National Task Force to Promote Dialogue, Education and Research on American Veterans Transition into Civilian Life

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 25, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Saturday, May 26, the USF St. Petersburg Military and Veterans Success Center and Open Partnership Education Network will host the official kick-off for the Veterans Transition Task Force, a nationwide initiative established by U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis. Joined by Rep. Bilirakis, who represents Florida's 12th Congressional District and is Vice-Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, five local veterans will share their stories of transition from military to civilian life at Lynn Pippenger Hall on the USF St. Petersburg campus at 6 p.m.

The galvanizing event "Becoming Civilian: A Warrior's Perspective," is the first in a year-long series established by the task force to promote ongoing dialogue, education for civilians and military service members and research around the veteran transition phenomenon. The task force is made up of a small team of eight nationally recognized leaders in veteran transition based out of Tampa Bay.

"These veterans have extremely compelling stories to tell us of transitioning out of the military and into civilian life," said Ben Smet, U.S. Navy veteran, grant writer for USFSP's Military and Veterans Success Center and co-chair of the task force. "Some stories are really positive and exciting, others are truly heart wrenching."

In April 2017, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Community Salute released a report on the American veteran. The study noted that though there are 22 million veterans across the country, they often go unnoticed by civilians. The report referred to a 2011 Pew Research Center study that found a staggering 71 percent of American civilians do not understand the problems and challenges service members, veterans and military families face.

"The general consensus military service men and women express when they are getting ready to transition into civilian life is that it is the scariest mission they have ever faced," Smet said.

As the task force was being established last year, Rep. Bilirakis asked Smet and Brian Anderson, a U.S. Army Green Beret veteran, to spearhead the task force.

"Improving the [veteran] transition process has been a huge priority for me," said Rep. Bilirakis.

"The congressman saw that Brian and Ben were both dedicated to finding solutions for veterans' transition issues and immediately tapped them to head the task force," said Mike Ciminna, District Director for Rep. Bilirakis and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

Smet and Anderson hope to grow the task force through galvanizing events in the region and an open online forum to address the transition phenomenon.

"Our goal is to find solutions through the task force that will lead to legislation so we can help veterans transition into their civilian roles in a peaceful way and better equip them to feel like productive citizens," said Smet.

CONTACT: Matthew Cimitile, 727-873-4840, [email protected]

SOURCE University of South Florida St. Petersburg

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