Senator Tester Introduces the Veterans Education Empowerment Act

Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) today introduced the Veterans Education Empowerment Act, a bill that would reauthorize a Department of Education (ED) grant program to help institutions of higher education establish, maintain, and improve veteran student centers – dedicated spaces on a college or university campus that provide student veterans or eligible family members with a meeting space and centralized office for services. Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is proud to support this bill.

“We thank Senator Tester for his leadership in recognizing the challenges that injured veterans face as they attempt to adjust from active duty military life to life on a college campus,” said Jeremy Chwat, chief program officer at WWP. “We believe these grants will provide the resources needed on campus to help make the transition to college more successful for this generation of wounded warriors.”

Since 2010, WWP has been using the information gathered from its Annual Alumni Survey (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/survey?utm_source=wwporg&utm_medium=nav&utm_campaign=survey-results) to refine its existing programs, develop new initiatives, identify gaps in existing services and support, and create and advocate for legislation that positively impacts warriors and their families. As the results of the Annual Alumni Survey attest, injured veterans continue to report difficulty with assimilating on campus and adapting to student life; insufficient or nonexistent accommodations for their disabilities; and lack of understanding on the part of faculty and fellow students of needs arising from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/combat-stress-recovery-program.aspx) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/independence-program-and-long-term-support-trust.aspx).

With one-third of the over 21,000 warriors surveyed in 2014 identifying themselves as “in school,” WWP has placed a priority on ensuring that these wounded veterans have the tools needed to succeed in their pursuit of higher education. The goal of WWP’s Education Services program is to help each warrior establish a clear plan, with an end goal in mind, which will allow them to succeed in their pursuit of an education.

“This grant program would help provide resources for veteran centers that can host and provide student veterans with academic support, networking opportunities, peer mentorship, financial assistance, mental health counseling, and career services,” added Chwat. “These centers are an investment in the future of our veterans that will enable their academic success and improve campus quality of life for the long term. We thank Senator Tester for taking the lead on this important issue for injured veterans.”

About Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has a vision of fostering the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation’s history. To achieve this objective, WWP is committed to a lifetime of service and commitment through its mission: to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP currently serves more than 65,000 warriors and nearly 9,500 family members through its 20 unique programs and services. The purpose of WWP is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.