RESOURCES & TIPS FOR MILITARY VETERANS AT BEL-REA INSTITUTE

Dear Military Veteran Student –

Welcome to Bel-Rea! We appreciate your service to our country and are glad that you have chosen to continue to serve your community by choosing a career in a helping field – the field of veterinary medicine. We wanted to provide you with some Veteran-specific information and tips to assist you in your transition to your education, civilian, and professional life.

FINANCIAL AID / VA EDUCATION BENEFITS

Bel-Rea is approved for Veteran’s training by the Colorado State Approving Agency for Veteran’s Education and Training and participates in all of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs education benefits programs.

Please contact Stasi Bottinelli, Bel-Rea’s Financial Aid Manager and Veteran’s Affairs (VA) Certifying Official with any questions/concerns about your Department of Veteran’s Affairs Education Benefits Programs. 303-751-8700 x241; bottinelli@belrea.edu

• GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – Information:  www.gibill.va.gov, 1-888-442-4551.
• www.cccs.edu/veterans-education-training

VA SERVICES

Please contact your local VA Medical Center – they provide a wide range of support services to our students who are active duty military Veterans and their dependents. Benefits can include medical/dental treatment, rabies vaccinations, counseling/mental health services, GI Bill®/education/training support, disability, vocational rehabilitation/employment, pension, life insurance, home loan guaranty, dependent/survivor benefits, and burial benefits.

• Main VA Website: www.va.gov.
• Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center: 303-399-8020; 1700 North Wheeling Street, Aurora, CO 80045.
• Women Veterans Call Center (a hotline to help women Veterans with questions about VA services): 1-855-829-6636 (1-855-VA-WOMEN).
• Veterans Crisis Line (confidential help for Veterans and their family/friends): Call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1.

JOB PLACEMENT

We offer resume/interviewing/job placement assistance to all of our students, but please keep in mind that the VA also offers assistance with job placement/resume development to those who qualify for voc. rehab. services.

• Additional Veteran transition/job placement sites: www.military.com (contains military skills translator), www.careeronestop.org, www.turbotap.org.
• Veterans receive preference application points when applying for positions with the Federal Government – www.usajobs.gov. Please check with the states you are interested in regarding state job preference options for Veterans.

TEST REIMBURSEMENT

Licensing / Certification Tests:

• Military Veterans with VA Benefits and Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) Recipients qualify for VA reimbursement of the cost of the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) and other required state veterinary technician exams required for the post-graduation credentialing process with a state (CVT, RVT, LVT).
• Graduation qualifies you for the exam(s) required for credentialing, and the exam(s) qualify you for to register with a state (certification, registration, or licensure) to complete the credentialing process.
• The VTNE costs around $300. The cost of the state exams will vary by state and not all states use a state exam.
• The VA will reimburse the cost of the test, but not the cost of preparation materials or practice exams.
• Go to www.gibill.va.gov and search for “VA Pamphlet 22-02-1” for directions on how to apply for reimbursement.

National Testing Program:

• If you choose to continue with your education after graduating from Bel-Rea, the VA will reimburse you for the cost of tests required for admission, such as the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) or ACT (American College Testing Program) that may be required for a Bachelor-level degree program, or GRE (Graduate Record Exam) that may be required for a Master- or Doctorate-level degree program.
• Go to www.gibill.va.gov and search for “National Testing Program” or “VA Form 22-0810” for a full list of qualified exams.

POLICY ON FIREARMS / WEAPONS

Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology is a designated “weapons free zone.” Intentional possession, use, or sale of firearms, dangerous weapons, or explosive devices on campus is forbidden, including parking lots, even if a firearm is legally obtained and the individual possesses a current concealed carry permit. Measures will be taken by the proper authorities in such situations, which may include criminal charges and dismissal from the program.

• Law enforcement exception:Firearms or dangerous weapons are permitted on campus when carried by appropriate law enforcement officers (i.e. police, sheriff, military police). For those students who are required to carry a weapon for their current employment as a law enforcement or military officer, please provide the Student Affairs Director with a confirmable copy of your employment information and weapons permit. The Student Affairs Director will then decide whether an exception will be made to the campus weapons rule. If an exception is made, you will be expected to secure your weapon in a proper and safe manner in your vehicle whenever you are on campus.

CIVILIAN COMMUNITY

It is important to recognize that you are now part of a civilian and professional education community. Your classmates can provide stellar support and cooperative learning opportunities as you go through school, but some of our Veteran students have struggled with the transition away from the language and actions accepted and encouraged in the military community into the expectations of a professional education/medical community.

• Extensive cursing, sexually-suggestive terms, and violence- or weapons-focused statements that are sometimes “the norm” for members of the military community are seen as highly inappropriate in civilian and professional settings, and will actually cause strong safety concerns, even when someone is “just kidding” or “blowing off steam”. These concerns have been amplified in the education community due to the attacks at schools and community events in recent history. While you are at school, at volunteer opportunities, at internship, and in your future vet tech positions, please choose your language and statements carefully

…Thank you again for your military service, we wish you the best!