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MARSHALL UNIVERSITY
Student group helps veterans adjust to college life
A new club called Veterans for Veterans has formed at Marshall University. The group provides a variety of information and educational support to veterans and their families. From left to right are Gregory Campbell, vice president, John Mathis, president, Nick Blankenship, treasurer, and Joe Griffith, secretary.
HUNTINGTON -- The rigors of military life to the civilian world can be jarring for some soldiers even without the added stress of an academic environment.
In September, a new student group called Veterans for Veterans was formed at Marshall University to help its hundreds of veterans adjust to college life. The group helps veterans and their families. Currently there are 141 members of the club.
"We established ourselves on the first of September. Since then we have managed to accomplish a number of amazing things," said John Mathis, president of the group and a veteran of the Iraq war. "This is an organization to help veterans find information, network among themselves, meet other vets and study. We have family members, spouses and significant others of veterans supporting them. As many of us attended a University 101 class specifically for veterans, we realized a need for veterans to get together to get the information they needed for school programs, health programs and retirement programs."
Gregory Campbell, vice president of the club, agreed on the need for support.
"At Marshall we are trying to provide a comfort zone for people who are feeling uncomfortable returning from combat," he said. "We want to give ourselves a place where we can study in private."
The student organization has also been proactive in raising awareness of a variety of social and health issues faced by veterans. One of the most important causes has been Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
"The bad thing about PTSD is that some people associate it exclusively to military personnel when in fact it can happen to anyone," Mathis said. "Regretfully it happens to military veterans the most as we often end up in the worst situations. What studies have shown is that women suffer more from PTSD than men, particularly those who have been subject to sexual assault and childhood abuse. I've recently read a survey from the American Psychiatric Journal that said 6.9 percent of all Americans suffer from PTSD."
Mathis said PTSD is more widespread now.
"One way Post Traumatic Stress Disorder differs today from earlier wars is that you don't have to be on the front lines to suffer from it," he said. "We now have people controlling missiles with cameras on them and unmanned drones who are seeing horrific things happening. Sadly we don't have enough information out here to let vets know they may have a serious disorder. As someone who suffers from severe PTSD, I have become a champion of the cause. One of my lifetime goals is to see a public service announcement telling people who are experiencing signs of PTSD or have a loved one who does where they can get help."
Mathis noted that when it goes unrecognized and untreated, PTSD can lead to a variety of problems.
"What people don't understand is that if PTSD goes untreated and reaches a level of severity that you can't take it does lead to suicide," Mathis said. "Anger is also an issue. What PTSD does is it jars the entire system. It makes it hard to deal with everyday things. It affects your memory, your stress levels and your coping skills. The society at large is uneducated about the issue. It is a serious problem, but it is treatable, and people who deal with PTSD can live normal lives."
Another health issue the group is trying to raise awareness of is Traumatic Brain Injury. The symptoms of traumatic brain injuries, often the results of concussive blasts, mirror those of PTSD. More information can be found at the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site at www.va.gov or by contacting the local VA Hospital.
The club had an open house in Prichard Hall on Veterans Day. Twenty-five new members joined.
It is also having a toy drive for local children. People who wish to take part can drop off an unwrapped toy at the group's main office in room 140 in Prichard Hall. The group is also looking into acquiring some desktop computers to set up a private study lab for veterans.
"This organization was set up for any and all veterans," said Nick Blankenship, the club's treasurer. "The transition from military to civilian life is hard, and the transition to college life is even harder. You spend several years oversees or on a base in another state and you don't know anyone. Here you can meet other people with similar experiences and share the same beliefs."
The group is also focused on the educational opportunities for veterans.
"Right now we're focusing on the post 9/11 GI Bill because there have been issues for people using it," Mathis said. "Not everyone is getting paid in time and because of that some people are unable to pay for their books. We are right now talking with the university about maybe setting up a promissory note system where student veterans can sign for their books. There is already a program for athletes, and we want to set up a system like it for the people who have served this country. I don't think it's too much to ask."
For more information on the Veterans for Veterans program you can send an e-mail to muvets4vets@gmail.com, visit the Web site at www.myspace.com/muvets4vets or call 304-417-8579. The club's office is located in room 140 of Prichard Hall on the Marshall campus.
