October 18, 2009

Colleges Help Veterans Advance From Combat to Classroom

Colleges Help Veterans Advance From Combat to Classroom 1

Candice Towell

A tailgate party for veterans at the U. of Nevada at Reno: "The question they always get is, 'Have you killed anybody?,'" says an expert on the transition from combat to campus. "Being around people who don't make judgments about you … is important to veterans."

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close Colleges Help Veterans Advance From Combat to Classroom 1

Candice Towell

A tailgate party for veterans at the U. of Nevada at Reno: "The question they always get is, 'Have you killed anybody?,'" says an expert on the transition from combat to campus. "Being around people who don't make judgments about you … is important to veterans."

By Katherine Mangan

After 19 years in the U.S. Army, Steven W. Todd arrived at Western Michigan University with needs the average college freshman could hardly imagine.

The 41-year-old veteran has trouble concentrating because of a brain injury he suffered when he was struck by a ricocheted bullet during Operation Desert Storm. Mr. Todd, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, says he might not have survived the transition from soldier to student if not for the campus