As of 2013, there were more than 400,000 veterans living in Wisconsin, ‘veteran’ being defined as a former member of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard who served on active duty and was discharged other than dishonorably. The UW System has a particular mission to provide services to these men and women who so ably served their country; the UW System campuses are approved for the education of reservists, veterans, disabled or deceased veterans’ dependents, and war orphans under programs provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the state Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Wisconsin GI Bill is the most comprehensive state higher education benefit for veterans in the nation – veterans are not charged tuition and fees for up to 128 credits. Assuming a standard course load, the Wisconsin GI Bill provides 4 years of 100% tuition and fee remission. The Wisconsin GI Bill can be used for undergraduate or graduate education and is available to full-time students and part-time students, as well as students enrolled in the Flexible Option. In addition, veterans are given priority registration at all UW institutions so they can more effectively use their benefits. Critically, the UW also provides the vast majority of funding to support the benefit.
Last year nearly 5,000 veterans (self-reported) attended UW System institutions; that total has doubled since 2005. Of those, nearly 4,000 eligible veterans took advantage of the Wisconsin GI Bill and related federal GI Bill benefits. In addition to veterans, children and spouses of veterans disabled 30% or more receive Wisconsin GI Bill benefits. Last year nearly 1,400 children and spouses accessed this benefit.
UW institutions across the state have opened student veteran centers to help veterans better access increasingly complicated benefits as well provide the academic and social support that many non-traditional students find useful as they transition to college life after time away from school.
The UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System have also joined forces to create the Veterans Wisconsin Education Portal, a one-stop online location which provides information to help veterans and their dependents understand and utilize the services and resources available to them. Sections of this web portal include:
- Understanding Higher Education: What types of public higher education institutions are available, and the locations of Wisconsin public higher education institutions.
- Getting Started: How to get started on your college education.
- Applying for College: How to apply to a University of Wisconsin or Wisconsin Technical College campus.
- Education Benefits: Who to talk with about both Wisconsin and Federal veterans’ education benefits.
- Personal Support: Contact and resource information for Veterans Affairs facilities, local veteran centers, medical and counseling services, child care resources, and much more.
- Campus Resources: Contact information for the Campus Veterans Coordinator at each UW campus, who can offer details on benefits and services specifically for veterans.
- UW Veterans Contacts and WTCS Veterans Certifying Officials: At UW-Madison, contact VA Certifying Official, Joe Rasmussen, (608) 265-4628 or John Bechtol, Assistant Dean of Students, (608) 890-2701, for assistance with questions and paperwork. Certifying Officials are responsible for certifying each student’s attendance and credit load to the Veterans Administration.
- Visit the UW-Madison Veteran Services and Military Assistance Center website: http://veterans.wisc.edu.
- County Veterans Service Officers: A listing of your County Veterans Service Offices (CVSO), which provide information and assistance in obtaining state and federal veterans benefits, programs and services.
Source: UW Service Center