By T. Michael Sullivan
After seven years of consultation and collaboration with counterparts from the Netherlands, Paul Camacho has instituted the Joiner Center-Veterans Institute Exchange Program. Hoping to build on the exchanges over those years, Camacho, who is the director of special projects at the William Joiner Center, envisions the new initiative as trading information and ideas from peacekeeping as soldiers to veterans’ issues, utilizing the different perspectives the principals bring to the program.
The first fellow, Gerard Huinink, arrived in the summer of 2008 and, from Aug. 7-16, participated in a number of different veterans’ activities and initiatives. A psychiatric health care worker specializing in family therapy, Huinink visited with the Veterans’ Construction Team, housed at the Bedford, Mass., V.A. to witness how veterans learn trades in order to make money. At a Nashua, N. H., facility in veterans’ family care, he met with key personnel to acquire ideas and share expertise. He also visited Crescent House, a halfway house in Lowell, Mass., which is a re-integrative facility.
Gielt Algra, who has visited the Joiner Center twice previously, in 2005 and 2007, accompanied Huinink, and the two attended the Homeless Veterans Stand Down in Boston and served soup to those attending. Algra, one of the planners of the exchange program, is a research fellow at the Center for Research and Expertise of the Veteraneninstituut of the Netherlands. The institute carries out a wide spectrum of veteran policy activities on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
According to Camacho, the Netherlands has been involved in a number of peacekeeping initiatives and its veterans have expertise in nation building as well. Of the new program, Camacho says: “I’d like to see it come to fruition.” Envisioning the input of soldier-veterans, he adds: “I see it as having a lot of potential that’s not realized.”
Huinink, who has over 23 years of experience working with veterans and believes reintegration involves more than the individual veteran, also spent a few days at Victory Farm in Fitzwilliams, N.H., which is run by Leslie Lightfoot, and time at a hospice in Fitchburg, Mass., before returning to the Netherlands.
The initiative came to the attention of James Peake, M.D., secretary of Veterans Affairs, who sent a letter of appreciation and encouragement to Camacho.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Symposium to examine veterans’ issues
By T. Michael Sullivan
The William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences will host a symposium for veterans’ advocates to address issues of concerns for veterans on Friday, Nov. 14, from noon until 5 p.m. in the Chancellor’s Conference Room on the third floor of the Quinn Administration Building at UMass Boston. Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry is the honorary co-chairman; the symposium is organized and chaired by Paul Camacho, director of special projects at the Joiner Center.
Donald Overton of Veterans of Modern Warfare will speak on the issue of the implementation of the new G.I. Bill during a luncheon for participants from noon until 1 p.m. Following the lunch and Overton’s address, a series of issue presentations will be held, with 10-15 minute presentations and a period for questions and comments for each of the topics.
Topics will include: Health Care and Traumatic Brain Injury to be addressed by Dr. Carlos G. Tun of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Education with Barry Brodsky, director of the Veterans Upward Bound Program at UMass Boston, and John Powers, a student and representative of Veterans of America; Homelessness, with Laurence Fitzmaurice, New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans, and Housing, with a coordinator yet to be determined; Employment, coordinator to be announced; and the Future of Veterans’ Advocacy, to be led by Ron Armstead, executive director of the Black Veterans’ Braintrust of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The symposium will employ a roundtable format to encourage discussion and participation from attendees. At the conclusion of the symposium, participants are welcome to attend a reception and Welcome Home Dinner for Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans in Ballroom A on the third floor of the university’s Campus Center. The reception will be at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6p.m.
To register for the issues forum or the dinner, You can register online by clicking this link, or by calling 617.287.5850
To learn more about the GI Bill visit: http://www.gibill.va.gov
The William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences will host a symposium for veterans’ advocates to address issues of concerns for veterans on Friday, Nov. 14, from noon until 5 p.m. in the Chancellor’s Conference Room on the third floor of the Quinn Administration Building at UMass Boston. Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry is the honorary co-chairman; the symposium is organized and chaired by Paul Camacho, director of special projects at the Joiner Center.
Donald Overton of Veterans of Modern Warfare will speak on the issue of the implementation of the new G.I. Bill during a luncheon for participants from noon until 1 p.m. Following the lunch and Overton’s address, a series of issue presentations will be held, with 10-15 minute presentations and a period for questions and comments for each of the topics.
Topics will include: Health Care and Traumatic Brain Injury to be addressed by Dr. Carlos G. Tun of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Education with Barry Brodsky, director of the Veterans Upward Bound Program at UMass Boston, and John Powers, a student and representative of Veterans of America; Homelessness, with Laurence Fitzmaurice, New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans, and Housing, with a coordinator yet to be determined; Employment, coordinator to be announced; and the Future of Veterans’ Advocacy, to be led by Ron Armstead, executive director of the Black Veterans’ Braintrust of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The symposium will employ a roundtable format to encourage discussion and participation from attendees. At the conclusion of the symposium, participants are welcome to attend a reception and Welcome Home Dinner for Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans in Ballroom A on the third floor of the university’s Campus Center. The reception will be at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6p.m.
To register for the issues forum or the dinner, You can register online by clicking this link, or by calling 617.287.5850
To learn more about the GI Bill visit: http://www.gibill.va.gov
Reading planned to honor Grace Paley
The William Joiner Center will host a commemorative reading to celebrate the life and work of Grace Paley. Part of a national series of readings planned to mark her birthday on Dec. 11, the Joiner Center’s reading will take place at the Pierre Menard Gallery in Harvard Square.
The 7:30 p.m. event will feature such writers and friends as Gish Jen, Taylor Stoehr, John Bell, Askold Melnyczuk, Joyce Peseroff, Fred Marchant, Martha Collins, Ann Killough, Rachel Rubin, Lois Rudnick and Paul Wright.
Organizers of the event will be making announcements on the progress of the Grace Paley Legacy Project and fundraising efforts.
The Pierre Menard Gallery is located at 10 Arrow St., Harvard Square, Cambridge.
Click here for directions
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