Noteboom The Law Firm

VetSuccess Helps Veterans On Campus

March 16, 2011 - More veterans than ever are using the Post-9/11 GI Bill to go to college. Many of those veterans, however, are finding campuses more menacing than they may have expected because they are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental health conditions. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created the VetSuccess on Campus program to help such veteran-students. The program provides VA counselors to help veterans transition from their military lifestyle to a college lifestyle.

Veterans entering college following an active duty life style face more unique challenges than more traditional students. The VetSuccess On Campus program employs a full-time Vocational Rehabilitation counselor as well as a coordinator specifically serving an outreach role to aid veterans with such things as VA benefits and support. To alert veterans to the program, the VA plans on using multiple mediums such as mail, posters, campus newspaper ads and articles, and outreach events.

The VetSuccess on Campus program started as a pilot program at the University of South Florida and has since spread to multiple campuses across the nation. One of the staples of the VetSuccess on Campus program, peer-to-peer counseling, has proven effective help for both veterans and their families. Additionally, the program provides a mental health referral service for those veterans in need. President Obama's proposed 2012 budget includes money to expand the program because of its demonstrated success.