The Bunker Project

ABD!

Today I successfully defended my dissertation proposal, progressing from the status of PhD student to PhD candidate. I am ‘all but dissertation.’

This wouldn’t be possible if I were still self-managing residential real estate. By reinvesting into the OZ Growth Fund, I now have a team with decades of experience to rely on so I can stay focused on completing my academic goals.

Forthcoming dissertation: “Qualitative Analysis of the Influence of Military Culture on the Resocialization of Combat Veterans”

PhD Student Vs. Candidate: What's the Difference? If you’ve ever looked into earning a doctorate degree, you may have come across two similar terms: PhD student and PhD candidate.

The Bunker Project has been in a dormant state for about 6 months after sustaining many months of heavy losses that couldn’t be sustained without donor support. This week we filed our annual report to keep the nonprofit alive, even if just symbolically on paper for now.

We are unclear about the future but are taking steps to create a funding arm before giving it another shot at creating a model of student housing catered to student veterans utilizing their GI Bill or vocational rehabilitation benefits. We made the mistake before of thinking “if you build it, they will come.” Instead came hate from other nonprofit leaders as they viewed us as a threat to their donor base. A difficult lesson was learned that stable funding must be secured BEFORE implementing any sort of program. It is unfortunate that those focused on prevention are viewed as a threat by the dominant nonprofit model that merely reacts to problems, as reaction ensures a continuous client base since the real underlying issues are never dealt with.

Our board chairman and primary donor sold off his personal residential investments in 2021 and 2022 to reinvest into more stable commercial assets in addition to returning for his final year as a PhD student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His dissertation will focus on re-socialization from the military culture to the civilian culture, which is the primary goal underlying the Bunker Project’s support of student military veterans.

We’re still alive, just barely. We’ll be back bigger and better within about 2 years. Stay tuned…

FYI for those on or seeking a VA rating, Changes are coming to the Schedule for Rating Disabilities Disorders. Check it out:

www.federalregister.gov