UCA was recognized and awarded the designation of Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs magazine.
The UCA website said the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools are honored on the 2012 Military Friendly Schools list.
“It’s really quite an honor to be a school of our size and be included with some of the prestigious schools that they have that are military friendly,” UCA Coordinator of Veteran Services Brooks Walthall said.
Walthall said he didn’t know how many schools were on the list.
“I know that it’s a fairly strict list. It’s something they vote on and you’re selected for. Certainly not every school that applies is selected,” he said.
Walthall said we’ve been awarded this honor by two different organizations.
“The first honor was from military.com, which is a website dedicated to helping military members and families with all kinds of things. It’s a resource for them online,” he said, “the new honor is from G.I. Jobs, which is another resource for veterans for employment and training.”
G.I. Jobs is a premiere publication for military personal who are transitioning. The publication helps to provide education assistance as well as job opportunities for military.
Walthall said that many veterans go to G.I. Jobs to find jobs and find out skills they need.
“It’s a natural place for them to have to select colleges that are military friendly that have degree offerings that fit the jobs,” he said.
Walthall said the Office of Veteran Services helps student veterans who are in the military and have been deployed to active duty and those who are on reserve, as well as their spouses and dependents.
“We have G.I. Bill benefits to help them go to school, education benefits to help them with the application and eligibility process, and we help them certify those benefits and get registered and make sure they’re getting their paychecks on time and all their information is correct,” Walthall said.
He said that if they’re deployed or need to leave for some reason, the office helps them navigate the university process to get re-enrolled in school and hopefully stay until graduation.
“We provide all the services and we’re a resource for veterans and their families, not only for the G.I. Bill and educational resources, but also for UCA resources and how they can best use those to their benefit,” Walthall said.
Walthall said UCA has almost 400 veterans this semester.
“There’s a lot more then people think. That’s number has grown fairly consistently over the last several years,” he said.
Army National Guard Specialist Holly Talkington said that her experience with the school has been very positive.
“They have been incredibly helpful,” she said, “I have to go to Brooks Walthall every semester to get assistance and to fill out paperwork. Not only is he helpful with those issues, but if I need to sit and talk with him and ask him questions and talk, he’s there,” Talkington said.
She said the school has been extremely helpful as well.
“They are on top of their game. They know what they’re doing,” she said.