Green Zone Ally Training

Mission

Green Zone Training is a program for faculty, staff and student workers to provide a deeper understanding of the veteran and service member experience on campus and offers tools to better support their academic and career success.

Background

Green Zone Training is an initiative for diversity training that highlights veterans' experiences in higher education. Pioneered at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2010, Green Zone training is now offered at more than 100 universities and organizations nationwide. Professional development opportunities are needed for collegiate faculty and staff to better understand the needs of the military connected community. Green Zone is named for the secure international zone in Baghdad, Iraq and the logo is a universal image recognized by all branches of the military.

Green Zone is named for the secure international zone in Baghdad, Iraq and the logo is a universal image recognized by all branches of the military. Green Zone Allies are not expected to be experts or mental health counselors; Green Zone Allies are competent and supportive partners who can refer a student veteran to appropriate on-campus resources and/or community resources. The Green Zone Initiative works to reduce the experiential distance and increase the empathetic ability of faculty and staff members towards students who are veterans or military connected. 

Green Zone Trainees

Green Zone Trainees will be able to:

• provide student veterans with support and information about resources
• identify barriers and challenges faced by our student veterans and active military
• gain tools to guide student veterans in their overall academic experience
• identify on-campus resources for student veteran support services
• recognize signs from specific mental and emotional challenges student veterans face and provide resources for support

Outcome

Following training, attendees will be presented with a certificate of completion and will be regarded as “Green Zone Ambassadors.” They will also receive a Green Zone Ally sticker/digital image to display outside their offices. This will let others know they can provide support and information about resources for student veterans and active military members.