Military veterans and those in active duty live a different life than those who are not in the Armed Forces. It is a profession where duty to country and to protect those who live in it is a 24/7 job.
Which is why it is sometimes difficult for those who have served, and who are serving, to study at college. There are higher commitments and duties that require an institution to be understanding of these sacrifices they make and accommodating of veterans’ schedules.
But it’s nice to know that is the case at Indiana University Northwest (IUN), whose Office of Veterans Affairs is there specifically to accommodate these needs and work with veterans, sons and spouses of disabled veterans, and active service members to ensure they can go to college knowing there’s someone there with them every step of the way and ready for any situation that arises.
IUN has been a Service Member Opportunity College since 1972; a member of a group of approximately 1900 other colleges and universities throughout the nation that are working together to make sure active service members and their families, who often travel, are accommodated. Additionally, SMOCs are designed with a variety of programs that are customized to different branches of the military, ensuring the courses you take are more transferable to real-world applications.
Additionally, for those interested in pursuing a career in the military after college, IUN offers ROTC courses that teach valuable career skills like time management and leadership, but also offer the chance to earn a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army after graduation.
However, there is no obligation to join the military through joining the ROTC in college, so even if you decide the military is not for you, there are still valuable, transferable skills to be learned through military training.
But perhaps the most comforting feeling of all for current and former service members is simply knowing that there is an Office of Veterans Affairs there for you when you are in school. An office that understands what you are going through, has the resources available if you need them, and is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that your commitment to this country does not get in the way of the education you want to pursue.
As Bridgette Kelly, IUN Graduate and U.S. Army Service Member puts it, it’s just nice to know there is a college that is there for you every step of the way.
“I deployed while I was at IUN, and they were very cooperative. I was able to talk with IUN while I was overseas. They were there with me every step of the way, and just a good team to be a part of. And when I cam back from Afghanistan there was almost no transition, honestly, I just came back in.”