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At the Milwaukee VA Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Center, Veterans are building more than robots — they’re building confidence, honing skills and connecting with their community through an

Introduction to Robotics course.

Offered as part of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health series in partnership with the Milwaukee War Memorial Center’s education outreach, the course finds dual-purpose

use for the LEGO Education Spike Prime kits purchased for youth programs by also teaching Veterans how to build and test robots.

This is the second Introduction to Robotics course offered to Veterans in the Milwaukee VA’s SCI/D center. 

In this eight-week program, Veterans explore the fundamentals of robotics by learning how to research, program, design, build and test components of their robot, including motors and various

sensors.

U.S. Marine Veteran Ken Salter completed the first series of the robotics course and said he hopes his participation in the second round will lead him into 3D printing.

“This (class) helps you with motor skills. It teaches a little bit of computer programming, and one of the reasons why I took it again is that I want to buy a 3D printer,” he said. 

Salter worked as a mechanic for several years and is an avid remote control car hobbyist, but Veterans do not need any mechanical or robotic skills to participate in the course. 

With instructions on their laptop and guidance from the class facilitator, participants build robots, developing both technical skills and a sense of accomplishment.

“I only have one good arm,” said U.S. Army Veteran Hank Zarcone, as he moved up to the adapted worktable with his motorized wheelchair. “This class uses your intelligence too; you don’t have

to know what you’re doing.”

Beyond the technical aspect, the class provides an important opportunity for Veterans to connect with each other and share their experiences.

Zarcone and U.S. Air Force Veteran Howard Lexner work together on a LEGO Spike Prime project in the SCI/D multi-purpose room with assistance from Zarcone’s daughter, Jesse.

“I’m Army and he’s Air Force but we’re buddies,” said Zarcone. “We work together on the project, and my daughter helps us put it together. 

“I would recommend this class to other Veterans because it’s fun, and it keeps you out of trouble,” Zarcone said with a wink. 

Samantha Gracz, a recreation therapist at the SCI/D center, said, “A lot of our Veterans are past mechanics or engineers so this kind of ties the past with the present.

“It’s nice to add the Introduction to Robotics series to the list of recreational options for Veterans to choose,” she said. 

Gracz said not all Veterans want to participate in adaptive sports or typical outdoor activities.

“They’re working on those problem-solving and cognition skills,” she said, highlighting some benefits of the group class.

As the Veterans continue to develop their robotics skills, they’re also gaining something equally valuable — community.

“A big component of rec therapy is mental health,” said Gracz. “By increasing their socialization, engagement, community integration and working together as a team they work on those

frustration tolerances and communication skills.”

Gracz also put the spotlight on her colleague, Kali Dancisak, a Milwaukee VA rehab engineer in the SCI/D center who provides alternative adaptations and laptop pads that make this class more

accessible for Veterans with dexterity or fine motor challenges.

Sean Clark, Milwaukee War Memorial Center’s program director and the class facilitator, has long-term goals for Veterans taking the course.

“We hope we’ll have Veterans available to go out into the community and continue to give back,” he said. “They can assist with instruction in our school-age robotics program and also share

their military experiences with the kids.” 

Clark, a U.S. Army Veteran, acknowledged the mental health benefits of the program. “It gives Veterans something to think about, something to focus on. It’s a plus-plus,” he said. 

With collaborative initiatives like this, the Milwaukee VA is empowering Veterans to embrace new opportunities and explore skills they may have thought were beyond their reach.