Jared Lyon from Student Veterans of America (SVA) was here on 7/10/17 for a Q&A.

Another excellent guest! Looking forward to it!

Thanks, Mikel - glad to be here!

PO2 Jared Lyon - Awesome - thank you!

Great question CPT Bob McDonald. As a related follow up for PO2 Jared Lyon, what does your data suggest are the most underutilized GI Bill benefits and which subsets of the military community are missing out on them most often?

Bob, excellent question as always. In my own life, education has been the key to successful transition, which is consistent with a majority of those who transition out of the military as well (over half go right to school as they exit the service). There is no better transition than the opportunity to earn an education, which is an achievement that stays with you for life--nobody can take that away. Additionally, today's economy is increasingly demanding degrees in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We're working hard to make it possible for those interested in a STEM degree to receive a fifth year of GI Bill, as we know the value of STEM degrees to veterans and the country writ-large. I highly encourage you to check out the College Factual guide to choosing a school, as well as VA's resources on this: https://collegefactual.clickfunnels.com/sva, http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/choosing_a_school.asp

Thanks Jared. Education especially STEM is a game changer!

I had a few questions:

What do you thinks the best way to find a veteran friendly college is?

What are the best resources to use to translate military skills and leadership into either a profession or academic program?

How is the SVA working with colleges to retain student veterans?

Hey, Jacqueen - when a Chapter first gets off the ground at at a brick-and-mortar institution the biggest focus is in recruitment and campus engagement. For a Chapter at an online institution, the focus is similar, but rather than in-person meetings it's helpful to make sure you have a mechanism in place to connect w/ fellow members virtually. Luckily, many online schools have some great resources for this.

I wouldn't change much at my alma mater of Syracuse University, they're doing a great job!

Sgt Trevor Barrett - Great questions Trevor. Here is a resource when choosing an undergrad school program: https://collegefactual.clickfunnels.com/sva, also helpful is: https://www.vets.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool or just give us a call at the SVA National HQ: [login to see]

Thank you for your response and your passion for helping your fellow service members! I am currently a Grad student at Rochester Institute of Technology. However I have recently started a new career within higher education as an Assistant Director for the Veteran Services office at RIT. I absolutely love my new job but I have a lot to learn so thank you for your support!