Assisting Veterans Return to School

By Debbie Gregory.

Veterans that have served in defense of our country need some assistance in transitioning into civilian life. Troops returning from war are also returning to school.

Some states are creating programs to help military-to-college students adjust. Many newly discharged men and women veterans are wondering what to do next. Most military veterans joined the service before they were 21 years old, and often their military skills and training don’t easily translate into civilian employment.

The answer for many veterans is attending school to achieve a higher education. The Veteran education benefit is one of the main reasons many servicemembers join the military.

For veteran students, the transition from the intensity of military life to a more self-sufficient civilian life can be overwhelming. In some ways, it’s similar to the experiences of laid-off workers: both groups may feel disoriented and suffer losses of identity and work-related friendships. Some former military personnel report feeling not just disoriented, but also deeply alienated from the rest of America. ,

Some veteran students look to college as a way to ease their discomfort. But whether they enter a small community college or a large state university, new challenges await. On top of the usual new student fears, they may also have a spouse or young family to care for and support. They may have fears of being singled out because they fought in a war. Therefore, a supportive and informed faculty is key to these veterans’ successes.

The G.I. Bill can help them afford an education that would otherwise be out of reach. The number of veteran students and veteran friendly schools are rising as more troops are discharged into a challenging job market. The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides the opportunity for veterans to attend Veteran friendly colleges and Veteran friendly universities.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill was enacted into law August 1, 2009. Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits include obtaining veteran graduate degrees. The Post GI Bill benefits enable veterans to envision a successful future.

Veteran education benefits can enhance the lives of veterans, creating a strong foundation for future veteran careers.  Attending college can also help veterans assimilate into civilian life and open possibilities for a new career.

Various Veteran licensing certificates, vocational/technical training courses, veteran flight training courses, veteran correspondence training courses are covered under the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.  Veteran on-the-job training, veteran national testing programs, and veteran entrepreneurship training are also part of the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.

Learn more about the possible associations between transitioning to school and other concerns at: https://militaryconnection.com/education.asp