Minnesota State University Reporter

Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: Local and State News

Media Credit: Nicholas Larson Cadet Ryan Heidelberger views the MyMilitaryEducation.org, a little-known resource for members of the military that provides answers to commonly asked questions as well as phone and online chats with resource personnel.

Military veterans have traditionally faced an administrative labyrinth applying for educational benefits, but new internet-based resources in Minnesota and at Minnesota State are seeking to increase awareness and ease of obtaining such entitlements. MyMilitaryEducation.org, a joint effort between the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and Minnesota Online, provides answers to commonly asked questions as well as phone and on-line chats with resource personnel.

According to David Schrader, Southeast Region Coordinator for the Higher Education Veterans Program, "The goal is to tie together a lot of the different resources that are out there."

The site has received more than 6,200 inquiries since its implementation in mid-May, with plans for additional resources for non-service students who wish to help veterans. "This website is a good program to get started," said Cadet Thad Skunkwiler, Medical Service Corps and sociology senior. "You need to get this information out to these guys, that they're not just going to give you this money. You need to apply for it and you need to make the right phone calls and fax in the right information."

Army Major Jerry Bohl, an assistant professor in Military Science & Leadership, outlined some of the obstacles that remain stumbling blocks for many veterans.

"It's frustrating. I know there are some guys who just got back from Iraq who have my class that aren't even getting their benefits yet. Part of it is because there are a lot of hurdles or different hoops to jump through."

Such hurdles begin at the initial application process.

At MSU, military personnel must go to the Office of the Registrar for federal benefits and CSU 192 for state benefits, the latter often being overlooked.

"I thought I was receiving everything I could possibly get, and I went in there and [David Schrader] showed me a new program that I wasn't even aware of," Shunkwiler said. Depending on the type of benefits applied for, soldiers may have to fill out additional forms online or have their unit input them directly into the system. On top of these steps, 90-day backlogs between application and receiving benefits are not uncommon, and soldiers must confirm they are still taking covered courses via e-mail or an 800-number at the end of each month.

Such time investments are often prohibitive for soldiers in the midst of service, school and family obligations. Some programs compound the problem by requiring application before the start of a semester.

"I always fill out my applications right away, because I know that if you don't get it done, you might not get anything," Shunkwiler said.

While acknowledging the daunting initial nature of applications, he insisted, "It's a lot of work, but once you know what you're doing and you feel pretty comfortable applying for these things, every semester gets easier and it becomes faster and faster."

Despite continued difficulty in making soldiers aware of and able to access their benefits, on-line services have provided numerous advantages.

"You can take college courses even when you're deployed through online courses," said Sgt. Jason Taylor, a Marine Corps recruiter who took classes while on a ship.

Such courses allow military personnel to considerably reduce time spent on campus after their discharge.

David Schrader added, "There's a lot of planning that goes on by military people, especially when they're deployed. So having stuff on the web is really helpful to people, so that when they come home, they can hit the ground running and not lose another semester or another year because of their deployment."

MSU recently launched its own website (www.mnsu.edu/veterans) that also consolidates information and provides links to on-campus resources. While the new websites are encouraging developments in veteran education, time and continued dedication will be required to see an effect, as Shunkwiler concluded: "I know there's a lot of people who are eligible for this stuff who aren't using it. It needs to be put out that, 'Hey, you're a veteran, you need to make sure you're receiving all the things you're eligible to receive, here are some resources to make sure that's happening.'"


Nicholas Larson is a Reporter staff writer

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