More Friends Of C4C

Debra Anderson U of M
Bio Scrip-Minnetonka, MN
Bruce Brinkman
Bugg Products-Long Lake, MN
Culligan-Mayer Soft Water
Randy Czaia
Matt Davis
Golden Lake Elementary
Sheri Grone
Mike Guilli
Robert and Deborah Kuball
Steve Kurz
Russ Latimer
Robert and Mary Lehmann
Michael Moore
Mike Murphy
Jill Oesterreich
Gayle Peters
Bill Remes
Dave and Peggy Richter
Scandian Grove Church
Wendy Underwood
Vadnais Heights FD

My first semester at the University of Minnesota was Fall 2004. The summer before, I'd moved from Texas - where I'd attended Texas A&M University. Texas A&M has a strong tradition of being military and vet-friendly probably due to their large (and infamous) Corps of Cadets program and history as a military college. When I attended Texas A&M for graduate school a couple of years ago, they had an entire office with several administrators who only dealt with the needs and concerns of military service members and veterans. Perhaps it is for this reason that I was surprised to find so few resources for vets and military service members at the University of Minnesota.

I currently receive what is known as Chapter 35 VA Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance. My father is a Vietnam (Navy) vet and because of his disability status, my sister and I both qualify for educational benefits through the VA.

When I arrived at the U to start my Ph.D. in 2004, I was eager to get the paperwork submitted so that I could start receiving VA benefits early in the semester (I had to pay rent after all). In order to facilitate the paperwork process, I started searching online for information. I went where every new student is sent upon acceptance to the U: To the OneStop website. I found one page through OneStop that summarized the University's VA procedures (http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Financial_Aid/Veterans_Certification.html). It turns out that the note at the top of the page was correct, the summary "does not include all the information you may need." So I decided to wander over to campus to find one of the offices in an effort to get more information.

After finding a parking spot and making my way to the correct building (I'd only been here once before), I eventually ended up at the OneStop office. Although the OneStop website identified a place called the "Veterans Certification Office," it turns out that this office is really a part of the OneStop services offered in Fraser Hall. In addition, there are only a handful of people who actually deal with Veterans' benefits. While I've always had prompt responses from the OneStop office and those handling VA benefits there, I do have to say that over the past year, the lack of resources/information regarding VA benefits has led to some confusion and frustration.

And this is why I decided to get involved with the Veterans Transition Center (VTC) when I heard about it through C4C. I've seen firsthand how frustrating it can be when you need the VA benefits to help pay the rent and they have not arrived on time due to a paperwork error or a delay in processing enrollment certification. To be fair to the U, the VA has contributed to the delays and frustration as well, but to me, that is all the more reason why I feel it is important that student vets here at the U develop a relationship with VA representatives and resources. I think it is great for the Veterans Transition Center to help facilitate this relationship between the University and the VA in an effort to help vets here at the U.

Another reason for my involvement in this effort is because my husband will be a vet returning to the U in a couple of years. For now, he is preparing for deployment to Iraq with his Minnesota National Guard unit, but in a couple of years he will be a student again. Whenever he comes home, he will have 1 year left of his MBA program at the Carlson School. I expect that at least a few of the 3,000 or so Minnesota National Guard members currently heading to Iraq with my husband may end up as students at the University of Minnesota at some point as well. Although there are only several hundred student vets eligible for VA benefits at this time, more will come. I am eager to do what I can to help the VTC so that our Veterans can see that yes indeed, there are those here at the University of Minnesota who support them and are here to assist them with the transition to civilian-student life.

Dealing with the bureaucracy of being a college student is hard enough for the 18-year old who has just graduated from high school, but at least the 18-year old is surrounded by peers of the same age and who've been through similar experiences. Not so for many of our vets. What of the 25-year old who just returned from a war zone who wants to complete a Bachelor's degree? Their needs will be much different than those of the 18-year old coming from high school - with VA education benefits being just one of many concerns unique to our vets.

I am hopeful that our VTC will offer a variety of resources to make the University of Minnesota a truly veteran-friendly campus. I look forward to continued involvement with C4C and the VTC and I especially look forward to doing what I can to give back a little to our vets who have given so much.

Exactly one year ago, before we had this website or a logo or a even a mailbox, Comfort for Courage completed its first-ever event with just a handful of dedicated volunteers: a door-to-door care package drive in Woodbury, MN. We were stunned by the generosity of the community and wondered what would come from the dozens of grocery bags full of toiletries, candy bars and books we had collected.

We have come a long way in the year since we stuffed those grocery bags in our car trunks, and our core mission has shifted from sending care packages overseas to taking care of Veterans here at home. So as this thing we all love called C4C has grown and continues to grow, I think a special one-year-anniversary THANK YOU is due to my brother Tony and to Andy for their leadership and vision since day one.

Who knows what the NEXT year has in store for us? Whatever it is and wherever we go from here, I know we'll remember and stay dedicated to the values that we all found thriving on a cold November night in Woodbury exactly one year ago.

With many friends and family in the armed forces, I fully recognize the sacrifice these individuals make by serving our country.

So when I was approached to redesign the Comfort for Courage Web site, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to show my great appreciation for their bravery.

They are often separated from their loved ones for months and years at a time, all the while courageously working at home and abroad to protect our lives and freedoms.

Comfort for Courage is about repaying that debt of gratitude. See how you can help.

Take a look around and let me know what you think of the new site and if you have any suggestions or questions.

- Drew Geraets | RunningDesign