12/29: Michigan Student Veterans Take Action
Student Veterans in Michigan have drafted a four-point plan they want to offer state lawmakers in 2009 to support veterans on campus. In addition to the in-state tuition, the proposal would require state universities to establish veterans offices. Those offices could provide information on everything from veterans benefits to tutoring to intervention and counseling. Such an office also could assist veterans when they're unexpectedly deployed -- acting as a liaison to the university when a semester is interrupted. The final two components would be a waiver of the admissions fee and a mandatory review of the veteran's military training by the university to see whether any of that training may transfer to college credits. Read entire article: http://freep.com/article/20081229/NEWS06/812290372
Happy Holidays
Enjoy the Holidays! Join our mailing list for information about our 2009 National Conference.
12/8: Shinseki to lead Veterans Affairs
President-elect Obama named Eric Shinseki, retired Army General to head the Department of Veteran Affairs. General. Shinseki is a Vietnam veteran who was wounded in combat and is the first four-star general of Asian American ancestry in U.S. history. "There is no one more distinguished, more determined, or more qualified to build this VA than the leader I am announcing as our next secretary of Veterans Affairs -- Gen. Eric Shinseki," Obama said at a press conference." More Information: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28086691/
12/1: National Conference 2009
Please join our mailing list as details regarding our 2009 national conference will soon be available.
10/18: Columbia University Student Veterans
Members of the Columbia University student veterans organization, Milvets attend an event that marked the return of the U.S.S. Intrepid and march in the New York City Veterans Day Parade. Milvets invited SVA representatives to take part in this historic event. Read more about Milvets: http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/56782
11/10: SVA Receives Major Grant
Student Veterans of America was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation. This grant will help SVA continue to support student veterans across the country. Read press release here: http://walmartstores.com/FactsNews/NewsRoom/8752.aspx
10/04: SVA Representatives in NY Times
The New York Times ran an article that featured several SVA leaders and representatives from our member chapters. It was a great article educating the general public and we will continue to fight for the newest generation of veterans. To read the entire article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/education/edlife/vets.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
10/30: GWU Vets Stick Together To Navigate Campus Life
Several members of the George Washington University Veterans Organization speak to MTV about their transition to campus life. GWU Vets is a newly formed group and a member chapter of SVA that has worked hard to improve services on the GWU campus for their fellow veterans. Read the entire story:http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1597634/20081021/story.jhtml
10/22: VA Keeps IT Aspects of New GI Bill "In House"
The Department of Veteran Affairs announced that will rely upon its own workforce to set up the information technology programs needed to implement the educational benefits of the new Post 9/11 GI Bill. At no time did the VA consider contracting out responsibility for actually administering this educational assistance. By law the new benefits are scheduled to start on August 1, 2009. To read entire story visit: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1593 For more information on the Post 9/11 GI Bill visit: http://www.gibill.va.gov/S22/Post_911_Factsheet.pdf
10/15: Fallen UC Berkeley Student
Elijah Warren, a UC Berkeley senior and a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head on Oct. 1 in his Oakland home. He was 26 years old. Elijah Warren, an Oakland native, leaves behind an ex-wife, Traci Lee-Warren, and a 10-year-old stepson, Jinho Warren. He would have graduated this spring from UC Berkeley with a degree in political science, family members said. Before enrolling at UC Berkeley, Warren had dropped out of high school in ninth grade. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and served in the Special Forces for eight years, during which time he learned Arabic and traveled through Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. Family members said they did not notice any signs of depression in Warren when he returned from overseas in 2005. You can read the entire story here:http://www.dailycal.org/article/102998/suicide_of_army_veteran_senior_shocks_family Student Veterans of America extends its condolences to the family and friends of this fallen soldier. We as a country need to prevent this from happening again.