An innovative workshop created by the grandson of World War II Gen. George S. Patton — designed to help veterans coping with post-traumatic stress and social isolation — is coming to Colorado State University this month.
Veterans in Northern Colorado and surrounding areas are invited to attend the Patton Veterans Project, a free, three-day workshop that teaches filmmaking as a therapeutic pathway for veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress to reduce social isolation and strengthen family, community and professional bonds.
The workshop is set for Feb. 23-25 at the Lory Student Center. CSU’s Adult Learner and Veteran Services is hosting the free event for all veterans. Those interested should call (970) 657-5500 or email workshops@pattonveteransproject.org to register.
Created in 2011, filmmaker Ben Patton’s team of film instructors enables veterans of all branches and eras to collaborate on creating short films that express meaningful service experiences. As part of the event, there will be a post-workshop community screening at which the veterans show their films to the community on March 7 at 6 p.m. at the Lory Student Center Theatre.
Patton explained that up to 18 veterans can attend the special workshop. He encouraged veterans to apply soon, as spots fill up quickly.
“The video camera is the most powerful and widely used means of communication ever, and everyone — military and civilians alike — understands the medium,” Patton said. “It’s a language we all speak.”
Patton Veterans Project at CSU
Feb. 23-25 (free for veterans of all branches and eras)
Lory Student Center
Veterans interested in participating in this event should contact Mike Leeman by phone at (970) 657-5500 or by email at workshops@pattonveteransproject.org. Register soon, as spots are filling up.
The Patton Veterans Project has served as the foundation for clinical research that suggests filmmaking intervention can help military personnel make the transition back to civilian life.
Chuck Drebing, a clinical psychologist who previously served as chief of mental health at the Cheyenne VA Healthcare System, co-authored a clinical study on this topic. He explained that filmmaking intervention programs such as the Patton Veterans Project significantly help veterans.
“In my 30-plus years of working with veterans, I’ve never seen anything as transformative and powerful as this,” he said. “The vast majority leave the experience with a more positive attitude toward their future and ready to move forward in their lives.”
To date, the Patton Veterans Project has hosted more than 70 film workshops at nine military bases, VA hospitals, universities and private clinics, enabling over 1,400 veterans from 18 to 80 to collaborate on more than 300 short films expressing their experiences.
ALVS Director Ben Schrader, a U.S. Army veteran, explained that the Patton Veterans Project is a way to strengthen CSU’s ties to veterans on campus and beyond.
“With the resources we have, we’re not only able to help student veterans at CSU, but also veterans in the community,” Schrader said. “Events like the Patton Veterans Project strengthen those bonds. This is really great for the veteran community in Northern Colorado.”
At CSU, the ALVS, part of the Division of Student Affairs, is designed to support increased academic achievement and holistic development for all adult learners, including but not limited to veterans and student parents, resulting in graduation from CSU and sustainable personal and professional success.
Because of resources such as the ALVS, the Military Times named CSU one of the best colleges for veterans in 2023, an honor the university has regularly garnered for the past decade.
