

If you have always wanted to continue your education, but were unable to fit it into your busy schedule, consider enrolling in classes through Saint Louis University’s School for Professional Studies, which offers several undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Undergraduate degrees currently offered fully online through the School for Professional Studies:

• Criminal Justice & Security Management
• General Studies
• Organizational Studies
• Aeronautics: Aviation Management Concentration
• Nursing – RN to BSN
• Organizational Leadership & Technology

Graduate degrees currently offered fully online through the School for Professional Studies:

• Leadership & Organizational Development
• Organizational Informatics

Visit BusyAdults.slu.edu for a full list of programs and scholarships offered.

Taylor Baum, sophomore at SLU

I had the pleasure of interviewing Taylor Baum, ROTC cadet and exceptional SLU student. Read on to learn a little bit about her experience with SLU and ROTC.

Q. Where are you from?

A. St. Louis (South City)

Q. Why did you come to SLU?

A. SLU has a very good medical/pre-med program and it is a well-renowned school. I know that they have a very good science program and figured it would be a good choice.

Q. What are you majoring in and what will you be doing with your degree?

A. I am a psych/pre-med major and I will like to go to medical school and become some kind of doctor.

Q. What are your interests and hobbies?

A. I do research at SLU. I work in an evolutionary botany lab. I spend a lot of time studying. Besides that I like to relax with friends.

Q. How did you become interested in Army ROTC?

A. I like to be challenged constantly – physical, mental, emotional – and I feel like ROTC encompasses all of those different things and is making me a better person. I really like that. And I think the Army has tons to offer, like health benefits and travel. I knew I wanted to go to college first so ROTC was an obvious choice.

Q. How have you benefited from your ROTC training?

A. I’ve definitely been more confident. My interpersonal skills have been better, like leadership obviously. Sending out emails and talking to people and giving them all the information necessary, like every detail and realizing how much you have to tell people, just things like that.

Q. Would you recommend Army ROTC to incoming college freshmen and high school seniors? If so, why?

A. Yes. I definitely would. Obviously I would tell them it is a huge time commitment because it is more than I thought it would be. Just like I said it made me a better person and more confident. The things that I have learned are amazing and I have a ton more to learn too. I really look forward to coming to stuff like I have met a lot of good friends through ROTC and a lot of really awesome people.

If you would like more information about the ROTC at SLU, visit: http://www.slu.edu/military-student-resources-home/rotc-programs.

What is the Aviation Management program like?

The online aviation management program at Saint Louis University provides students with specialized knowledge of the aviation industry and a strong foundation in corporate operations. This program is offered in partnership between SLU’s School for Professional Studies and SLU’s Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology. The program emphasizes learner-centric education, utilizing problem-based learning. Students demonstrate a deeper understanding of their discipline and develop greater intellectual curiosity, confidence and engagement. Courses include:

• Air Carrier Operations
• Aviation Finance
• Airport Planning
• Airport Management
• Accident Investigation
• Aviation Law
• Economics of Air Transportation
• International Aviation
• Applied Professional Ethics & Standards
• Marketing Strategies
• Human Resources in Organizations

What does an Online Aviation Management student look like?

One student in the program is Major Jeremy Jeffrey, Marine Corps pilot. Major Jeffrey lives in Camp Lejeune, N.C. and is able to take aviation courses online that fit his busy military schedule. Major Jeffrey has been in the Marines for 20 years and 12 of those years have been as a pilot. With his hectic work schedule, Major Jeffrey needed an online academic plan that could meet his needs.

What can I do with an Aviation Management degree?

Major Jeffery serves as an excellent example of how even active duty military personnel can continue their education after ending their military career. Through the online aviation management program at SLU, you will learn comprehensive knowledge of the aviation industry that can open up several career opportunities including management positions at an array of organizations, such as aircraft manufacturers, airports, higher education institutions and airlines.

What are some additional benefits of the program?

SLU is now offering this online aviation management program at the reduced tuition rate of $250 per credit hour for benefit-eligible military students, veterans and their dependents. Please contact Jennifer Matteson, VA Certifying Official, for veterans benefits information at 314-977-2259 or jmattes2@slu.edu.

How do I enroll in this program?

To register for Saint Louis University’s online aviation management program, contact Debra Blanquart, Military Advisor, at 314-977-3347 or dblanqua@slu.edu.

Have you recently asked yourself, “I’m ready for college, now what?”

Some veteran students say that unlike the clear structure and organization of the military, the process of enrolling in college is convoluted and vague. Rather than moving directly from point A to point B, they feel like they are mired in an endless maze of bureaucracy to apply for admissions, VA educational benefits and financial aid, in addition to the hurdles of registering for classes and learning their way around campus.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) recognized this concern and addressed it during this year’s annual convention. NACAC has provided a detailed checklist to help veterans get started.

Here are some main points:

• Decide on an approved Veteran Affairs (VA) Education Program
• Choose a university
• Contact the VA Certified Official at the institution and ask if your program is supported
• Compile all transcripts and paperwork
• Apply for VA benefits
• Complete the Student Financial Aid Application (FAFSA)
• Apply for scholarships and grants
• Apply for admission
• Ask about additional placement testing
• Attend orientation
• Contact an academic advisor
• Seek additional support for help filling out VA forms

Why SLU?

Saint Louis University offers nearly 100 undergraduate programs that are challenging and relevant in today’s world, so you’re sure to find something that interests you. SLU also provides academic and social support for veterans as well as other services.

Finally, if you need help starting your college career at Saint Louis University, we are here to help. Schedule a visit or give us a call today:

General Inquiries

Michael Bamber, Program Director for Military Outreach
314-977-3425
mbamber1@slu.edu

Admissions / Transcript Review

Matt Schutte, Assistant Director
314-977-3716
tschutt1@slu.edu

Registrar Coordinator / VA Certifying Official

Jennifer Matteson
314-977-2259
jmattes2@slu.edu

Financial Aid

Student Financial Services
314-977-2350
sfs@slu.edu

Many students find the transition to college to be difficult. As we’ve talked about before, veterans may find that transition more challenging than nonveterans. Disabled veterans (of which there has been a 25 percent increase in the past 10 years) not only have to adjust from military to civilian life, but also have to navigate this new way of life with physical and/or mental injuries. It is the goal of Saint Louis University to assist them in doing so.

Saint Louis University’s Disability Services is available to help all students with documented medical or clinical disabilities receive reasonable accommodations, in hopes disabled students can participate in all facets of their educational experience. If students have documented clinical medical or clinical disabilities and anticipate requiring accommodation, they should contact the University to officially recognize and consider their needs. All inquiries are confidential.

Disability Services may be particularly important to veterans who may be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as a result of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) blasts. There is help available for veterans and students in general who suffer from the following conditions:

• Physical limitation, i.e. loss of limbs, paralysis, etc.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Traumatic brain injury

Any Saint Louis University student suffering from these or other documented medical or clinical conditions should contact Disability Services at 314-977-3484 or disability_services@slu.edu

There is substantial evidence that some veterans, especially younger veterans are having a hard time finding employment. On October 14, 2012, the Wall Street Journal published a story indicating citing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data that the unemployment rate for veterans who have served on active duty since the 9/11 attacks was 9.7 percent as of last September, down from 11.7 percent a year earlier. While that certainly is good news, that rate is still well above the 7.4 percentage of civilian unemployment.

In Missouri, the Show-Me Heroes program looks to lower the veteran unemployment rate even further. Launched by Governor Jay Nixon in January 2010, the initiative is designed to connect military veterans with job opportunities when they return home from service. Missouri’s Department of Workforce Development is administering the program, which seeks to connect Missouri’s veterans with employers who are eager to hire veterans. Currently, more than 2,400 Missouri businesses have taken the Show-Me Heroes pledge, which led to the hiring of nearly 1,800 veterans.

In July 2012, Governor Nixon signed House Bill 1680, which strengthens and expands the Show-Me Heroes program. The bill adds an On-the-Job (OJT) training component for returning National Guard, Reservists and recently-separated active-duty service members whom Show-Me Heroes employers agree to hire. Through the OJT component, the state will reimburse 50 percent of the participant’s wages during a contracted training period.

If you are a Missourian who has served our country and needs help getting a job, the Show-Me Heroes program is a great resource. I encourage you to visit the program web site at ShowMeHeroes.mo.gov and begin taking advantage of this great program for Missouri veterans or visit the Slate Missouri Career Center to talk to a counselor. If you are a SLU student, I also encourage you to take full advantage of SLU’s Career Services offered through the Student Success Center.

Michael Bamber
Program Director for Military Outreach

Email: mbamber1@slu.edu

Phone: 314-977-3425

Address:
Saint Louis University
One Grand Boulevard
DuBorg Hall Room 156
St. Louis, Mo 63103

Has the entrepreneurial bug bitten you? Have you ever thought about starting your own business?

If so, you may be in luck. Wal-Mart recently announced it is awarding a $50,000 grant to St. Louis-based Veterans Business Resource Center (VRBC). This organization’s motto is “Veterans Helping Veterans in Business.”  The grant was awarded in order to help the VBRC launch a new program entitled “Hero to Home” program. It is intended to help veterans start a new business or to help those Guardsmen or Reservists who were business owners prior to their deployment to rebuild their business when they return from deployment.

In An Analysis of Small Business and Jobs, the Small Business Administration (SBA) addressed the issue of how to better understand the 7 million jobs lost from December 2007 through December 2009 and a solution as to how to replace them. Specifically, the SBA indicated that “While small and large firms provide roughly equivalent shares of jobs, the major part of job generation and destruction takes place in the small firm sector, and small firms provide the greater share of net new jobs…”

If the only thing that is stopping you from starting a business is the financial support, consider applying for this grant. With funding available through the Wal-Mart grant, and assistance from the VBRC and Saint Louis University’s Center for Entrepreneurship in the John Cook School of Business, you can get the help and advice you need to launch a successful business.

If you are interested in starting a business contact SLU’s Center for Entrepreneurship at 314-977-850.

Have you ever wondered what other health problems veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom suffer as a result of traumatic brain injuries? A newly funded research program at Saint Louis University may provide some answers.

More than 2,000 veterans who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan since October 2001 have suffered from traumatic brain injuries caused by explosive devices, or IEDs. These devices are unexpended explosives of various origins detonated by a cellphone or another remote device. The high-pressure blast wave generated by IEDs can be as high as 1,600 feet per second and injure troops several hundred yards from the detonation. As a result, any survivors of these blasts are faced with new obstacles in life.

In order to develop a software system to document and track the health problems of veterans who sustained traumatic brain injuries, the Department of Defense awarded a $1.5 million grant to SLU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.  SLU’s Dr. Travis Threats, professor and department chair, will serve as co-principal investigator for the study. The data from the study will help to determine what ways veterans with health problems can be assisted in adjusting to civilian life and achieve goals such as employment.

For currents students that have been diagnosed with a disability, SLU offers assistance through Disability Services.  If you or someone you know anticipate a need for any assistance, please contact Disability Services at 314-977-3484.

Ben Eldredge, senior at SLU

Here on the military student resources blog, we plan to spotlight students and faculty from time to time to give you their SLU perspective.

I recently interviewed Ben Eldredge, ROTC cadet and outstanding SLU student. Read on to learn a little bit about his experience with SLU and ROTC.

Q. Why did you choose SLU?

A. I chose SLU for two reasons: it’s a Jesuit institution, and it was affordable, thanks to the financial package that they offered me.

Q. Are you considering going to law school with the intention of getting into the Army’s Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps?

A. I was considering that but a couple of friends who just graduated and wanted to go JAG learned that the acceptance rate into JAG was 6 percent and that ROTC graduates did not have an advantage. They advised me to hold off. With that in mind, I have requested the Military Intelligence Branch. Outside of the Army, I don’t know what I will do, maybe go into politics.

Q. What are your interests and hobbies?

A. I like to work out a lot – lifting, running, swimming – but the thing I like to do most is rock climbing down at Upper Limits downtown. I just went to the Army’s basic mountaineering course and it really helped me fall in love with rock climbing. I got all my gear and a membership in Upper Limits and have been going at it about 3 times a week.

Q. How did you become interested in Army ROTC?

A. I really didn’t have any interest when I was applying to college. So I came to college and in the first semester something started appealing to me about it. It was the job security, the structure, most of all it was probably the feeling of doing something bigger than me and doing something important. I did not just want to get out of college and get an entry level job or unpaid internship and feel that I was not really contributing to anything.

Q. Would you recommend Army ROTC to incoming college freshmen and high school seniors? If so, Why?

A. Conditionally, yes. I am not going to lie, it is not for everyone. It’s tough and at times it definitely sucks. But if you’re the type of person that likes doing things that will make you better physically, mentally and socially, I would definitely recommend that you try it. You push yourself. What you get out of it is exponentially greater than what you put into it. It is a fantastic experience and I would recommend it to just about anyone who wants to do it. I would not tell anyone they can’t do it.

Q. Anything else you would like to add?

A. In terms of advice to prospective ROTC cadets, you can give it a trial run and see if it is for you. Your MS I (freshman) year the ROTC is not going to be overly challenging, especially if you are non-contracted cadet. It is a good way to see if it is for you. A lot of the cadets coming in for the next few years are not going to be scholarship cadets as the funding is shrinking so it gives more incentive for students to just give it a try.