{"id":83432,"date":"2019-03-12T18:42:41","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T18:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/03\/12\/if-your-school-needs-a-new-vet-center-uncle-sam-might-chip-in\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:12:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:12:57","slug":"if-your-school-needs-a-new-vet-center-uncle-sam-might-chip-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2019\/03\/12\/if-your-school-needs-a-new-vet-center-uncle-sam-might-chip-in\/","title":{"rendered":"If your school needs a new veterans center, Uncle Sam might chip in"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What could you do with $500,000?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some schools across the country may soon be able to put that much cash toward building or improving student veterans centers on their campuses if a new bipartisan bill, introduced in the House of Representatives Monday, becomes law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe brave men and women who sacrifice so much for our freedom deserve opportunities to succeed when they reenter civilian life,\u201d the bill\u2019s sponsor, Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., said in a statement. \u201cVeteran Student Centers will give student veterans the support they need on their path to a new career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Veterans Education Empowerment Act seeks to re-establish an Education Department grant program providing up to $500,000 to schools over a four-year period. The program was initially established in 2010, resulting in 28 student veteran centers on college campuses across the country before it ended in 2015. On average, the schools received $350,000 each, according to information provided by the congresswoman\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely something we strongly stand behind in terms of the value,\u201d John Kamin, an American Legion official, said of the legislation. \u201cI think too often veterans approach school as the new mission and objective to conquer, and when you enter with that mentality, you may lose sight of the fact that college can be a much greater experience when you\u2019re a part of a community and that you don\u2019t need to do it alone. I\u2019ve always viewed vet centers as the natural extension of that premise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill defines a vet center as a dedicated space on campus that provides military-affiliated students and their families with a lounge or meeting space and a centralized office for support services, including help with veteran education benefits and academics.<\/p>\n\n\n\t