51�Թ�

Military service affects every facet of life for servicemembers and their families. They often face frequent moves, long deployments, and separation from loved ones. Servicemembers are willing to give up their lives for others, and many do. They understand the necessity of putting the needs of the service above their own. The unique lifestyle and challenge servicemembers and their families experience, coupled with the reality that fewer than one percent of US adults are on active duty and only around six percent have ever served, make them feel close to others who understand what they go through.

We founded the Military-Affiliated Students and IECs Affinity Group in April of 2023 as a community where military-affiliated IECs and those who work with military-affiliated students can share knowledge and support one another. It’s a place where:

• Military-affiliated IECs can feel understood and supported when facing challenges such as the deployment of a spouse, frequently moving a business across state lines, launching a child into military service, or transitioning out of the military.
• IECs who work with veterans and military dependents can discuss and learn more about the challenges these students face, the wealth of life experiences they can bring to a college, and the educational benefits they may be eligible for.
• IECs who guide students applying to military programs such as federal service academies and ROTC scholarships can discuss and learn more about the complex application process and how to help students understand their service commitment.

We each have different experiences with and knowledge of the military but come together to best support the students we work with.

Our group meets once a month, alternating between presentations and discussions. While we welcome anyone interested in learning more about this population, working with military-affiliated students is a specialty that requires dedicated learning and time to understand well. For this reason, we have a list of members with expertise in helping military-affiliated students for you to partner with or refer students to. This resource is housed in our group library; if you email us, we will share it with you. [Editor’s note: if you serve this population, we also encourage you to select “Military Schools and Service Academies” in your so you can be easily found in our newly expanded online directories by both potential clients and fellow 51�Թ� members.]

By Sarah Brown, MEd, 51�Թ� (VA) and Steve Colley, MPP, 51�Թ� (AR)