Adams State Veterans Center

Today is my last day working with veterans at Adams State. I learned a lot over the several years I have been here, so I would like to take this time to pass on some words of wisdom. Keep in mind, this is based on the typical behaviors I have seen from veterans.

1. Don't be impetuous. Going back to school after military service is an adjustment a lot of veterans are not prepared for. It is a lot harder than they expect it to be, and when they hit a bump in the road, they throw hands up and say "this is clearly not for me". They then look at drastic changes to see if that can improve their situation; such as, changing their major, switching to trade school, switching to online only classes, or just quitting and finding a job.

Take things easy, and when life hits you after your first test, don't quit, evaluate your approach to studying, ask your professor/classmates for help, and readjust for the next exam. You don't need to trash everything because one exam went badly.

2. Don't isolate yourself. Being the old guy in the class isn't fun, but you need to interact with your classmates. Building social connections will help you when things get tough, and they can help you network for later in life.

3. Teach what you know to the younger generations. Learning how to pass on your knowledge to others is a great way to reintegrate into society. This doesn't have to be anything terribly complex. Teaching someone how to shoot a pistol or how to prepare for hike in the mountains can mean a lot someone. I believe a lot of veterans could find a good purpose by becoming a mentor.

4. Talk to the other vets in school. They went through what you are going through now. They can help you adjust to school for success. They can also become that social group you will need to hang out with after classes end.

5. Stop the bad habits. Most of us get wrapped up in the drinking culture of the military. Those habits will only hurt you as you move back into civilian life. Take a hard look at yourself, try to be healthy, do something other than drink on the weekends, and find a hobby to occupy you on your free time. If you live in Colorado, you should explore the mountains; learn to fish, hunt, hike a 14er, or learn to ski/snowboard.

6. Speak your mind but be tactful. You are welcome to have a difference of opinion during class activities. Some vets just try to interrupt the professor during lecture. This isn't the best time or place. It also doesn't help if you start off by insulting someone.

7. When you need help you need to ask for help. When things get bad, for whatever reason, you need admit it's time for help. We can put you in touch with a tutor if you need it. We can get a counselor to meet with you. We can sit down and talk about a new major for your degree. However, there is nothing anyone can do for you if you don't ask for help. Most of us vets who graduated from college, had to ask for help.

I hope some of you find this insightful. All of our journeys are a little different, but we run into the same problems.

Happy 247th birthday to the United States Army.

New Colorado law makes college courses more accessible for military veterans The bill signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis at CSU Pueblo allows military veterans to audit college courses for $10 or less.

Spend time with your family, enjoy the liberty we have in this nation, but remember why we have this day off.

Congratulations to our graduates this year!

We decided to bring attention to a truly amazing veteran for Women's History Month. If you don't know who she is, she helped to create modern computer coding. Look into her accomplishments if you have some spare time.

I want to wish all of our veterans a happy Veterans Day. I would also like to thank everyone who came out to lunch today. I saw a lot of happy folks enjoying a meal and having good conversations. That is what I was hoping to see. Sorry, I dont have any pictures. I was wrapped up in conversation myself, and I forgot to take pictures.

I want to put out a quick reminder for the events we have coming up. Tonight, we are doing a story time with veterans at Carson Auditorium. We have veterans who served in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan doing a quick interview about their experiences. We will also have them answer questions from the audience. The event will begin at 7:30 PM.

Tomorrow, we are having a free lunch for veterans at noon. We are serving a BBQ buffet. The lunch is located in the Student Union Building banquet rooms. Guests can park at the library parking lot, and follow the signs to the lunch.

Friday, we are giving a presentation on the primary issue battle rifle and sidearm for the U.S military from the Korean War to the present. I will be going over the reasons why we switched from one platform to the next, and I will be touching on why they are popular with the American public. The event will also be in Carson Auditorium, and it will begin at 7:30pm.

For Native American History month, we are honoring MSG Woodrow Keeble. Originating from Waubay, South Dakota MSG Keeble served this great nation during WWII and the Korean War. He earned the highest honors that can be awarded to an American soldier, including the Medal of Honor.

We are showing the movie 0 Dark 30 tonight at Carson Auditorium. The movie starts at 730, and is free to ASU students and veterans. It's only $3 for community memebers. We will also be selling some cookies that were left over from th bake sale. We hope to see you there.