America spends a great deal of time and resources training military personnel how to go to war, and a lot less teaching them how to come home and re-enter society.
Enter the Battlemind to Home Summit (Battlemind), which has been bringing people together for several years in order to help educate Hoosier professionals about how to better serve the veterans community in Indiana.
Broniarczyk
“Our Battlemind to Home Summit is an annual event bringing together subject matter experts to help train and educate community members so they are better prepared to serve the military connected population in Indiana,” Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) Senior Director for Outreach and Operations Kathy Broniarczyk told The Reporter.
The 15th annual Battlemind will be held Oct. 24 at Embassy Suites Conference Center, 13700 Conference Center Drive South, Noblesville. Preconference sessions will be held on Oct. 23 at the same location.
The conference brings together subject matter experts to educate Indiana professionals about critical military and veteran-focused issues. Now celebrating its 15th year, Battlemind helps professionals discover how to best support veterans, service members, and their families as they reintegrate into their communities. It also increases community awareness about veterans’ strengths, challenges, and available resources.
Battlemind is hosted in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, Indiana National Guard, Indiana State Bar Association, and Roudebush VA Medical Center.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Tonya Oxendine, a Wounded Warrior Project Warriors Speak spokesperson and U.S. Army veteran.
Oxendine joined the army a year after finishing high school following a difficult childhood. She served for nearly 30 years, retiring as a Command Sergeant Major. After a challenging upbringing and career, she needed help processing everything she’d seen and experienced. With Wounded Warrior Project and others by her side, she’s gone from being a shut-in to traveling the world as an outspoken advocate for veterans’ mental health and physical fitness. Today, her passion is helping other veterans by sharing her story.
MFRI uses a collaborative approach to plan and execute this event. With nationally recognized experts in all fields, Battlemind presents evidence-informed sessions that address many sensitive and cutting-edge topics. Past summit sessions have covered issues such as suicide, moral injury, and community mobilization. Battlemind 2024 will include tracks focusing on suicide prevention, military families, legal matters, and education and transitions.
A list of preconference sessions is available online at mfri.purdue.edu/battlemind/agenda.
You can register to attend at mfri.purdue.edu/battlemind/registration.
Michael Hershman, Medical Center Director for VA Indiana health care, speaks to attendees of the 2023 summit as part of the opening session. (Photo provided)