Free and open to the public.

Dinner from Chela's Restaurant & Taqueria will be served. Please RSVP here: https://goo.gl/forms/wnJqY5GVZTxAFmV92

Join the conversation: #policytalks

Ford School faculty, students, and staff (along with the general public) are warmly invited to join this community event as we celebrate Veterans Day and explore issues at the intersection of public policy and military service.

The United States has been at war for 16 years with no clear end in sight. Further, over the past decade the U.S. has made an effort to shrink the size of its military--while at the same time increasing its responsibilities and engagement around the world. Meanwhile, in the absence of mandatory service we see a growing demographic divide between policymakers who chart the course for war or peace and the people and families who bear the brunt of fighting and deployment.

With those contexts in mind, panelists and audience members will discuss issues such as: what are the cascading effects of policy decisions on active duty folks, national guard members, and their families? When policies change at the top level, what are the impacts on those who are serving?

And what should future policy leaders understand about veterans' issues--transition to civilian life, workforce/employment issues, mental health and substance abuse, demographic trends in the composition of the veteran population, the future and long-term sustainability of Veterans Affairs, etc?


Panelists:

U.S. Army Captain Heath Bergmann (MPP '19), Masters of Public Policy student at the Ford School.

Jan Malaikal, Chief administrator for LSA Chemistry, retired U.S. Army officer. MA, Naval War College

Troy Nienberg (BA '05, JD '08), legislative director for U.S. Rep Dan Kildee (Flint), current Air National Guard officer and HH-60 Combat Rescue Pilot.


Moderator:
Professor Luke Shaefer, Associate Professor and Director, Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan