Of Marshall’s 11,000 students, a small percentage identify as veterans. In honor of National Veterans and Military Families Month, the Title IX Office wants this demographic to be aware of the resources available to them on and around campus.

 On Friday, Nov. 22, Title IX will host a lecture by Aaron Rayburn, the director of the Huntington Vet Center, on military sexual trauma and services available for those who have served. The lecture will take place at 3 p.m. in Room 315 of the Brad D. Smith School of Business.

A lifelong resident of West Virginia, Rayburn served in the United States Marine Corps and with the U.S. Army 19th Special Forces Group in 2009 during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He has since gained nearly 20 years of experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs and earned his M.A. in psychology and mental health counseling through Marshall’s graduate program.

“Aaron has dedicated his career to serving other veterans by providing therapy to those who have served in combat or have experienced sexual assault,” Title IX Investigator Mandi Hurley said. 

Rayburn said he will “speak to the issues of readjustment as it relates to the returning veteran and how it impacts the family.” He will also discuss the resources available at their local Vet Center.

The Huntington Vet Center is located at 3135 16th Street Rd. The Huntington office was the first to open in the state of West Virginia. Over its 44 years of operation, the Huntington Vet Center has expanded its range of services, Rayburn said.

“Though the Vet Center is known for specializing in the treatment of PTSD, we also offer a broad array of readjustment counseling for veterans who meet our eligibility criteria, as well as their family members,” he said.
When planning the event, Hurley said she consulted Rayburn to speak to campus veterans because of his shared background with them.

“We know that Marshall’s student and employee veterans often have experiences that differ from the experiences of non-veterans, and this presentation will inform them of the resources available to them through the Huntington Vet Center,” she said.

For those unable to attend the event in person, there will be an option to virtually attend on Microsoft Teams. The link to the livestream can be found on HerdLink under the “Huntington Vet Center Presentation” page. 

Baylee Parsons can be contacted at [email protected].