In keeping with its rich history of educating servicemembers and veterans that dates back to WWII—and its commitment to serving the needs of those who serve our country—University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is celebrating Military Appreciation Month in May with a special Facebook Live interview series full of the information and practical advice needed to help servicemembers and veterans successfully navigate the transition from military to civilian and student life.

The series features UMUC Alumnus and retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Vernon Green who served our country for more than 20 years through three combat deployments to Iraq, one operational deployment to Kuwait, two tours to Korea and at multiple duty stations across the U.S.—and continues to serve his community through the IT and Cybersecurity business he established on retiring from the military.  Join Green on Tuesday, May 1, at 1 p.m., as he discusses lessons learned during his own successful transition that can help smooth the way for others.

Watch for the in-depth profile of Green that will be featured on UMUC’s Global Media Center following his interview.

Then on Friday, May 18, at 1 p.m., Clinical Psychologist Yvette Branson, coordinator of the U.S. Veterans Administration’s Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) initiative, will discuss the challenges facing veterans who are transitioning out of the military into student life and the strategies and resources that can help them gain a strong foothold in civilian life.

Earlier in the day, Branson will also be the featured speaker at a separate Military Appreciation Month event presented jointly by UMUC’s Office of Diversity and Equity and Stateside Military Operations, that will be held at the UMUC Academic Center at Largo Auditorium. RSVP at umuc.edu/may2018event.

Tuesday, May 1 at 1 p.m.

More about Vernon Green—retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer and UMUC alumnus

After retiring out of the Pentagon in 2014, Green  established G Cubed Technology Inc., a service-disabled veteran and minority-owned small business focused on IT and Cybersecurity and continues to serve his community by helping young people build character, connections and marketable skills through his company—and by feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and aiding families in need through the nonprofit he co-founded, G3 Community Services.

Green holds both a Master of Science in cybersecurity and a Bachelor of Science in computer information technology from UMUC. He is a Certified Information Security Systems Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), and is Security+ certified.

Tuesday, May 18 at 1 p.m.

More about Yvette Branson, Clinical Psychologist, Ph.D.—

Branson has been with the VA since 2007, first as a postdoctoral student in behavioral health research and then as the coordinator of the suicide prevention program, where she trained over 1,000 staff members in the Gatekeeper training known as, Operation SAVE, a training that uses the public health approach to prevent suicide.

She now works with veterans on college campuses in the VA VITAL Initiative, which aims to provide whatever support student veterans need throughout the transition process as they seek to re-establish their footing in civilian life by building relationships, finding affordable housing, balancing budgets and achieving career goals. Additionally, Branson has a personal interest in the issue of stigma and barriers within our community to seeking help.

She earned her doctorate in Clinical Health Psychology in 2006 from Yeshiva University. Branson also holds a master’s in education as well as in musical performance and, formerly, was an orchestral musician and teacher.