Online Event: Thursday, February 20, 2025
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT

Join the RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute and subject-matter experts to ways to improve transition support for those leaving the military.

REGISTER NOW

A service member’s transition from military to civilian life can have important implications for their life trajectory. RAND conducted a series of policy roundtables with experts from VA, DoD, and veteran-serving organizations to explore the transition process, factors that affect how well transition goes, and policy options for improving transition support.

A new RAND publication, Policy Recommendations to Improve Transition Support for Those Leaving the Military, synthesizes the viewpoints and suggestions expressed in the roundtable series. Please join this February webinar to learn about these recommendations and hear representatives from veteran-serving organizations and programs share their perspectives on top priorities for future policy and programming changes, evaluation, and research

Presenter

Dr. Whitney Livingston is an associate behavioral scientist at RAND and a licensed clinical psychologist. Her research focuses on sexual violence, intimate partner violence, suicide risk, women’s health, and PTSD among service members and veterans. She uses quantitative methodologies to research clinical and non-clinical populations and is currently expanding her skill set to include qualitative data collection methods. Dr. Livingston previously provided evidence-based treatments and clinical assessments to veterans seeking care from the Veterans Health Administration. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical/counseling psychology from Utah State University and attended the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston for her postdoctoral research fellowship

Panelists

Eric Eversole is President of Hiring Our Heroes, a nationwide effort to develop and promote military talent in the United States. Working with a broad array of private and public sector partners, his team helps to create and connect transitioning service members, veterans, and their families with meaningful employment opportunities. A recognized authority on workforce solutions and military talent development, Eversole also serves on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO) and frequently provides testimony before Congress on issues related to veteran and military spouse employment. Eversole proudly served for over 24 years in the military. He began his service in 1994 as an enlisted airman with the Indiana Air National Guard before transitioning to the Navy’s Judge Advocate General Corps, where he retired with the rank of Navy Captain. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis, and lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, Amanda, and their daughters, Ellie and Lizzie.

COL Jarrett A. Thomas II is the director of Soldier for Life, an Army program that connects Soldiers, veterans, and their families with education, employment, health and wellness, and U.S. Army retirement resources and information. COL Thomas’ more recent assignments include Garrison Commander for the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Director of Human Resources Management for the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan, and Chief of the Strategic Initiatives Group and the Executive Officer for the Army G-9. He most recently served as the Executive Officer for the Army G-1. His awards and decorations are many, and include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Services Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and others. COL Thomas is a graduate of the United States Army War College, the Command General Staff College, the Combined Arms Services and Staff School, and Adjutant General Officer Basic and Advanced Courses.

Tammy Barlet is Vice President of Government Affairs for Student Veterans of America, a network of nearly 1,600 on-campus chapters that ensure student veterans and military-connected students achieve their greatest potential. Previously, Barlet served eight years in the United States Coast Guard as an Operation Specialist Third Class Petty Officer. She holds a master’s degree in public health from George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in public health from Temple University in Philadelphia. To recognize Barlet’s contribution to enhancing the lives of other veterans, service members, families, and caregivers, she has been named one of VA’s Center for Women Veterans 2023 Women Veteran Trailblazers

Moderator

Daniel Ginsberg is the associate director of the Personnel, Readiness, and Health Program (PRH) of the RAND National Security Research Division, and a senior international and defense researcher at RAND. His research centers on organizational management, military reserves, and civilian and military personnel policy. Before joining RAND, Ginsberg was a senior advisor and project director at the National Academy of Public Administration, served as the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, and was a senior defense policy advisor for a decade. He coordinated the bipartisan U.S. Senate National Guard Caucus and received the Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service and the Distinguished Service Award from the National Guard Bureau. Ginsberg has an M.A. in strategic studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan

Register for This Program

Please register online. This event is open to the public and advance registration is required. Those who register will receive Zoom connection details via email. For more details, please visit the event page.

Contact VeteransInstitute@rand.org with questions about the event.