It is budding relationship between campus and community, a bond that spans generations, connects those who served honorably and supports the many needs of Auburn-area veterans.
Green River Community College represents a springboard to new possibilities for those who have served in the military. But today’s veterans are faced with many obstacles – perhaps more so than at any other time – in trying to bridge gaps and jump-start second careers after active duty.
Veterans face a difficult readjustment to civilian life. Many deal with psychological and emotional problems, others physical and financial. Military personnel and their families have had to make many sacrifices.
To help show the way, the college on Lea Hill is doing its part to help veterans. GRCC – with the assistance of Auburn Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1741 – is working to put vets back in the classroom and ultimately, the work force.
There are many resources now in place to help veterans, including the college’s VetCorps program that helps ease the transition from combat to campus. The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs developed the new GI Bill education benefits programs for post-9/11 veterans, providing a supportive environment and easier access to other benefits, such as academic advice, financial aid, career counseling and peer support.
“Many (veterans) kind of do it alone sometimes. They don’t know how to get started,” said Kristina Setchfield, veteran resources and project manager for GRCC’s VetCorps effort. “With everybody returning and the job market so slow, most veterans don’t know they can transition quickly. … We help navigate their education. We help them to get there.”
Gradually, the college has made an impact.
For its instrumental efforts, GRCC has been repeatedly honored as one of the country’s “veteran friendly” schools.
Recognizing this, VFW Post 1741 is pitching in.
Late last year, Post leaders took a small step, donating $500 – “a seed money” contribution – to the GRCC Veterans Emergency Fund. The fund helps student-veterans with relief-type payments while attending school.
And just recently, the Post took an even bigger step by establishing a $1,500 veterans scholarship at GRCC, effective this year.
Auburn’s 1741 is believed to be the first Post in the state to offer an annual college scholarship to a veteran.
Veterans who were honorably discharged and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA are eligible for the scholarship.
“We went beyond … to reach out to young veterans coming off active duty. We’re reaching out to the college,” said Bill Peloza, 1741 Post commander. “It’s the first time Post 1741, which was chartered in 1929, has ever done anything this big of a community commitment.”
Mike Sepal, junior vice commander for Post 1741, understands how difficult the transition can be for veterans. He came out of the service in 1977, enrolled in GRCC and graduated before studying abroad and finishing his education at the University of Washington.
While Sepal didn’t encounter the same challenges today’s veterans face, he says an organized and coordinated effort – from veterans organizations to college aid programs – is essential.
The Post is playing its part. To reach more veterans, the Post sponsors luncheons on campus to meet, recruit and inform veteran-students. Professionals and staff representing various veteran programs also take the opportunity to engage students.
“I consider this the future of our Post in Auburn, to establish a relationship with the veterans of this college and in this community,” Sepal said. “We can help veterans with their needs, their families, their homes.”
Peloza says the Post’s veterans relief fund has been growing over the years, supported by community donations from the organization’s Buddy Poppy Drive program. Those donations specifically feed veteran relief purposes.
“Basically, many of the Buddy Poppy funds received as donations stay in the community and benefit GRCC by way of veteran benefit programs,” Peloza said. “We had been searching for years, getting donations. Our veterans relief fund kept growing … to about $11,500,” he said. “We can’t spend it fast enough.
“We wanted to find a good niche, so we started to review different types of scholarships they do offer (at the college). We found we could offer such a scholarship.”
College officials are appreciative as it continues to open more doors for veterans, especially now, with so many looking for answers in struggling times.
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To learn more:
• Reach VetCorps at Green River Community College, at 253-833-9111, ext. 2277, or vetscorp@greenriver.edu.
• The VFW Post 1741 Post meets at 1525 A St. NE, Suite 107, Auburn, on the fourth Tuesday of each month with complimentary dinner and refreshments at 6:30 p.m. followed by a meeting at 7:30. To learn more, visit vfw1741.com.
