JOINING FORCES WEBINARS

The UC Davis Health System is “joining forces” with the American Association of Medical Colleges to promote a series of webinars aimed at faculty and staff, on health issues among veterans and active duty service members.

The association will present the webinars during what it calls Joining Forces Wellness Week, Monday-Friday (Nov. 11-15), as part of the federal government’s Joining Forces initiative, offering support to service men and women, veterans and military spouses.

All webinars will run from 9 to 10 a.m. PST. Registration required.

Here are the scheduled topics:

• Monday, Nov. 11 — Taking a Military Health History: Four Critical Questions
• Tuesday, Nov. 12 — Understanding Generational Differences in Veterans and Their Health Needs
• Wednesday, Nov. 13 — Suicide Symptoms and Prevention
• Thursday, Nov. 14 — Military Sexual Trauma: What Civilian Providers Need to Know
• Friday, Nov. 15 — Recognizing the Needs of Parents of Service Members

Read more about each webinar.

Yellow ribbons encircle every tree on the UC Davis Quad in symbolic embrace of military men and women on this Veterans Day 2013.

The ribbons also herald more recognition of veterans all through the week, in presentations (“Honoring the Spirit of the Warrior,” about brain injury rehabilitation neuroscience; and “Honoring All Who Served”) and webinars; a reception; and, finally, a “Salute to Heroes” at the Aggie football game on Saturday (Nov. 16).

The presentations are planned on the Davis and Sacramento campuses:

• Tuesday, Nov. 12 — “Brain Injury Rehabilitation Neuroscience Research and Development: Honoring the Spirit of the Warrior,” by Anthony J.W. Chen, neurologist, Veterans Administration Northern California Health Care System. Noon, auditorium, MIND Institute, 2825 50th St. Reserve a space using the UC Learning Center online registration site (search for the course code "07982"). Box lunches provided.

• Wednesday, Nov. 13 — “Honoring All Who Served,” with featured speakers Ty Redhouse of Sacramento Valley Veterans; and Army Lt. Col. Michele Spencer, active reserve medical service executive officer, yoga instructor and champion of welness and fitness for all. Noon-1 p.m., MU II, Memorial Union, Davis campus. All are welcome, no RSVPs (seating limited). Refreshments will be served.

Redhouse is vice president of Sacramento Valley Veterans, an advocacy and outreach organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered veterans and service members. He was an intelligence analyst in the Air Force for eight years, attaining the rank of staff sergeant.

Spencer, attached to the 7305th Medical Training Support Battalion, Sacramento, is nearing three decades of military service, including duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She is the author of B.A.G.H.D.A.D. Yoga — A Shift in Consciousness: Fear to Love, War to Peace.

• Thursday, Nov. 14 — A reception open to everyone in the UC Davis community and their guests, honoring faculty, staff and students who are veterans or still serving. 5-7:30 p.m., foyer, Facilities Support Services Building, 4800 Second Ave., Sacramento campus. RSVP by contacting Benjamin Gamez, (916) 734-3068 or Benjamin.Gamez@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.

• Saturday, Nov. 16 — Aggie football vs. North Dakota, 4 p.m. kickoff, Aggie Stadium; pregame activities start at 1 p.m. on Aggie Tailgate Field.

The “Salute to Heroes" is for all heroes: veterans, law enforcement officers and firefighters. Veterans, though, will get extra special treatment, escorted onto the field by Army ROTC students, connecting the past and the present.

The ROTC color guard will participate, as it does at every football game. And, as part of "Salute to Heroes," 93-year-old Ernest Head, a World War II combat veteran who worked at UC Davis for 26 years, will join the team captains for the coin toss.

Game tickets are available online.

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