Veterans On Campus – An Online Training Simulation

Veterans face numerous challenges in the transition to civilian life.  We cannot truly empathize unless we are veterans ourselves, but we can strive to understand the unique value that they bring to campus, bring awareness to support services available to veterans, and destigmatize the need for help.

We have adopted an online training simulation, Veterans on Campus, aimed at helping us better support and understand our student veterans.  In this 30-minue course, you will learn the skills that will equip you to understand common challenges faced by veterans.  You will also learn how to approach the veterans you are worried about and refer them to support services.

Veteran’s Day exists to celebrate our soldiers’ service to our country, and now you have an amazing opportunity to serve them and create a better environment for everyone on campus.  Veteran’s Day coincides with other holidays including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark the anniversary of the end of World War I (major hostilities of World War 1 were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect).  The United States also originally observed Armistice Day; it then evolved into the current Veterans Day holiday in 1954.  Veterans Day should not be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans Day celebrates the “service” of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who gave their lives and those who perished while in service.

To take the course, follow the instructions below:

1.       Go to:  http://ccc.kognito.com/

2.       Create your own account using your email address and a personal password.

3.       Follow the on-screen instructions.

Every semester, BCC has anywhere between 25 to 50 new veteran students. These are the identified veteran students and their dependents that have education benefits.  There are many more veterans on our campus that are not identified, because they believe our veteran  program only serves those with benefits – which is not the case.  We also have faculty and staff who are veterans themselves and relate to our veteran students needs.

If you are aware of any veterans in your classes, or on campus in general, please encourage them to visit the Veteran’s Resource Center located in Room 347 (3rd Floor) of main campus and consider stopping by yourself.  The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday.  We have community resources, as well as computers, a printer, and a meeting space for them to use.