Currently, Green Zone trainers schedule sessions independently and hope for interest.
Amber Mathwig, student veteran’s assistance coordinator, said Green Zone training is for faculty, staff and students who wish to learn more about the military-affiliated student experience.
“Green Zone training is a training that we do to help introduce staff and faculty and other campus partners that may not be very familiar with the...military lifestyle is like, the kind of structure that our military students may be used to when they come here to the campus and about how they can properly assist a military affiliated student,” Mathwig said.
Mathwig said the training starts off with a discussion among trainees about what they already know about the military, their presumptions about and their experiences with student veterans.
“We do focus a little bit on combat trauma, just trauma associated specifically with military service,” Mathwig said. “It’s something for people to be aware of, but generally we do talk about how can you holistically support this student.”
David Rogers, assistant director of outdoor education, is a veteran and has undergone Green Zone training. He said he learned how to advocate for and provide resources for student and staff veterans.
“I think (Green Zone training) just gives (student veterans) an opportunity to connect with people who understand the world from the same perspective or similar perspective,” Rogers said. “And it just sort of creates a network of resources that you might not otherwise come across if you’re not in that community.”
Payton Collier, who has worked with Green Zone and the Carolina Veterans Organization, said Green Zone training was helpful for her because it made the student veteran population more salient to her.
