Oregon State University has been designated Gold Level for a Tier 1 research institution by VIQTORY, a veteran-owned ranking site. Military Friendly® is the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort and success in creating sustainable and meaningful opportunity for the military community, according to the organization. To learn more: https://www.militaryfriendly.com/oregon-state-university/.

Over this Memorial Day weekend, I hope you will take the time to pause and think about those who gave the ultimate sacrifice while defending our country. We have created these videos to share with you the great members of Beaver Nation that have made that sacrifice.

Service Members A - C https://youtu.be/M3ztZexVLu0
Service Members D - G https://youtu.be/fuu62Zu8Nyg
Service Members H - L https://youtu.be/J9FYXlr1sGU  
Service Members M - R https://youtu.be/jW6oQIbQXjc
Service Members S - Z https://youtu.be/z50tORSesMM

The Oregon State University Military and Veteran Resource Center has attempted to create a database of all honored OSU alumni who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Created over the course of a year through extensive cross platform research, these are the Beavers who gave their lives for our freedom. 

You can find our more about the project and search the database here:  https://veterans.oregonstate.edu/osu-gold-star-project

Oregon State University Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) teams with Military & Veteran Resources to offer Student Veterans Support Group.

Coffee and conversation about school, life, career, your service, mental health, or anything else that might be on your mind. Facilitated by former VA social worker and current CAPS counselor Mark Davis.

Thursdays (starting Jan 16) in the MVRC Conference Room Snell 172.
2pm-2:30pm Mindfulness (optional)
2:30pm-4:00pm Group Discussion

For more information please contact the Military & Veteran Resources Center at 541-737-2278 or veteranresources@oregonstate.edu

This year the Oregon State Beavers are hosting almost a full week of sporting events that will offer special recognition to our nation’s veterans.

• 11-3 – Women’s Soccer vs. USC @ 1:00pm
• 11-8 – Football vs. Washington @ 7:30pm
• 11-9 – Men’s Basketball vs. Iowa State @ 1:30pm
• 11-10 – Volleyball vs. Washington @ 12:00pm
• 11-10– Men’s Soccer vs. Cal @ 1:00pm
• 11-11 – Women’s Basketball vs. WNIT opponent @7:00pm

As a small token of appreciation to those who have given so much to defend and serve the United States of America, Oregon State Athletics is offering two complimentary tickets for each of these events to both currently service U.S. Military and honorably discharged veterans. The ticket link for Football, Men’s and Women’s Basketball is: https://osubeavers.com/military. Tickets for volleyball and both soccer games can be secured at the box office during the week of the games, or you can show your ID at the door.

Military veterans exposed to combat were more likely to exhibit signs of depression and anxiety in later life than veterans who had not seen combat, a new study from Oregon State University shows. (see also Science Daily)

https://www.ktvz.com/news/study-combat-vets-more-likely-to-have-later-mental-health-issues/1091516879

The Military and Veteran Resources Center at Oregon State University, and our Military Connected Community, would like to thank all those that took the time to share in our 2018 Veterans Week Events.  We could not have done it without the great support that we received from the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, specifically Elizabeth Estabrooks, the Oregon Women Veterans Coordinator, and Nathaniel Boehme, the LGBTQ Veterans Coordinator; our own student veteran Jacob Mogler who’s time and talent produced the documentary GRUNTS; the amazing veterans that participated in our panels to help provide even greater clarity to the topics; the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for their generous contribution that allowed us to provide refreshments and to utilize such a great venue as the LaSells Stewart Center.

November 3^rd – Veterans Appreciation Game – Start your 2018 Veterans Week off with the OSU vs USC football game. As a small token of appreciation to those who have given so much to defend and serve the United States of America, Oregon State Athletics is offering two complimentary tickets to Beaver football’s November 3 game against USC to verified military personnel, including both active personnel and veterans. Service members and veterans can also purchase additional tickets for 50% off regular price.  http://x.paciolanmail.com/ats/msg.aspx?sg1=f7e814a99beeeab29054e085c7e99e23

November 6^th – I AM NOT INVISIBLE – Join us at 7 p.m. in the LaSells Stewart Center for the exhibit, I AM NOT INVISIBLE. It is a remarkable exhibition featuring 20 portraits of Oregon women military veterans. A veteran panel will follow at 8 p.m.  The public is welcome to this free event.

November 7^th – GRUNT – Join us at 7 p.m. in the LaSells Stewart Center for a screening of the documentary GRUNT, a film by OSU student veteran Jacob Mogler.  It shares a few stories of coming home… from the “Forever War.” A film about Oregon State Student Veterans by an OSU student veteran.  A veteran panel will follow immediately after the screening.  The public is welcome to this free event.  Contains some adult language.

November 8^th – Breaking the Silence – Join us at 7 p.m. in the LaSells Stewart Center for a screening of the documentary Breaking the Silence.  This groundbreaking film explores the lives of five LGBTQIA+ Oregon veterans, who not only served their country honorably, but were forced to serve in silence and at great risk to themselves, their careers and their families. A veteran panel will follow at immediately after the screening.  The public is welcome to this free event.

November 9^th – Behind the Uniform – Join us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the heart of the main campus in the covered area between the Memorial Union and the Student Experience Center.  Behind the Uniform is an opportunity to meet with some of our Military Connected Community members and find out more about them.  Enjoy free coffee and donuts.

A very special thank you to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for a grant that made our Nov 7-9 events possible.

For more information please contact the Military and Veteran Resources Program at veteranresources@oregonstate.edu

Fallen Patriots is an tax exempt organisation, who’s mission is to provide college scholarships and educational counseling to military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty.  They can be found at https://www.fallenpatriots.org.

They have recently highlighted Lance Parson. Lance is currently a senior here at Oregon State University, a student in Environmental Sciences, and a recipient of a Fallen Patriot Scholarship.  Lance’s story can be found at https://www.fallenpatriots.org/student-spotlight-blog/lance-j-parson.

Effective August 1, 2018, the entitlement available under the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program will be reduced from 45 months to 36 months, but in October, the monthly allowance for eligible recipients will increase.

These changes, part of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, aka “Forever GI Bill,”were passed by Congress last summer.

The DEA program offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or of Veterans who died while on active duty or from a service-related condition.

DEA benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeships and on-the-job training.  Surviving spouses-can use benefits for correspondence courses and remedial, deficiency and some approved refresher courses.

What you need to know now:

• If you’re already taking classes, or will start taking classes by July 31, 2018, you remain eligible for up to 45 months of education entitlement benefits
• Beginning Oct.1, 2018, all students will see a significant increase in the monthly benefit

Eligible DEA recipients will be entitled to a monthly allowance of:

• $1,224 for full-time coursework, compared to $1,041 currently as of Oct. 1, 2017
• $967 for three-quarter time coursework, compared to $780 currently as of Oct. 1, 2017
• $710 for half-time coursework, compared to $519 currently as of Oct. 1, 2017

These increases go into effect Oct. 1, 2018.

To find out more about DEA benefits, please visit the DEA page on our website.

Call if you have questions!

If you have further questions about your entitlement or eligibility, please call 1–888-GI-BILL-1 (1–888–442–4551). If you use the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), the federal number is 711. You can also visit the Forever GI Bill website at FGIB website.

Did you know that much of the research on how people age has been done with WWII and Korea-era veterans? The WWII generation had especially high rates of military service (nearly half of all men), and a quarter experienced combat. How this generation aged may reflect their experiences in the military. But subsequent generations often had very different military experiences, and we don’t know if this will affect their health and aging in the same way.

Researchers at Oregon State University are conducting a pilot study on the long-term effects of military service, both positive and negative, on veterans’ health and well-being. If you are a veteran from the Vietnam (1964-1975), Persian Gulf (1990 – 1991) or OEF/OIF/OND (2001 – current) eras, they would love to hear from both combat and non-combat veterans.  They estimate that it will take about one hour to complete the on-line survey.  For completing this survey, you can receive a $20 gift card. All responses are confidential (to the full extent of the law).

Here is a link to the survey: http://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3q4Fq0fEu1z80lL

If you would prefer to receive a paper and pencil version of the questionnaire, please call the Center for Healthy Aging Research at 541 737-9241, and they’d be happy to send you out a copy.