Serving Those Who Have Served

Since 2001, more than 1.6 million American troops have been deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Though a large number in absolute terms, veterans of those two conflicts comprise just over one half of one percent of the U.S. population. Despite sometimes intense media coverage, many Americans are unfamiliar with the effects of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on veterans, and of those veterans' needs when they return home.

"Serving Those Who Have Served: Social Work with Active Duty Military, Veterans, and Their Families," is a presentation on the coming home experience of combat veterans, and will offer insight into military culture. The presentation will be held at New York Presbyterian Hospital (Main Building), at 21 Bloomingdale Rd. in White Plains, N.Y., on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It is sponsored by the National Association of Social Workers, New York State/Westchester Division, and is free and open to the public.

• Serving Those Who Have Served
• Wednesday, Nov. 18 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• New York Presbyterian Hospital (Main Building) | 21 Bloomingdale Rd. in White Plains, N.Y.
• Free and Open to the Public
• Information: Anne Treantafeles, (914) 367-3108

Presenters

• Mary Ann Forgey, Ph.D, LCSW, associate professor of social service, Fordham University, will speak about issues related to cultural sensitivity and competence based on her experience and research in working with active duty service members and their families.
• Sgt. Arthur Moore, U.S. Army, Vietnam War veteran, and Spc. Fianna Sogomonyan, N.Y. Army National Guard, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veteran, will offer personal insights on issues faced by those returning from war.
• Elizabeth Rahilly, LMSW, and Kristen Tuttle, LCSW, Veterans Administration Hudson Valley, Hudson Valley First Responder Initiative.
• Paul Tobin, president and CEO, VetsFirst, will speak on his work with disabled veterans and their families.

Forgey will offering a course at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus in spring 2010 on Working with Military Families and Veterans; she will offer the course at Fordham Westchester during the summer session. Her talk will tie together the threads offered by the other presenters with her extensive knowledge and experience in working with the military. This talk is informed by her course syllabus.