The Veteran Resource Center moved to a new building at the beginning of this semester, and students may not be making the most of its many resources. From counseling to coffee to backpacks, the services there offer something for every veteran.
After Building 36 officially opened on Feb. 15, veterans no longer need to go to two different buildings to access all services. “We are combining two services that were, essentially, previously located at two separate locations,” said Maria Martinez, a counselor at the center, who works specifically with veterans seeking guidance on their academic path.
Martinez said before the move, veterans found their counselors in Building 21, and certification of benefits was done at Admissions and Records in Building 10. Although that inconvenience was resolved, it remains difficult to be a student veteran, given the extra requirements they face when applying for benefits.
On top of the bureaucratic difficulties student veterans face, the lack of publicity for the center has made it unclear if all veterans are aware of the streamlined location.
Public events for the center would normally be planned by a veteran coordinator or program director, and the VRC is receiving government funds to hire such a person. However, there is no open position placed on the district’s job site. Alison Haertjens, an HR Technician for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca District, said in a voicemail that hiring information is “highly confidential.”
Iris Kang, a Navy veteran who served for 18 years, had to do much of her own research to understand the process. The question of how to apply was not clear until Kang found the Veteran Resource Center, rather than being given the information, and began using its resources.
Kang described the resources she gained access to as “really helpful,” though she knows veterans who don’t make use of the VRC.
Ashunte McFadden, who has been in the reserves for six months and is using some of his time to attend Grossmont, said of the VRC, “They want you to win and they are very professional.”
When asked what he might say to other veterans looking into student veteran benefits, McFadden said, “Ask them a lot of questions.”
