1. 2016 SECOME Symposium Presentation
National Veterans Employment and Education Division
John Kamin, Assistant Director
October 27th, 2016

2. Veterans Employment & Education Division
The Veterans Employment & Education Division is responsible for ensuring that America’s veterans have the opportunity to provide with honor and dignity, the economic necessities of life for themselves and their families.

3. New Resolutions Legislative Focuses Areas of Exploration
Session Objectives
New Resolutions
Legislative Focuses
Areas of Exploration
Program Initiatives

4. Resolution Overviews
Legionnaires at every membership level are afforded the opportunity to suggest changes in their local posts' policies, or even to the priorities and positions the Legion takes as an organization
If the resolution is meant to be approved on the national level, to affect The American Legion as a whole, it is voted on at National Conventions and certified by the National Adjutant
These resolutions guided by our Legionnaires informs what the Employment & Education Division seeks to enact.

5. Resolution No. 293: Support Accountability for Institutions of Higher Learning
RESOLVED, That The American Legion supports legislation to provide additional resources and increased funding for State Approving Agencies, ensuring continuation of its primary responsibility with focus in reviewing, evaluating, and approving quality programs of education and training, while providing oversight to institutions of higher learning to ensure alignment with state and federal criteria on behalf of servicemember and veteran students; and, be it further RESOLVED, That The American Legion expresses its strong support for legislation and federal agency action to ensure educational success and civilian workforce success of GI Bill users and military student program participants; to prevent and combat misleading, deceptive, and aggressive recruiting of GI Bill users and military student program participants, including colleges that enroll veterans in loans they did not need, want, or authorize; to ensure prospective students are armed with all the information needed to make an informed college choice; to take steps to ensure better quality and student outcomes for institutions approved for use of VA education benefits, and, be it finally RESOLVED, That The American Legion expresses its strong support for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations requiring for-profit institutions be held to the same standards and criteria as non-profit institutions for the purpose of approval for use of VA education benefits.

6. Resolution No. 327: Support Further Assessment and Evaluation of Institutions of Higher Learning to Enable Veterans to Make Informed Education Choices
RESOLVED, By The American Legion in National Convention assembled in Cincinnati, August 26, 27, 28, 2016, That The American Legion support oversight and legislation evaluating post-secondary education institutions on quality factors, such as, but not limited to, accreditation, transferability, cost, graduation rates, and acceptance in the job market; and, be it further RESOLVED, That The American Legion pursue opportunities to educate servicemember and veteran students on selection and attendance at post-secondary education institutions; and, be it finally RESOLVED, That The American Legion supports efforts to expand and further disseminate the Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill Comparison tool.

7. Legislation Focuses
H.R. 5985, Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2016 Provisions: Provides the Secretary of VA the same authority as the Secretary of Education to provide provisional certification status to schools affected by the termination of an accrediting agency Status: Became Public Law No: on September 29th.

8. Legislation Focuses
H.R. 5814, Match Veterans to Student Loan Protections Act Provisions: Ensure our nation’s veterans are aware of the student loan protections available to them to provide financial stability for them and their families Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training on September 19th.

9. Legislation Focuses
H.R. 3016, Veterans Employment, Education, and Healthcare Improvement Act of 2016 Provisions: Flight caps, increased SAA authority, YRP for Fry Scholarships, in-state tuition for dependents Status: Passed in House, received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs February 10th

10. Legislation Focuses
S. 2921, Veterans First Act Provisions: Increased SAA authority, YRP for Fry Scholarships, VERRA, expansion of Post 9/11 GI Bill ‘Qualifying Active Duty’ Status: Stalled on Senate floor

11. Veteran Student Loan Protection Cracking Down on Deceptive Marketing
Areas of Exploration
Veteran Student Loan Protection
Reforming WAVES
Funding SAAs
Cracking Down on Deceptive Marketing
Issue: Veterans may be pressured to take out federal loans for schools requiring payment of tuition and fees up-front
Issue: Chapter 33 benefits come on 1st of every month, but 30, 35, and 1606 require WAVE verification
Issue: SAAs budget has not changed since MGIB, despite being tasked with greater responsibilities for more complex benefits
Issue: 38 USC 3696 requires VA to disapprove G.I. Bill at schools that engage in deceptive and misleading advertising and recruiting
Recommendation: Amend HEA to require ‘active' permission from veterans to originate a loan
Recommendation: Amend affected chapters to align with Chapter 33 requirements
Recommendation: Increase SAA budgets by allowing discretionary VA funds to be appropriated
Recommendation: Align FTC investigatory findings with VA reporting guidelines

12. Veterans Education Center
Dynamic website redesign that officers clear roadmap to all areas of site
One click access to multimedia, newsletters, and education assistance
Curated resource directory for federal and state benefits

13. Legion Posts on College Campuses
Legionnaires from University Veterans Post 360, Indiana University-Purdue
Student Legionnaire from NDSU Post 400, North Dakota State University
Department of New York Commander Kenneth Governor presides at installation of Conolly Post 2014, Long Island University
There are currently 14 Legion Posts on college campuses.
Each year more Posts on College Campuses are being created.
VE&E conducts annual site visits to discuss programs and services
VE&E working with Posts to develop resource guide and how-to manual for creating Legion Posts on college campuses
Increase of student-veterans creating American Legion Post on College Campus
American Legion Post 397, Hodges University, Florida
North Dakota State University Post 400, North Dakota State University
University Veterans Legion Post 360, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Lake Erie Community College
University of North Dakota, Post 401
Colorado State University - Pueblo
University of Akron
Florida Institute of Technology

16. Credentialing Summit of 2017
In November 2015, The American Legion brought together more than 200 key executives and law makers to focus on best practices for helping veterans.
Panels of experts from the private sector, non profits, military, federal agencies, and other organizations.
The American Legion has pledged to continue these events on a biennial basis

17. Questions? John Kamin, Assistant Director (202) 633-5748