Veteran Services Administrator Valerie Verra described the experiences of AU veterans as they adjust to campus life at AU in a presentation on Feb. 26 in the Gianni Lounge in MGC.
There were 124 undergraduate veterans and 89 graduate student veterans enrolled in AU during the fall of 2012, according to Verra. Her presentation "American Veterans-- A Growing Student Population with Video" is part of the School of Communication's lecture and panel series for Diversity Week.
The four-minute video featured five AU veterans who described the difficulties that they faced while adjusting to life at AU. To help veterans adjust socially and academically, AU is creating a veterans resource center, according to Verra.
"They [veterans] need it since they have been out of academics for a long time," Verra said, "They are used to commands, but now they have to learn to write essays and explain why something is true."
A frustrated female veteran described how she can list being a pilot on her resume, but she does not know how to explain the benefits of this skill to future employers. Another male veteran happily reported how he has begun to feel social on campus largely because of the veteran community groups at AU.
The Provost's Office is also looking at a first-year veterans course and an orientation for veterans, according to Verra.
However, the biggest challenge facing AU veterans is becoming certified to get their monetary benefits the Department of Veteran Affairs, said Verra.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill awards eligible undergraduate veterans $18,077.55 and graduate veterans $26,050 each year, according to Verra. The Yellow Ribbon Program can provide another $11,000 per year, and former service members may also be eligible to receive $2,100 in living expenses each year, Verra said.
AU helped 221 veterans last fall receive GI Bill benefits, Verra said.
"They [veterans] make my day," Verra said. "They feel like they have a second chance."
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