Veterans, ‘like other students face struggles too’

Michelle Kwong/Contributing Writer

Either they joined the military out of respect for their country or to help pay their higher education tuition fees in the future, veterans are welcomed into universities for their patriotic services. FIU, for example, hosts The Veterans and Military Affairs website where student veterans can find information pertaining to state scholarships, FIU’s veteran mental health clinic, and other benefits that veterans are eligible to receive to fulfill their academic careers.

But is it enough to satisfy the struggles veterans face in student life? According to an article in military.com, current issues some veterans face are adapting into the college lifestyle, boredom and isolation from their peers.

Yet, aren’t these issue what many newcomers feel when moving into a new atmosphere such as college? Don’t most students gradually learn how to adapt to their society so they can live with ease throughout their adult life?

Akeem Arthur,  an army veteran and a senior majoring in chemistry, finds the services FIU offers veterans easy to find. However, Arthur recognizes that while these services are relatively easy to locate, getting approved for them is another story.

“The struggles veterans face is the initial processing of their educational benefits,” Arthur said. “It takes time for the process to approve educational benefits. If that can be expedited instantaneously approval it would be nice because all the documents are there,” he said.

“It just takes time for somebody to mail them through. But if the documents can be automatically approved, then it would be quicker,” Arthur said.

Relating to other students, Arthur said, is another difficulty he faces because of the age gap between him and the other college students. Arthur is 26 and the average student, he said, is usually in their early 20s.

I think the University does care about its veterans judging by the number of services offered to them.

Yes, there are times when one experience emotional struggles but isn’t part of  life to find friends we identify with or have hobbies to overcome emotional obstacles? Veterans can join clubs to meet potential friends or visit a peer- to- peer mentoring to talk and have a connection with other veterans who are facing similar obstacles.

As for the issue Arthur and other veterans experience when it comes to getting approved for these benefits, I think the university should find a way to speed up the process because it’s usually better to stop stressing over when the benefits will be effective and would help prevent any sticky situations as a consequence that the benefits weren’t processed fast enough.

Nevertheless, like every other student, veterans have their struggles too.

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of FIU Student Media Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

Image retrieved from Flickr.