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On May 18, Yvette Branson, clinical psychologist and coordinator of the U.S. Veterans Administration’s Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) initiative, discussed the challenges facing veterans making the transition from military to civilian and student life—and the strategies and resources that can help them gain a strong foothold in the world beyond the military—as part of the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) special Facebook Live interview series in observance of Military Appreciation Month. Watch the replay of Branson’s interview .

UMUC’s special series in honor of veterans is in keeping both with UMUC’s rich history of educating servicemembers and veterans that dates to WWII, and its commitment to serving the needs of those who serve our country.

Earlier in May, the special series featured an interview with UMUC Alumnus and retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Vernon Green who discussed lessons learned during his own successful transition that can help smooth the way for others. and read more about Green’s successful post-military career in his in-depth profile “Cyber Grad Helps Develop Tactical Network—and Young Minds” featured on UMUC’s Global Media Center.

More About Branson

She has been with the VA since 2007, first as a postdoctoral student in behavioral health research and then as the coordinator of the suicide prevention program, where she trained over 1,000 staff members in the Gatekeeper training known as, Operation SAVE, a training that uses the public health approach to prevent suicide.

Branson now works with veterans on college campuses in the VA VITAL Initiative, which aims to provide whatever support student veterans need throughout the transition process as they seek to re-establish their footing in civilian life by building relationships, finding affordable housing, balancing budgets and achieving career goals. Additionally, Branson has a personal interest in the issue of stigma and barriers within our community to seeking help.

She earned her doctorate in Clinical Health Psychology in 2006 from Yeshiva University. Branson also holds a master’s in education as well as in musical performance and, formerly, was an orchestral musician and teacher.

More About Green

Green served our country for more than 20 years through three combat deployments to Iraq, one operational deployment to Kuwait, two tours to Korea and at multiple duty stations across the U.S.—and continues to serve his community through the IT and Cybersecurity business and non-profit he established.

After retiring out of the Pentagon in 2014, Green established G Cubed Technology Inc., a service-disabled veteran and minority-owned small business focused on IT and Cybersecurity and continues to serve his community by helping young people build character, connections and marketable skills through his company—and by feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and aiding families in need through the nonprofit he co-founded, G3 Community Services.

Green holds both a Master of Science in cybersecurity and a Bachelor of Science in computer information technology from UMUC. He is a Certified Information Security Systems Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), and is Security+ certified.