Over the years I have worked closely with the unsung heroes that help veterans use their GI Bill to achieve their education and career goals. These people work at colleges and universities around the country – in both public and private schools. Known as veteran’s program administrators or GI Bill school certification officials, these administrators work hard to ensure veteran students get their benefits.
I have learned much from these people and many of them have personally helped me get through the inherent GI Bill glitches over the last 10 years.
As a tribute, I would like to offer a quick list of things they do, many of which most veterans are not aware. Veterans program administrators and schools certifying officials:
- Often take the blame from both the government and students when things go wrong.
- Spend hours trying to decipher the laws, regulations, and policies that affect veterans.
- Help inform and prepare students for the impact of the constant changes.
- Advocate for “ALL” veterans – no matter when or where they served.
- Work with college faculty and staff members to create on-campus veteran support groups, and veteran’s centers.
- Work with local VA representatives and Vet Centers to provide outreach to local veterans.
- Never seek glory -- only to serve those who served.
Many of them serve vets because they’ve been there, but many of them have never served in the military, they choose to do this important work out of a sense of duty. The one thing I know for sure - none of them do it for the money.
Veteran program administrators make it possible for veterans to transition out of the military and into successful civilian careers… and for that, I personally want to say, THANK YOU!
