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Upcoming or Ongoing Workshops
View workshops on the DVA Calendar
LGBTQ+ Veteran Allyship, Workshop 1 of 3: The LGBTQ+ Veteran Experience and LGBTQ+ Military History
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Location: Virtual/Online
Instructor: Robin Lang, WDVA LGBTQ+ Veteran Program Manager
CE credits: Unavailable for this course at this time.
Register Online
Course Description:
In this workshop, we look at how past policies impact LGBTQ+ veterans, shape their experiences, and affect their risk profile. We look at current executive orders that affect LGBTQ+ veterans as well as active-duty service members. As providers of benefits and services that affect veteran families in addition to the veteran, we touch on how those executive orders impact spouses, children, family, friends, and co-workers. The workshop closes with a look at LGBTQ+ veterans throughout history. Many veterans served under different circumstances, but regardless of when they served, we see the universal constant is discrimination and harassment and how resilience and determination to demand fair treatment and equal rights prevail.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the LGBTQ+ Veteran Experience through the lenses of cultural forces and current viewpoints.
- Learn the impact of historical policies on veteran risk profiles and specific risk profile categories.
- Recognize groups impacted, and effects caused by DoD and Executive policies, the veteran community, and the civilian community.
- Learn the impact of current executive orders, rescinded orders, and State laws on those currently serving, veterans, family members, friends, and acquaintances.
- Recognize individual contributions of LGBTQ+ veterans throughout history, and recognize commonalities of service across generations.
LGBTQ+ Veteran Allyship, Workshop 2 of 3: WDVA LGBTQ+ Veteran Program, Common Yet Harmful Experiences and Washington State Definition of Veteran
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Location: Virtual/Online
Instructor: Robin Lang, WDVA LGBTQ+ Veteran Program Manager
CE credits: Unavailable for this course at this time.
Register Online
Course Description:
In this workshop, we learn about the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs LGBTQ+ Veterans Program, one of only two legislatively mandated state programs in the nation. We also learn about the recently expanded State of Washington definition of Veteran which allows more veterans to be eligible for state benefits. We will learn how this will impact veterans and address past inequalities.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify resources available to service and benefit providers.
- Identify resources available to LGBTQ+ veterans and families
- Recognize the effects of commonplace but significant behaviors on LGBTQ+ folx.
- Identify the impacts of race, sexual trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury diagnosis, PTSD, mental health disorders, sexual identity and gender identity on accessing benefits
- Understand the impact of Washington State's expanded definition of veteran
- Identify resources for veterans impacted by errors in, or injustices caused by incorrect information in official DoD records
- Recognize pathways available for those impacted by Article 125 convictions, unfavorable discharges and characterization of serve, errors, and injustices.
LGBTQ+ Veteran Allyship, Workshop 3 of 3: Inclusive Practices
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Location: Virtual/Online
Instructor: Robin Lang, WDVA LGBTQ+ Veteran Program Manager
CE credits: Unavailable for this course at this time.
Register Online
Course Description:
In this workshop, we cover LGBTQ+ cultural competencies and ways to be a better ally. Topics include sexual identities, gender identities, gender expression, emotional attraction, sexual attraction, intersectionality, dominant culture, pronouns, inclusive practices, privilege, and coming out.
Learning Objectives:
The overarching objective of this workshop is, that by learning about LGBTQ+ veteran experiences, available resources, and inclusive practices, it will help participants create a welcoming environment where LGBTQ+ veterans can receive their benefits or services without fear of mistreatment. Participants will:
- Understand cultural competence and allyship.
- Recognize symbols of allyship and their impact.
- Identify common sexual identities and gender identities.
- Understand gender binary and non-binary folx.
- Identify and recognize common LGBTQ+ flags.
- Understand the process of coming out.
- Understand the impact of Intersectionality.
- Understand gender pronouns and pronoun etiquette.
- Identify and recognize the impact of Dominant Culture.
- Differentiate between Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Sex assigned at birth, Physical attraction and Emotional attraction.
- Understand common terms in the LGBTQ+ community, and the impact of evolving language.
- Recognize privileges not experienced by many LGBTQ+ folx that dominant culture takes for granted.
Workshop Attendance
Effective April 1, 2024, VTSC (Veterans Training Support Center) has implemented a new No-Show & Attendance Tracking Procedure.
- Cancellation: If you find that you are unable to attend a workshop, please take the following steps:
- Cancel Your Registration: If you know in advance that you won’t be able to attend, kindly cancel your registration.
- Email Notification: Alternatively, you can email us at vtsc@dva.wa.gov at least 48 hours prior to the workshop date to inform us of your inability to attend.
- Late Arrivals: Participants who arrive more than 30 minutes late will not be allowed into the classroom.
- No-Show:
- In the event of a no-show, an email notification will be sent to the address you used to register for the training.
- If a VTSC participant accumulates three NO-SHOW incidents within a calendar year, they will become ineligible to attend any VTSC workshops for the remainder of that year.
- Petition: The participant has a right to petition the VTSC Training Manager.