Page 5 - MGA Today - Fall 2016
P. 5

IT WAS THE PAPERWORK. TONS AND                       versus the amount spent preparing them for
TONS, OR SO IT SEEMED, OF PAPERWORK.
                                                     discharge.
    That’s what Jonathan Almendras remembers
most about preparing for the end of his Air Force    “Depending on the service branch, a recruit
enlistment – transition assistance office personnel
handing him one brochure or flyer after another      gets nine to 84 weeks of basic and initial skills
offering information about his education benefits,
looking for work and other aspects of reentering     training coming in, but only one week of transi-
civilian life.
                                                     tion assistance going out,” said Ross, who speaks
    Almendras was grateful, but overwhelmed.
    “It was basically a crash course on getting out  from experience as a retired Air Force colonel.
of the military,” he said. “There’s so much
information that it’s easy to overlook some of       “Among the many ways VECTR can assist
your benefits.”
    As executive director of the new Veterans        veterans is working with them to sort through
Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR)
Center at Middle Georgia State University,           their options and help them plan a way forward.”
Patricia Ross gets it. When explaining VECTR’s
mission, she usually points out how much time        VECTR, which formally opened in early
the military invests in training the newly enlisted
                                                     August, is a collaboration of the University System

                                                     of Georgia – with operations managed by Middle

                                                     Georgia State (MGA) – and the Technical College

                                                     System of Georgia. VECTR’s laser-focused

                                                     purpose is to assist Georgia veterans and active-

                                                     duty military personnel and their families

                                                     transition to higher education and civilian careers

                                                     or connect them to various services to meet

                                                     specific needs.

                                                                      Article continues on page 6                       t

           “Among the many ways VECTR can assist veterans
            is working with them to sort through their options
            and help them plan a way forward.” — Patricia Ross

Army veteran and MGA student Rojean Sanders talks with Terry Hamilton, testing center director at VECTR. MARYANN BATES

Fall 2016                                                             MGA TODAY 5
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