1. Veterans Educational and Transfer Services (VETS) Center
Green Zone Training
Veterans Educational and Transfer Services (VETS) Center
Susan Williams & Phillip Nichelson
November 20, 2019

2. Overview Cohorts Veterans’ Benefits Advising Veterans
Veteran Descriptions
Situational Awareness

3. Purpose: Help faculty and staff members support success and promote advocacy of military associated students.
Goal: Increase military associated student success in academia (increase student retention and graduation).

4. Cohorts Active duty and reserve military personnel
Former military personnel (Veterans)
Spouses and dependents of current and former military personnel (dependents)

5. Veterans’ Benefits
Federal: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Educational Benefits
State: Texas Veterans Benefits

6. Advising Veterans Degree Plans Full Time / Part Time Status
Class Attendance
Changes
Transfer credit initiatives

7. Degree Plans
The VETS Center (and Student Accounts) uses Degree Works to verify enrollments prior to certification.
A student may not retake a course or fulfill a degree requirement twice.
There are (of course) exceptions.
Minimum GPA as prescribed in the Catalog
Prerequisite courses
Degree Plans and the Catalog must be approved by the Texas Veterans Commission and VA before certification.

8. Full Time / Part Time Status
The number of SCH enrolled per term affects VA educational benefits.
Montgomery, DEA, and MGIB-SR all step down, 75% benefits if ¾ time, 50% benefits if ½ time, only tuition and fees if less than ½ time.
Post-9/11 (veterans and transferred entitlement) use a rate of pursuit calculation (e.g. 7 SCH/12 SCH = 58%).
**Less than ½ time rates NO housing allowance

9. Class Attendance
VA Educational Benefit users are basically being paid to go to school.
Attendance is expected.
If a student fails a course, professors report Last Date of Activity/Attendance (LDA).
LDA is reported to the VA and the student may be charged a prorated amount for tuition and overpayment of allowance.
Correct reporting of LDA is CRITICAL.

10. Changes
If a student using VA Educational Benefits adjusts their enrollment this must be reported to the VETS Center.
A dropped course will require a adjustment to the student’s certification.
An added course, not reported, will not be paid for or recognized by the VA.
A swapped course may cause a change in allowance. This may cause the student to owe the VA a debt.
Distance Learning: may impact a student’s stipend.

11. Veteran Descriptions:
Older / Non-traditional Students
Consumers of Educational Services
Developed Leaders

12. Situational Awareness
Accommodations
Indications and Warning
PTSD
Traumatic Brain Injury
Service Dogs
**You are not emergency services!

13. Questions?
(325) VETS (8387)