National Veterans Foundation

MEDIA ADVISORY: September 25, 2007

CONTACT: Todd Stenhouse, National Veterans Foundation; 916-455-6640, 916-397-1131, toddstenhouse@comcast.net

SHAD MESHAD AND IAVA’S PATRICK CAMPBELL TO KEYNOTE SEPTEMBER 28th VETERANS AWARENESS EVENT IN SACRAMENTO

All Day Event Organized by Growing Group of Iraq/Afghanistan War Veterans at Sierra College

Rocklin, CA: Two of America’s leading authorities on the Iraq War and veterans readjustment issues will visit Sacramento on September 28th to keynote an all day event spotlighting area Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans making the often difficult transition back to civilian life.

“The Road Home…From Combat to College and Beyond,” will take place on the campus of Sierra College in Rocklin, where more than 200 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are already enrolled---with that number expected to grow by more than 20% in the next year.

Organized by the Sierra College Veterans Club, the day long program is designed to highlight the unique set of experiences and challenges facing returning war veterans who are increasingly populating campuses across America, and the vital role that college communities can play in fostering their health and success, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Patrick Campbell, Legislative Director for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), and Shad Meshad, Founder and President of the National Veterans Foundation (NVF) are featured speakers at the event.

Campbell served in Baghdad as a combat medic from October 2004-October 2005 with the 256th Infantry Brigade based out of Louisiana. After returning from Iraq in 2005, Campbell drafted a bill to help veterans complete their educations. Based on Campbell’s leadership and recommendations The Veterans Education Tuition Support (VETS) Act was introduced in Congress in June 2007. Campbell has testified in front of both the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees on veterans’ mental health issues as well as appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Meshad is a Licensed Social Worker who served as a psychiatric counselor in Vietnam, founded the VA’s Vet Center Program, and has been one of America’s foremost experts on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and veterans readjustment issues for more than 35 years. His Foundation has operated a national toll-free crisis helpline for veterans and their families since 1987.

“The Road Home” will also include panel discussions led by Iraq War veterans at Sierra College, a Case Manager from the VA’s Palo Alto Polytrauma Center, and area veteran service providers, college instructors and administrators working on campus-community partnerships to support the readjustment needs of returning student veterans.

More than 300 attendees are expected—including Sierra College Faculty, Administrators, students, area veterans service providers, VA representatives, military family members, and government officials.

WHAT: “The Road Home…From Combat to College and Beyond”
WHERE: Sierra College, Dietrich Theatre, 5000 Rocklin Rd., Rocklin CA
WHEN: Friday, September 28, 2007, 8:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m.
RSVP: cmorris@sierracollege.edu
MEDIA RSVP: toddstenhouse@comcast.net
MORE INFO: http://www.nvf.org/road-home-combat-college-rocklin-ca-september-28th