When Shaftone Dunklin finished his enlistment period with
the U.S. Marines in 1994, he said receiving his VA benefits
was a fairly smooth transition — although he admitted he
would have benefited more if he had received information
on his eligibility for a Pell grant during his first semester
of college.
Now, as assistant director of EMU's Veteran Services,
Dunklin is doing what he can to help veterans returning
to EMU receive the educational benefits they're eligible
for.
 |
BENEFITING VETERANS: (from left) Air Force
veteran
Adam Jacobs discusses his veteran benefits
with Kate
Diefenbach, an EMU financial aid adviser, and
Shaftone
Dunklin, EMU's assistant director of Veteran
Services. Veteran Services hosted an informational
meeting for veterans in the Student Center June 17.
Veteran Services recently moved its office to
McKenny
Hall in space previously occupied by Service
EMU. |
Veteran Services, which just recently moved from an office
in Pierce Hall to McKenny Hall in space Service EMU once
resided, aids veterans — those who are returning from active
duty, the Reserves and the National Guard — in filling
out the labyrinth of paperwork necessary to receive eligible
funding for tuition, fees, books and a monthly stipend.
The current Chapter 30 Montgomery G.I. Bill came with
its own set of rules to navigate. The new Chapter 33 G.I.
Bill, better known as the Post-9/11 Bill, comes with a
whole other set of requirements. Dunklin is here to help
veterans understand one from another.
"I've been here as an advocate. My primary function has
been to certify them for veteran benefits, making sure
they get their money," said Dunklin, who has served as
assistant director since February 2007.
Roughly 200 EMU students are veterans who receive benefits.
There are approximately another 100 veterans taking classes
at EMU who no longer receive veteran benefits.
There are many variables that come into play when determining
the level of benefits a veteran can receive, including
length of active duty, Dunklin said.
"Veterans should consider using the rest of their (Chapter)
30 (G.I. benefits) if they only have a few months of benefits
remaining. Exhaust them and then you can get your 12 months
of benefits," under the new bill, Dunklin said.
Otherwise, if a veteran applied for and received approval
for Chapter 33 G.I. Bill benefits before exhausting
his or her Chapter 30 G.I. Bill benefits, the veteran would
only receive the remaining benefits he or she was eligible
for under the Chapter 30 G.I. Bill. That could make the
difference between a veteran receiving a few more months
of benefits and up to 12 more months of education benefits
and a housing stipend, Dunklin said.
"Each person is situational. There are so many
pots of (benefit) money they're receiving from," Dunklin
said. "The new Chapter 33 G.I. Bill is good for veterans
who can receive 100 percent of maximum benefits — those
that have just finished active duty, are going to school
full time and living on campus."
Veterans who have served at least 36 months (three years)
or at least 30 continuous days and discharged due to a
service-connected disability are eligible for 100 percent
of benefits under the new G.I. Bill, which provides benefits
to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. These veterans — going
to school full time — would be eligible for up to 48 months
of tuition and fees paid for, as well as a monthly housing
stipend up to $1,369, Dunklin said. Other veterans, depending
on variables, would be eligible for 40 percent to 90 percent
of the benefits.
The housing allowance and the books/supplies stipend are
not payable to individuals on active duty. The housing
allowance is not payable to those pursuing training at
half time or less or to individuals enrolled only in distance
learning.
Veterans who served at least 90 aggregate days on active
duty after Sept. 10, 2001, are still on active duty, were
honorably discharged or honorably discharged for a service-connected
disability after serving 30 continuous days after Sept.
10, 2001, are eligible for the new G.I. Bill benefits.
Benefits under the Chapter 33 G.I. Bill can be used, effective
Aug. 1, 2009.
The Veterans Services Office hosted a veterans benefit
informational meeting in the Student Center June 17. Approximately
15 veterans attended the meeting, which included representatives
from the Washtenaw County Veterans Department, the VA Hospital,
Operation Wounded Warrior, EMU University Apartments and
Financial Aid. Dunklin said his office would host another
organizational meeting during the fall semester.
"We are honored to provide a full range of services to
veterans who enroll at Eastern Michigan University," said
Bernice Lindke, vice president for student affairs and
enrollment management. "We recognize that these men and
women have made signficant sacrifices for all of us and
it's fitting that we assist them in their educational pursuit."
For more information, call Veterans Services at 487-3119,
e-mail sdunklin@emich.edu,
visit the office in 246 McKenny Hall, or go to http://www.emich.edu/compliance/veterans/
Reaching out to fellow veterans
 |
VETTING THE VETERANS: (above, middle)
Shaftone
Dunklin, assistant director of EMU's Veteran
Services,
reviews paperwork with Ann Arbor senior Adam Betz
(left) and
Garden City sophomore Craig Sultana
(right), both
members of of EMU's chapter of Student
Veterans of
America. The three met in Veteran
Services' new
offices in McKenny Hall. |
Adam Betz, a first lieutenant in the Army Reserve National
Guard, remembers returning from a tour of duty as a Marine
in 2003 and again, after being called up from the Reserves,
in 2007.
Each time, Betz felt isolated and it was difficult for
him to readjust to civilian life, especially as a college
student. The first time, Betz said he felt nothing
in common with most of his fellow students at Washtenaw
Community College. He essentially came to campus, took
classes and left. When he returned from duty the second
time and felt the same sense of isolation at EMU, Betz
vowed he would do something about it.
And he did, helping form an EMU campus chapter of Student
Veterans of America near the end of the recent winter term.
"We are mostly younger veterans who've fought in Afghanistan
or Iraq. We are all students at a university," said Betz,
a senior double majoring in secondary education social
studies and history.
Now numbering 50, Betz said the group meets monthly and
smaller groups get together socially for dinner and drinks.
The group recently played a "Vets vs. Cadets" softball
game against members of EMU's ROTC program over Memorial
Day.
"One of his (Betz's) main reasons for helping other
vets is to bring a support group to each other," Dunklin
said. "Vets are more comfortable talking to other vets
about their experiences."
For the fall, Betz said the group is planning to collect
donations from EMU students to put together care boxes
to send to American troops overseas. In addition, he said
the group might discuss sensitivity training with faculty
relative to post-traumatic stress disorder many veterans
face.
"There's a gap between the military world and the academic
world," Betz said. "We're trying to help close that gap."
For more information about the EMU chapter of Student
Veterans of America, e-mail svaemu@gmail.com or
call Betz at (734) 780-1040.
