Augusta University (AU) is beginning a series of workshops to help military veterans, active duty members, and their families understand what local programs and services are available.
The program is called the Military Community Engagement Series. It starts on October 21 with the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). The goal is to make AU a hub of information for the military community.
“I have found that many times, students or the community may not venture into something that’s unknown,” Stefane Raulerson, AU’s Director of Military and Veteran Services, told ABD. “What we want to do is say, ‘Hey, come to campus. We want to welcome you here. We want you to feel that you’re a part of the community.’ We care about them here and maybe have an avenue for sharing information that otherwise doesn’t exist.”
Raulerson said the three-part series can be especially beneficial for the younger service members on post at Fort Gordon.
“This information about the institute is something that they can carry with them, regardless of whether or not they continue to call Fort Gordon home. This is information. This is a network that they can plug into wherever they happen to be,” she said.
Sergio Fetter retired from the U.S. Army in 2023. He returned to Augusta when offered a job in the growing cybersecurity field. He agrees that the workshops can be beneficial for younger military members.
“When I joined, I had already held jobs. I joined at a later stage in my life,” he explained. “But some people, they join at 18 and that’s the only job they’ve had. So, I think having something to guide them through real life is very important. I’ve met people who didn’t even know what (job search site) Indeed was.”
The IVMF provides programs, including career education and training, to ensure veterans and their families have the necessary skillset to succeed. It is not Augusta-specific. It is part of a nationwide network.
“This is a network that they can plug into wherever they happen to be, wherever Uncle Sam says this is home for you right now,” said Raulerson. “We feel like this is valuable information that they can take with them when they leave, if they leave, but they can also just know that there’s a community that is specific for them through the institute.”
“I think navigating from that transition and learning more about the place, because depending on what MOS you are, or what job you have in the military, maybe here is not the place for you,” said Fetter. “So, yeah, I think that’s the very most important thing, understanding if this is the place for you.”
The second event in the series will be in February. It will include local realtors who can explain the VA (Veterans Administration) home-buying process through the Homes for Heroes program. The final workshop will be next summer and will include information about advanced care planning.
“As we develop these events for our next academic year, we may pull in some nonprofits. We may pull in maybe family organizations, maybe support groups,” Raulerson said. “How this develops is really unknown, but it will span everything, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. The gamut is full of opportunities and options for us to put things out.”
The IVMF on October 21 will begin at 5:30 p.m. in room 170 of University Hall on campus. It is free to attend, and registration is not necessary.
For more information, email Raulerson at sraulerson@augusta.edu
