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Coming Together

For many area veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the next step in coming home is finding each other.

Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted May. 7, 2009

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Chris Shannon at Stockton’s ‘Operation Promise’ program, held last Wednesday (photos by nick valinote).

For as long as America has faced foreign wars, the U.S. veteran has faced a challenge. It is the difference between coming home and feeling truly at home. For servicemen and women who have faced the rigors of military training and discipline, as well as dangerous action in the fronts of Iraq and Afghanistan, coming home, though decidedly safer physically, may bring more challenges than it ends.

For Charles Kern, a 23-year-old veteran of Afghanistan, who saw action along that country's eastern border in 2007, those challenges now face him as he walks the halls of the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. A sophomore at the school, Kern, like many veterans, is seeking to increase his education and training, helped by veteran's educational benefits. But those benefits didn't necessarily prepare him for the social transition of college life.

Nicholas Carpenito

"It is more or less common for veterans and military personnel to pursue more training or a degree," Kern says. "Veterans are hungry for knowledge. But you do have to make a transition from military life to college life. We're coming from a situation where you're part of a unit to a situation where you're on your own. There's no squad commander or your buddies to help you here. You're very much an individual here and you have to adjust."

But while veterans and active service members may be on their own, they're hardly alone. Kern was instrumental in founding a student veteran organization at Stockton. Already, the fledgling group has identified about 150 veterans, service members and family members attending Stockton and is trying to get the word out to more at the school.

"Obviously many veterans don't necessarily go to college," Kern says. "Many move onto other kinds of vocational training. But the idea is to let them know we're here."

The move has prompted Stockton to examine its veterans' programs, most recently by holding a conference on veterans' issues dubbed "Operation Promise." The conference examined a number of initiatives, including the upcoming benefits attached to a new version of the G.I. Bill -- called the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill -- that is now going into effect. Under the bill, which will increase financial aid for veterans on everything from housing to the purchasing of books, schools like Stockton could see a huge influx of veterans.

Rebecca Paterson

The group and the conference both focused on answering veteran's questions about benefits under the bill. For the veterans themselves, however, the biggest transition may be one that faces all college students. Simply being in a new situation carries its own stress. But service members have their own special outlook.

"You are coming from a very intense situation," Kern says. "But you have to keep in mind that this is still intense. You can't start thinking you can relax and party. You have to maintain your focus."

Few know this better than Chris Shannon, 32, of Margate. Shannon served two Army tours in Iraq, seeing combat, and is now a recruiter. Originally from North Carolina, it's his second experience in college, having attended East Carolina University before joining the service.

Stockton's Veteran Culture

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, which opened its doors in 1971, has a long tradition of serving returning veterans. In its early days, the school was home to many returning Vietnam vets. "It had a great impact on the early founding and philosophy of the school, as it did on society, says Stockton spokesman Tim Kelly. "Much of our school's early culture was influenced by those veterans. So now we are sort of trying to return to our roots and help this new group of veterans."

In that spirit, the school held the veterans conference "Operation Promise" last month to address the needs of returning veterans. The program was designed to examine not only benefits available to veterans under the new Post 9/11 G.I Bill, but how the school can serve a growing element in its student body. "Veterans may have unique needs, whether it's counseling or dealing with disabilities and physical therapy," says Patrick Shields, head of veteran services at the school. "And they need information about the programs and benefits available to them. We want to be prepared to provide them with the services they need.

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