Men, women and families impacted by military combat can often have a hard time adjusting to the changes they experience. What they may or may not know is that resources to help them cope with such changes are available and offered at many community colleges.
Washingtonian Steve Brown was recently presented with an award to recognize the part he played in joining the military’s Yellow Ribbon Program, which is aimed at providing veteran services with community colleges.
“Yellow Ribbon is an umbrella name assigned by the National Guard for programs and services that were designed to help families of service members and service members adjust to the coming and going on active duty,” Brown said.
As military officials were seeking sites across the state to host the program, Brown, a long-time public relations professional and Illinois veteran, was working with the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents.
“I was able to identify that group as one that would be very eager to be helpful to the National Guard and brought them together,” Brown said. “The community colleges offer the sites and the Guard comes in with personnel who are trained in helping families prepare for a member going on active duty.”
Last year, programs were offered on more than 40 campuses.
Through the program, families learn what can be expected while a member is away on active duty, when families must run without one of the adult family members.
“Sometimes that’s a real eye-opening experience for families,” Brown said.
With an adult out of the picture, families are often left with concerns about salaries and health care.
“Sometimes the other adult left behind needs to go find a job or get another job or get some job training,” Brown said. “In some cases community colleges have been very active in helping family members sign up for courses that could lead them to be retrained for a new job or to improve the job they have.”
The Yellow Ribbon Program’s services do not stop once a family is reunited.
“The program also is designed to help the family and the service member as they’re returning,” Brown said.
Services provided include helping the service member readjust to life back home and letting family members know what to expect and how to support the family member, who may be returning from very intense and often violent situations.
“The community colleges have been very happy to be home for the Yellow Ribbon Programs,” Brown said.
“I was happy to be involved in being one of the people to put these two groups together.”
