Southern reaches out to serve veterans

Logan, WV - Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is reaching out to serve local veterans and those applying for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit that is effective August 1, 2009. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is the most comprehensive education benefit since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944.

Individuals with active duty service since September 11, 2001, may be eligible for this benefit. The program provides tuition assistance, a housing allowance, a books and supplies stipend, and the option to transfer these benefits to family members under certain circumstances.

"We are honored to provide a full range of services to veterans who enroll at Southern," said President Joanne Jaeger Tomblin. "We recognize that these men and women have made significant sacrifices for all of us and it's fitting that we assist them in their educational pursuit."

To be eligible for the Post-9/11 benefits, a service member or veteran must have served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty. However, individuals
honorably discharged for a service-connected disability who served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001, may also establish eligibility.

The current Montgomery G.I. Bill, the Survivor and Dependents, and Vocational Rehabilitation benefits all have their own set of rules to navigate. Veterans Coordinator Teri Wells is at Southern to help veterans understand one from another.

There are many variables that come into play when determining the level of benefits a veteran can receive, including length of active duty, Wells said.

"Veterans should consider using the rest of their Chapter 30 G.I. benefits if they only have a few months of benefits remaining. Exhaust them and then
use the remaining months of benefits under the new bill," Wells explained.

Otherwise, if a veteran applied for and received approval for Chapter 33 G.I. Bill benefits before exhausting his or her Chapter 30 G.I. Bill benefits, the veteran would only receive the remaining benefits he or she was eligible for under the Chapter 30 G.I. Bill. That could make the difference between a veteran receiving a few more months of benefits and up to 12 more months of education benefits and a housing stipend, Wells said.

"There's a gap between the military world and the academic world," Wells said. "We're trying to help close that gap."

The Fall 2009 semester will begin on Monday, August 17th.  For more information about veterans services offered at Southern, call Teri Wells at 304-896-7443. or e-mail her at teriw@southern.wvnet.edu.

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College offers many degree and certificate programs in its Career and Technical Division, including
Allied Health, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Information Technology, Mine Management, and Survey Technology. The University Transfer
Division offers degrees that prepare students to transfer into upper division programs at four year colleges and universities. Southern operates
four campuses and two sites located in Boone, Logan, Lincoln, Mingo, Raleigh and Wyoming counties. Kentucky students residing in Pike, Martin, Boyd and Lawrence counties are eligible for in-state tuition rates.

The college's web site is www.southernwv.edu and the toll free number is 1-866-798-2821.

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Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Veterans' Coordinator Teri Wells is shown assisting local veteran Jason Young of Whitman, WV.  Young served four years in the Marine Corps. He plans to begin studies at Southern and later completing a Bachelor’s degree.