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State Representative Jim Buchy
Assistance for
Veterans Going Back to School
Veterans are very important to Americans. Just as they did their part
to protect our freedoms, one of the most important duties of government
is to assist these veterans in return, making sure that they face
minimal struggles and succeed in life as civilians.
The Ohio General Assembly knows how important helping veterans is, and
has made veterans’ services first priority. Many of my colleagues
are former service members and we all understand the importance helping
veterans in turn for the honorable service they have done for our
country.
Besides the financial assistance and career readiness programs already
in place for veterans, we also need to make sure that veterans have the
opportunity to go back to school once they return home, to chase
whatever dream they might have. A bi-partisan effort, House Bill 488 is
one bill that increases the accessibility of an education to veterans.
The provisions of the bill become effective on September 16th.
In a nutshell, House Bill 488 requires institutions of higher education
to provide support and assistance to veterans returning to school or
going for the first time. The bill requires universities with service
members in attendance to create a student organization comprised of
veterans in order to provide further support throughout the veterans’
education experience, and it also requires that the university conduct
surveys to veterans attending school, so that their needs can be better
met at the university they attend.
House Bill 488 doesn’t just stop at requiring the assistance and
support of veterans. The bill puts the Ohio Board of Regents in charge
of developing a set of standards and procedures that will be used to
award college credit for military service. Furthermore, the bill allows
current service members and veterans to have preferential order in
scheduling classes.
In order to make sure that college credit is indeed awarded, House Bill
488 requires that one advisor be put in place to assist veterans and
help them with the necessary steps in receiving college credit for
their service. Additionally, the bill requires that a website be
created to answer any questions that service members may have about the
college credit standards and procedures.
All of the members of the Ohio House voted in favor of this legislation
because it just makes sense. No college course can compare to the
tests, training, and experiences that veterans go through on the front
lines of war. My colleagues agreed, veterans deserve to have their
service count towards their education and the careers that will follow.
This legislation puts veterans in a better position to earn a degree
and be successful in a career other than the military.
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyseptember2014.
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