Training Programs for Faculty and Staff


There are several training programs in the country that help faculty and staff understand student veterans. One is Green Zone Training offered by The University of North Carolina and another is the Veterans Educator Training and Support (V.E.T.S.) Program at the University of Colorado. The one I’m going to review is the VET NET Ally program (Thomas, 2010).

The VET NET Ally Program was created for California State University, Long Beavh in order to fulfill the need for a safe space for veterans and is modeled after the Safe Zone Ally training program (Thomas, 2010). It offers four hours of training for faculty and staff and includes a panel of student veterans (Thomas, 2010). There are four theme areas: program purpose, policies and procedures, military and post-military culture and transition, and personal identity issues (Thomas, 2010). Similar to Safe Zone training, participants are given a decal for displaying in offices or workspaces (Thomas, 2010).

“[T]he primary goals of the program: to educate members of the university community, to foster a supportive campus atmosphere, and to establish a network of visible Allies for student veterans.” (Thomas, 2010). The training focuses on military veterans, including the reasons why joined and the transition they experience moving from active duty to the academic environment (Thomas, 2010). The training also discusses how to become an ally for student veterans (Thomas, 2010). Most participants “reported an increased positive attitude towards veterans” (Thomas, 2010).

Works Cited

Thomas, M. W. (2010). A safe zone for veterans: Developing the VET NET ally program to increase faculty and staff awareness and sensitivity to the needs of military veterans in higher education (Order No. 3425191). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.rit.edu/docview/757947858?accountid=108

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