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.
SVA Appoints New Executive Director
Student Veterans of America has appointed John Powers as the new Executive Director of SVA. Powers brings years of experience and is a strong veterans advocate. Nathaniel Donnelly was accepted into a graduate program at San Diego State University and decided to step down as he will be pursuing his Masters degree in January.
9/23/08: America's Student GI Day
The Career College Association (CCA) will co-host America's Student-GI Day, a career education sector seminar and an event designed to focus on and to honor our nation's military servicemen and women. Co-hosts for this day are Military.com and the Imagine America Foundation. The event will be held on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 in Washington, DC at the Phoenix Park Hotel. More Information: http://www.career.org/iMISPublic/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=17710
06/30/08: President Bush Signs New GI Bill
President Bush today signed into law the Supplemental Appropriations Act, which included the new 21st Century GI Bill. The benefit will go into effect August 1st, 2009. Please continue to check back for updates on the implementation of the new GI Bill at both www.studentveterans.org and www.gibill.va.gov. Provisions in the new GI Bill include full amount of tuition and fees (not to exceed the most expensive in-state public institution); a monthly housing allowance equal to E-5 BAH with dependents (in same ZIP as school); and a yearly stipend of $1,000 for books and equipment. You can watch the press conference here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080630.html