Vets see funds, not services

Due to a reporting error, senior Thomas Jones is misquoted in this article. Jones said financial assistance is important for student veterans because the tuition assistance they receive from the GI bill is subtracted from what the University gives them based on financial need assessments. Also the GI Bill gives active duty members more money, not more benefits.

The new GI Bill going into effect in August 2009 could help more veterans attend college, but once they get there, some veterans need other services to transition back to life as a student.

After the first GI Bill — the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 — was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, millions of veterans were able to attend colleges and universities through tuition assistance.

Under the new GI Bill, signed into law this summer as The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, the amount of tuition awarded to servicemen and women is based on the length of military service — 36 months guarantees all the tuition costs at a public university will be covered.

A monthly housing allowance, textbook stipend and $500 for relocation also are provided.

But more than tuition assistance is necessary, said Bob Kettels, assistant director of the Winston-Salem Veteran Affairs Regional Office.

“They need specific counseling, and guided recovery from disabling or emotional injuries.”

There are approximately 200 veterans already attending classes at UNC, but UNC has no programs to meet the specific academic, counseling or wellness services needs of a student veteran.

UNC primarily offers financial guidance for student veterans, said Jan Benjamin, certifying official at the UNC Veteran Services Office, adding that her office doesn’t have enough information about students’ needs to offer other services.

But senior Thomas Jones, who served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, said that while emotional and academic support are beneficial, financial aid is student veterans’ most crucial need.

“Tuition assistance is important because there is a distinct difference between when you apply for active duty than when you’re in Reserves,” he said, explaining that more benefits are available for active duty members.

Lt. Col. Monte Yoder, professor of military science and a battalion commander with UNC Army ROTC, said veterans often face difficulty re-entering the academic world.

“They want to get a bachelor’s degree, but they have a gap in time from high school before going into college, and the biggest challenge is getting back into that academic mode.”

The transition to academics requires a shift in priorities, he said.

“They just have to readjust from full-time employment back into an environment when academics are your No. 1 priority. … This is a tough leap, and some students need help bridging it.”

David Kennedy, district service officer from the N.C. Division of Veterans Affairs, said there are several sites in the state that student veterans can go to for counseling services.

The nearest clinic, which can help veterans deal with issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, is in Durham. The nearest veterans benefits office off-campus is in Winston-Salem.



Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.