Learning Options Abound for Dan River Region Vets

May 17, 2010

By Catherine Amos
Danville Register & Bee
May 15, 2010

Between working, taking classes and caring for her 5-month-old baby, Brittany Brandon also allots one weekend a month to work as a dental assistant for the U.S. Army Reserves. And it pays.

Brandon, 19, takes advantage of numerous military education benefits as part of the G.I. Bill so that she can continue her education at National College. While studying office administration for medical businesses, Brandon lives in Danville and serves in the Reserves in Cary, N.C. She said it would be impossible for her to be in college if not for the financial assistance she receives.

"It's not easy trying to take care of a 5-month old and work and take classes," Brandon said. "The military takes care of you. More people need to join."

Brandon participated in JROTC while attending Dan River High School and said she "just wanted to do more."

"If people don't step up," she said, "who's gonna defend our country?"

In 2008, Congress enacted the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, expanding financial aid educational benefits to members of the military serving since Sept. 11, 2001. For eligible members of the military, the bill pays for college tuition based on the highest public tuition in each state, with stipends for housing and books.

Private schools may participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which allows schools to partner with Veterans Affairs to pay for excess tuition that the G.I. bill does not cover. Also available is the John David Fry Scholarship, which amends the bill to include children of service members who have died in the lined of duty since Sept. 11, 2001. The VA is will begin issuing those benefits Aug. 1.

Since the current Congress has been in session, its members have worked to hold the VA accountable for fixing any problems with implementing the Post-9/11 GI bill. For example, Congress required the VA to issue emergency checks when claims for financial assistance backlogged, according to Jessica Barba, press secretary for Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th District. In 2009, Perriello introduced two bills to expand the existing benefits to also include vocational and skills training.

As of January, the VA had paid out more than $1.3 billion in benefits to more than 170,000 students, Barba said.

"The Post-9/11 G.I. bill shows the understanding of a new generation's commitment to those who have served and their families," Perriello said in a statement. "There was a huge need for a modernized G.I. bill, and getting it implemented this year is a massive achievement."

Locally, Danville's three higher education institutions participate in many chapters of the G.I. bill, as well as offer other opportunities for members of the military.

Danville Community College
This year, Danville Community College is working with 150 veterans who are receiving benefits, according to Andrea Burney, DCC's director of public relations.

"DCC is a 'veteran-friendly' campus and welcomes all veterans who wish to further their educational goals," Burney said. "DCC, along with the Virginia Community College System, believes that members of the active duty military and veterans of our armed services deserve not only our respect, but our support."

DCC has a one-stop Veterans Office located in the Wyatt Building, Room 101.

Averett University
Danville's private instruction, Averett University, is listed as a military-friendly school and has one of the country's highest rates of participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, Barba said. Averett Registrar and primary VA certifying official Janet Roberson said Averett has about 75 Yellow Ribbon Program participants and about 120 students using other chapters of military benefits.

Depending on eligibility, Averett pays about $6,000 per student per year, with a matching grant from the VA to total $12,000 - on top of what the G.I. bill provides. The benefits are prorated based on eligibility and could cover tuition in full if students are 100 percent eligible.

Averett also works with active members of the military at its sites at Quantico U.S. Marine Corps Base and Fort Lee Army base, as well as members serving overseas who take classes online.

"Military people lay everything on the line for their country," Roberson said. "So to me, the educational benefits are the very least their country can do for them, along with health benefits. Since they've instituted the Yellow Ribbon benefits, it makes it much more attractive and much more doable for veterans to come back and pursue a college education."

National College
National College, an accredited college with a Danville campus that's part of a larger network in five states, caters specifically to working adults with flexible class schedules and programs. National College participates in the G.I. Bill, is listed as a military-friendly school and offers its own military scholarships.

In addition to the G.I. Bill, National College also offers Blue Ribbon Grants, up to $8,000, to qualified veterans, National Guard and reserve members, active duty military and their families. The school also participates in the Armed Services Recognition Grants, up to $4,000 per student.

"The men and women who have sacrificed for our country deserve the best educational opportunities we can offer," Perriello said in a statement.

"...We have a whole new generation of veterans who've served in Iraq and Afghanistan who are facing double-digit unemployment when they come home. We need to make sure more veterans in our communities get world-class education, including vocational and skills training, so they can be best positioned for good jobs."

To read more stories in the Danville Register & Bee visit www.godanriver.com.