New GI Bill makes life easier for student vets

10/30/08 - Among the massive group of students in Edwards Auditorium or a Chemistry lecture could be a University of Rhode Island student veteran, fresh from deployment in the U.S. military. With 191 student veterans on campus, it is very likely that "Joe who sits next to you in class could have been in Iraq for a year," Ariana McNeil, a URI senior and current member of the National Guard, said.

With the passing of the new GI Bill in June, this number is likely to increase, as the bill expands the existing educational benefits for veterans, making it easier for potential students to pursue their education.

The original GI Bill, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944, provided funding for military veterans to resume higher education. While this was of great help to many student veterans, it only provided individuals with enough federal funding to cover tuition costs.

This leaves students, such as Alex Page, a sophomore and member of the Navy Reserves, with the problem of paying for housing, meals, textbooks and other additional costs.

Page has had to combine out-of-pocket money, scholarships and student loans in order to afford his supplementary costs as a student.

Additionally, since the former GI Bill pays on a monthly basis, Page has had to endure a complicated budget, requiring him to pay his semester tuition monthly, rather than upfront. While his GI benefits begin in October, his semester tuition must be paid starting three to four months in advance. This leaves Page with the responsibility of paying for these months himself.

The newly signed GI Bill will help future student veterans avoid the pitfalls that Page has fallen into.

"It does increase the amount of money so it's more comparable to what you pay for credit at a university," said Christine Dolan, co-chair of the URI Supports Veterans Committee.

The new bill will not only help give "veterans the money they really need to continue their education," but has the available option of being passed along to one's dependents instead.

With more than 300 student veterans at CCRI, many of whom are looking to move forward with their bachelor's degree at URI, this means a large possible influx of former military personnel taking advantage of the new GI Bill next fall.

While the increase in federal funding makes it easier for these veterans to pay for their education, there are still many problems they could face as students.

In addition to the standard URI application, veterans must also apply for military benefits. This application itself can take up to six weeks for approval through Veteran's Affairs, which can be a frustrating experience for students, Dolan said.

While the university is making strides toward streamlining the process by offering guidance to walk veterans through the application steps, the situation is still a difficult one to manage.

"They're making strides," said James C. Leshane, a disabled National Guard veteran who, after graduating from CCRI, enrolled in URI this semester. "But it is difficult because you're dealing with two bureaucracies."

The transition from combat to campus can also be challenging for veterans.

Getting back into the routine of being a student after being out of the country and in a much more structured environment can pose a problem, Dolan explained.

Former military members often struggle with irregular sleeping patterns, problems with large classes, adjustments to being away from family and, in some cases, post-traumatic stress disorder.

For Page, it has been a difficult social adjustment, finding that he has trouble "connecting with anyone because of the age gap and different experiences" he has in comparison to other students.

There is also a difficult balance between military life and student life for current enlistees. McNeil, who has been serving in the National Guard since 2003, has been deployed for months during the course of her education at URI.

"That's what's problematic," said McNeil. "When do you start school? And if you're in school and you are deployed, what do you do?"

While her professors have been accommodating of her deployments, many are not as supportive.

"If [some professors] know you'll be deployed, they don't want you in their class," McNeil said.

However, groups at URI are working to help veterans deal with the obstacles they face as students. The URI Supports Veterans Committee, spearheaded by Dolan, works to help make URI more military friendly.

In addition to helping students take the appropriate application steps, the committee works with faculty to educate them on the differences and issues when working with veterans.

The committee is also working on creating a URI 101-type class for transitioning veterans and establishing a Veteran Education Fund to help students further pay for their educational needs.

The group has begun admissions outreach to veterans, providing them with checklists and resources about housing and other services at URI.

URI is also home to PAVS (Providing Assistance for Veterans and Supporters), a student group founded by senior Alex Widmer last year. Widmer, who has a fiancée in the military, wanted to form a group to help connect with student veterans, as well as those with family members or significant others in the armed services.

The group "provides a network of support," Widmer said, for students to discuss their concerns and experiences among others who can relate. This group meets once a month, both at the Providence and Kingston campuses and welcomes friends and family of soldiers, student veterans and those interested in helping spread awareness about veteran issues.