Notes From The Edge - Military Times Edge

Did you know that the Veterans Affairs Department provides free educational and vocational counseling? Probably not, according to a Government Accountability Office report released in March.

“Most of the students and veterans service organization officials we interviewed were not aware that VA offered this service,” the report stated.

Little wonder: Education program officials admitted to GAO investigators that they have not done much to promote this service beyond posting information on the GI Bill online.

Now, VA is pushing to promote one source of counseling: its VetSuccess on Campus program, which provides vocational rehabilitation and peer-to-peer counseling. Through emails, posters, college newspapers and social media, VA is spreading the word at the eight campuses where the program runs:

* Salt Lake City Community College

* Community College of Rhode Island

* Rhode Island College

* Arizona State University

* Texas A&M University

* University of South Florida

* Cleveland State University

* San Diego State University

Schools are not just sitting back, either. At the University of Iowa, for example, that counseling is provided by a college staffer. Read how retired Sgt. 1st Class John Mikelson went from full-time student veteran at the university to full-time student veteran adviser here.

The University of San Francisco’s recent reversal of its decision to withdraw sponsorship of the federal Upward Bound program illustrates the importance being involved at your school.

The Associated Press reported April 19 that USF officials have agreed to continue to support Upward Bound’s application for $1 million in federal funding. Just days earlier, the school had announced its intention to evict — and likely sever ties with — Upward Bound, a federal program providing education assistance to low-income high school students. (Upward Bound has a companion program, Veterans Upward Bound, which serves qualified low-income and first-generation college students who are veterans.)

Under the latest agreement, USF will help Upward Bound find off-campus space and will continue to support the program’s application for $1 million in funding. The reversal followed campus protests from students and Upward Bound officials.

If this seems far removed from your concerns as a student veteran, think again. The UB program at San Francisco serves about 180 low-income high school students in the San Francisco area annually. While the number of student veterans on campus varies widely depending on the school, vet populations at many institutions are comparable. Roughly 180 of the more than 20,000 students at Syracuse University are veterans, for example. And at Georgetown University, veterans comprise about 250 of the more than 14,000 students.

In these hard economic times, schools are forced to make tough choices. Programs are being cut. Admission standards are getting even tougher. And when schools are choosing what has to “give,” they often make their choices based what will bring them the greatest hope of economic returns at the expense of the smallest number of students.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have ensured that student veterans have stayed at the forefront of most schools’ consciousness, and the relatively new Post-9/11 GI Bill has been responsible for an increase in student veterans. But vets are still a small student group at many schools.

Last February, I wrote an entry for this blog, questioning whether or not schools will always need veterans centers on campus. I spoke with Andrew Rendon, director of the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans at Mississippi State University.

“We are at war right now,” Rendon said. “There is a lot of emphasis on helping veterans. But someday when the war goes away, there won?t be as much emphasis on helping veterans. That’s why we need to right now work on making universities and departments become more veteran-friendly.”

Well, the war, unfortunately, still has not gone away. But the need is still critical to ensure that schools truly are “veteran-friendly” and committed for the long haul to the well-being of student veterans on their campuses. Be an advocate on your campus for the needs of student veterans. Have a voice, and make sure that voice is heard. The continued survival of your school’s veterans programs may depend on it.

College may not be for everyone, but those who do decide to pursue a degree are reaping the benefits of better employment prospects in a still-tough job market.

The Bureau of Labor Statistic reports that employment in America has grown by 521,000 jobs since January for Americans with a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to a recent story in USA Today. Contrast that with a loss of 318,000 jobs nationwide for those with only a high school diploma, and it’s easy to see the potential for a growing “education gap” in U.S. employment.

Among veterans, overall unemployment rates in 2010 were higher for those with less education, according to BLS statistics — 11 percent unemployment for those with only a high school diploma vs. 5.3 percent for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher.

In these tough economic times, education by no means is a golden ticket to employment. In fact, many critics suggest higher education may be a waste of time and money for some.

But it’s difficult to argue with numbers. Many employers, inundated with applications from jobless workers, now want college degrees even for positions where higher education previously was not a requirement, such as customer service. In a job market where potential employees are looking for any edge over competitors, a safe bet still seems to be starting with the benefit of a college degree.

To intern, or not to intern — is there even a question?

According to a recent New York Times report, a full three-quarters of the 10 million college students enrolled in four-year schools in America will work as interns at least once before graduation.

Internships are a bit like dating, in that they give both sides — in this case, employers and prospective employees — the chance to test-drive one other before entering into a more binding commitment. Internships are beneficial in other ways, as well. For employers, they mean (usually) reliable, quality — albeit temporary — workers at no cost, or much lower cost, than a traditional employee. For interns, they can offer a big leg up on the competition. According to another New York Times report, college interns get more job offers than applicants without internship experience, and jobs that grow out of internships often command higher starting salaries than those that do not.

But internships — particularly unpaid ones — are not without controversy. One Times opinion piece argues that schools encourage, and in many cases require, students to participate in internships without putting safeguards in place to inform them of their rights or protect them from potentially exploitative employers. It also criticizes the practice of charging students precious tuition dollars for unpaid internships, all in the name of earning academic credit.

Personally, I see the value in internships. As an undergrad in journalism, I had two internships — one unpaid, the other well-paid. I learned a great deal from both and never felt exploited in either. I paid tuition dollars to receive three college credits for the paid internship, an internship that gave me a huge foot in the door to employment after graduation.

But all this was as a traditional college student. I’m curious what college internships mean to our audience of largely nontraditional college students? What difficulties arise for active-duty students in academic programs that require internships for graduation? How can you be expected to complete, for example, 20 hours of work at an internship per week if you are deployed or TDY?

Or, take the whole internships-lead-to-employment argument. Are nontraditional learners unable to compete for promising internships because they have families to support and can not afford to work for substantially reduced salaries, or even for free? Does this unfairly penalize these students in the job search?

I’m curious: What are readers’ experiences and opinions about college internships?

In the April issue of EDGE, I offered up tips for veterans on how to adjust to the college environment after time in combat.

Veterans, in general, can feel misunderstood and out-of-place on college campuses. Often, they are older. Many have families and jobs. In short, their cares and concerns are much different from those of the typical 18- to 21-year-old college student. Throw in combat — and the physical and mental toll it often takes on service members — and the challenges become that much greater.

Recently, Army veteran and Student Veterans of America board member Luke Stalcup wrote an SVA blog entry about sensitivity to veterans’ issues on college campuses. Stalcup shares an anecdote about his own experience with insensitivity on his college campus: One of his instructors had a political cartoon on his office door that depicted “a uniformed leg and a booted foot standing on an Arab-looking man’s face with the text, ‘De-mo-cra-cy-De-mo-cra-cy’ written underneath.”

While the cartoon’s placement didn’t exactly devastate him or make him want to leave school, it did make him uncomfortable.

Stalcup uses the anecdote to illustrate an oft-overlooked point regarding veterans and higher education: Sensitivity can’t be forced. Rather, it is veteran success that has perhaps the greatest chance of breeding sensitivity on college campuses.

We talk so much about how colleges can be “veteran-friendly.” Schools pour money into special veterans resource centers, veterans-only classes, and veterans monuments and celebrations. These things are all important, to be sure. But, as Stalcup argues, it is the individual student veterans at a school — interacting in positive ways with their peers and professors, and, most importantly, succeeding — that change attitudes and perceptions.

Success, then, says Stalcup, breeds more success, and that’s a great equation.

It’s springtime, which means the chances are good that you are in the thick of completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid, your taxes or (gasp!) both. If you’re wondering how to handle your veteran education benefits on either form, read on.

Taxes

In a nutshell, your Veterans Affairs benefits are tax-free.

According to the Internal Revenue Service, “Payments you receive for education, training or subsistence under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs are tax-free. Do not include these payments as income on your federal tax return.”

For additional questions about tax benefits for education, see the IRS’s Publication 970. Consult the Armed Forces’ Tax Guide for other specific questions about your military income and benefits.

FAFSA

When filling out the FAFSA, do not include VA educational benefits on the form’s income section, according to VA. Doing so could limit your chances of receiving financial aid.

Holding out on submitting your FAFSA until your tax forms are completed? Don’t. According to student loan provider SallieMae, it’s OK to use estimates of your income. And getting your FAFSA in faster will increase your opportunities for cash, since many schools award financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis.

Preparing for college? Give some thought to whether or not you will identify yourself as a veteran on campus.

Self-identification can be formal — many schools now have a question on their admissions forms that allows veterans to disclose their status — or informal — telling your professors on the first day of class that you are a veteran, for example.

American Council on Education research has shown that veterans often are hesitant to self-identify at college. In the summary report from its May 2010 Veterans Success Jam Webinar, ACE concluded that:

* Many veterans do not self-identify to and/or request services from campus disability services offices because they feel the term “disability” carries a stigma.

* Veterans often fear that self-identifying will make them feel a greater disconnect from faculty, staff and other students.

It all comes down to what makes you comfortable, experts say. But there is a strong case for self-identifying. Doing so better ensures that you receive all the services to which they are entitled at college, from counseling and tutoring services to priority registration.

One important note: Schools can not require you to identify yourself as a veteran. Doing so is strictly voluntary. It is also illegal for schools to ask students about physical or mental disabilities.

The National Center for College Admission Counseling recently hosted a webinar on assisting veterans with the college admission process. The Chronicle of Higher Education covered the event in a blog entry by senior writer Eric Hoover.

Two important points from the webinar, as highlighted by Hoover:

* Veterans Affairs isn’t the personal savior of all veterans attending college. There’s a misperception at many colleges that VA is waiting in the wings to step in and assist veterans at the first sign of any type of trouble.

Unfortunately, as we all know, VA — while it does have the best interest of veterans at heart — is a big, lumbering giant that can’t always help vets who run into problems on their higher education journey, or is slow to respond when it can.

Schools need to research other solid avenues to get veterans assistance, said webinar participant Jack Fanous, executive director of the G.I. Go Fund, a nonprofit that assists veterans. Some other sources for help include state departments of veterans affairs, charity groups or organizations like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

* A little means a lot to veterans in higher education. It’s not so much how much you do, but rather how sincere you are in doing it. It can be as simple as designating a veterans-only space for veterans on campus, or as involved as steps undertaken by Montclair State University in New Jersey to change its admissions criteria for military members and veterans. In part, Montclair State waives its standardized testing and grade-point average requirements for military applicants who are 23 or older and have not received a dishonorable discharge. Military applicants also enjoy extended application deadlines, can defer their admission and do not get charged late fees for past-due tuition.

College graduation is just around the corner for the Class of 2011. And while employment prospects are looking up — employers taking part in a recent National Association of Colleges and Employers jobs survey anticipate hiring 13.5 percent more new graduates from the Class of 2011 than they did from the Class of 2010 — it’s still a tough job market.

Recently, I came across an article about job search tips for the New Year on PrimeCB.com, a division of CareerBuilder.com. It’s a great list, and very informative. However, reading it made me realize anew just how unique the job-search process is for former service members.

I’ve written many times in the past about the military-to-civilian job hunt. Much of the advice from two stories, in particular, still rings very true. Consider, for example, these words from “14 tips to land you that dream job”: Former Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Jon Harol of Lighthouse Recruiting emphasizes the need to make your resume understandable — i.e., free of military jargon — and urges transitioning service members to have their resumes proofread for clarity by someone outside the military.

Or heed this advice from Craig Griffin, senior vice president of operations for recruiting firm Bradley-Morris Inc. and a former Army aviator. In the story “Inside information: Experts reveal 12 tips for job-hunt success,” Griffin cautions against assuming that a civilian interviewer can make the connection between your military experience and how that has prepared you for the job in question. Be prepared to show potential employers examples from your experience that directly relate to the job you’re applying for. If you’re a military pilot interviewing to manage a manufacturing shop, for example, emphasize the managerial experience you received in the military.

Finally, it’s something I preach about time and again: Beware of so-called cyber-skeletons, the curse of sharing too much of one’s personal life on the Internet. Would-be employers don’t want to see those embarrassing photos of you doing a keg stand at your 20-year high school reunion, so keep them offline. It’s advice that will benefit any job-seeker.

A policy change supported by North Carolina’s State Board of Community Colleges could have far-reaching implications for combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder who apply to the state’s community college system.

Recently, the board voted to amend a long-standing open-door admissions policy at North Carolina’s 58 community colleges. Pending approval by a state board that reviews new regulations, the policy, which could take effect later this year, would allow the state’s community colleges to refuse admission to prospective students who may present “an articulable, imminent and significant threat.”

Civil liberties groups and others have expressed concern that the amended policy would lead to discrimination against people with mental-health conditions. But in the wake of mass shootings such as those at Virginia Tech, Fort Hood and Tucson, the measure also has supporters.

The rate of PTSD among veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan was at an estimated 20 percent in 2009, and rising. Stories like that of Army veteran and Community College of Baltimore County student Charles Whittington highlight the need for more understanding of PTSD on college campuses and emphasize the potential negative repercussions North Carolina’s policy. Whittington was barred from his school’s campus after writing an essay for his English class about his addiction to war and his need to kill.

Policies such as those being considered for North Carolina’s community colleges are well-intentioned but ill-conceived. Schools do have an obligation to keep their students safe, but, as the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina pointed out, the new policy under review could be applied unfairly and arbitrarily.

Combat veterans with PTSD have enough hurdles to overcome in their re-entry to civilian life. They should not have to be concerned about unfair policies seeking to bar their attempts to gain an education.