Adaptation of Military Veterans to Peaceful Life Has Reached a New Level

    KYIV, UKRAINE, March 01, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In Ukraine, the training of participants of the project on integration of hybrid war veterans (the war that was officially named an Antiterrorist Operation, or ATO) to executive bodies is coming to an end. The project "For Veterans to Government" is aimed to empower cooperation between veterans' society and the government, to build trust in state institutions and to constructively channel energy of individual veterans who devote themselves to state affairs. The project organizer, Studena NGO, integrates groups of motivated veterans to the posts of government workers. Group involvement is needed for effective combat against corruption risks within the country.

"We have given an opportunity to politically and socially active veterans to direct their energy constructively. They have been empowered to join in the reformation process in the country and to take part in disarmament of the country which they defended with weapons in their hands. Additional training has increased the level of complex understanding of the government's real processes and interests, so our students take a balanced stance regarding acute problems in society and can influence their radicalized countrymen," manager of the "For Veterans to Government" project, Oksana Ivantsiv says.

Integration of military veterans to the power authorities of Ukraine has another reason. According to the poll*, in 2016 Ukrainian people had the most trust in the Armed Forces and the military among all the institutions of the state, so engagement of veterans in the state power bodies will stabilize not only the veteran community but also the society as a whole.

"The program on integration to public service is an excellent instrument of empowering interaction between society, state and veterans. The project "For Veterans to Government" has created a legal instrument to engage former servicemen in the process of reforms implementation, to fight corruption and to support work of the government staff regarding reintegration of occupied territories. There is a widespread problem when veterans feel deprived of influence upon social and political life after returning from war. It is reasonable to direct the energy of motivated persons into development of the state. But we need a serious and thorough recruitment system. I understand that participation in military actions does not mean indulgence and does not prove those people have certain moral qualities. However, such project would be a great "beacon" to steer post-military ambitions of those who really deserve it," - project initiator, Head of Kyiv Union of ATO Veterans, Anton Kolumbet, declares.

Selection of candidates is performed in several stages where the education level, mental health and citizen activism are assessed.

"After enrollment, a career-guidance specialist works with a veteran and gives an analytical report on optimal specialization of the given candidate. Training at the center consists of two phases: general and special course. At the general phase, students learn the basics of office work, interaction with public, the package of anti-corruption subjects, basic laws and regulatory acts. At the special course, students will be prepared to work in the target institution and familiarized with future work areas. At this stage, government agencies become mentors for candidates and train them to work in a given position," the head of Studena NGO, Anastasiya Melnychenko, says.

As of today, only two such training centers for veterans are operating in the country and both are run by activists of Studena NGO. The Administration of the President of Ukraine expressed its approval of the project, yet the negotiations concerning real support from the state are proceeding very slowly. Now the project is being implemented based on financing provided by the US Agency for International Development.

Additional Information:
The "For veterans to Government" project is initiated by STUDENA NGO under Ukrainian Confidence Building Initiative (UCBI), and funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Partners: Kyiv Municipal State Administration, Donetsk Regional Military and Civil Administration, Kyiv City Union of ATO Veterans.

Studena NGO is a non-profit GO that implements cultural, educational and advocacy projects. Works to reduce aggression and intolerance in society, promoting the idea of equal rights and opportunities for people regardless of their sex, race, and religion.

* According to the poll conducted by the Association of Political Psychology of Ukraine jointly with the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of NAPS Ukraine

For more detailed information please contact
Oksana Ivantsiv
project coordinator
+380672976937
e-mail: [email protected]

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