EPT---
Recently, the military has come under far less scrutiny than certainly before the advent of the events of “Zero Dark Thirty”. The claims that “Our troops are coming home” have been thrown about across countless mediums, and although this is actually occurring (albeit, far slower than people care to admit), it has brought about a disinterest in what happens in the Middle East, the general public assuming the war is over. Whether or not this is a good thing is something I cannot really comment on, I can see both sides of the argument. As a military member, it is both refreshing and distressing that we do not get attention anymore. As the StarCraft scene grows, its members are slowly learning an unfortunate truth.
Not all media attention is good media attention.
This certainly became obvious in the past few months, as my life entered a heavy transitional period. Recounting from my last blog, the amount of weird shit that has happened has stacked rather high.
First and, probably foremost, I left active duty military. So what does that mean? Much of what you may or may not hear about the benefits that the military provide are actually true. There is, in fact, essentially free education, and you have access to amazing health care coverage during your time in the military, both being potentially the sole reason for people to join, having known many such individuals myself. However, as I began my separation process, it became more and more obvious the apathy the general public has for military members, assuming you come from a location without a base or camp.
According to some statistic that is thrown around in the military, the military of the US offers less than 1% of the current standing population, and as I separated, I finally felt the weight of such words. There is an EXTREME difficulty in the process of enrolling in school, when you are NOT doing so out of high school. All of my peers enrolled in their respective college out of high school, and many, if not all, schools have a TINY veteran’s service center.
Having begun my separation process back in July (not being official until August), and having not been in the loop for school for YEARS (about 6 to be precise), I did not know the schedule of class applications, nor the repercussions of enrolling at an inopportune time. My general support groups warned me a lot of the time to be aware that I should enroll in colleges as soon as possible. A combination of apathy, sleep deprivation (due to work), and the needless complication of the separation process prevented me from enrolling at a reasonable time period. As a result, I found myself in a very disadvantageous position, when it comes to selecting classes for the semester that I enrolled.
My original intent was essentially to go through the motions of work until about July, wherein I had enough leave to essentially take the whole month, and following month off, in order to get my life in order after my separation. It was almost flawless. I had a place to live after I finally left Tucson, Arizona (I had moved back home to Southern California), and I even had a job lined up (a staggering amount of veterans do not have this when they separate). However, the school front gave me pause, and I ended up completing the enrollment process towards the middle of July/early August (Yes, huge time frame, but I honestly do not remember which it was). Given that there is a several week delay before the enrollment is confirmed (assuming community college and not having to deal with the anxiety period of anticipating acceptance confirmation), needing to go through orientation and familiarization of the idea of an education plan, I was fully enrolled and ready to sign up for classes. At the end of August. With 1 week left before classes started.
This unfortunate turn of events left me with a few options, which they almost unapologetically droned on about during the orientation. Despite being a veteran and getting priority registration, I had several problems. The first, and foremost, is that I didn’t know exactly what classes I wanted to take. I had a degree in mind, but it would have taken too long for my transcript records to arrive, and I would not have known which classes went through, or not. The second is that even if I knew what classes I wanted to take, the vast majority of them were already filled, the true bane of college students, and part of the reason why so many fail to graduate on time (in conjunction with apathy towards emphasis of higher grades, and the mindset of “I’m fine with a C”). I could have decided to crash classes anyways, however I felt as if that was unnecessary in the situation I was in.
Having acknowledged these issues, I concluded that I should seek assistance in the only location that I could think of, so I at least had a starting point. The Veteran’s Service Center. Or Veteran’s Assistance Center. Whatever it’s called, I don’t even remember, regardless I had to ask someone that would hopefully lay out a plan for me, step by step, to avoid being overwhelmed. Finding the location proved to be a daunting task. This goes back to the problem that less than 1% of the population is military, as well as not all press is good press. I was essentially unhelped at all, when locating the center. I am not sure if it was just my school, but I ran into several issues just looking for it.
The school websites are, as a general rule, a lot of propaganda and advertising for school events, low population classes, and general knowledge that most high school students would be asking. When I attempted to locate the Veteran’s Service Center, I found the location/phone number fairly painlessly, until I walked on campus. The building was under construction, and no real sign of anything even resembling military was in a 100 foot radius. The building was a trailer with a banner that stated “Study Center”, certainly far from what I was looking for.
I really didn’t want to call them just to ask where they are, so I resorted to asking students instead. Amidst mostly, “I don’t know” and “Go look at a map”, I received several long winded complaints of military policy or foreign policy, or war opinion. Completely far from the advice that I was looking for, I ended up calling them to find out that the website had not been updated in years, and had to walk halfway across campus to the Student Services Center building, where I found a singular desk with a tiny placard that said “Veterans”. It was a hot day, and I had just spent at least an hour on the campus completely lost, looking just like a student from high school. I was brief, and to the point, “I am a veteran who just enrolled and I essentially have no idea what the fuck to do”.
Fortunately for me, there was a packet that they handed out for veterans listing out each and every step that I am supposed to take in order to enroll and sign up for classes. I had several restrictions.
1. The GI Bill benefit (The education benefit that essentially pays your entire tuition), is not run by the military itself, but rather by an organization known as Veteran’s Affairs. And they are VERY picky. The benefit itself only lasts for 3 years, and although it does pay for 100% tuition, in addition to giving you a housing stipend, you have exactly 3 years from the first class you enroll in to hurry the fuck up and finish or the money stops rolling.
2. The Veteran’s Affairs organization must see an organized and official education plan before they authorize any payment of classes. I suppose, this is to ensure that you have a set idea as to what you want to do, basically no room for experimentation. They want you to succeed in school (or so it seems), but they have to approve every class that you take, and make sure you are following your education plan to the T.
3. I had to go to a counselor to actually get an education plan.
The third step, I have only recently begun to work on. Between getting used to a new job, the stresses of moving a whole state over, and overall lack of motivation to get started on something that requires so many steps, I put it off until about September or so. I did not take into account that I am in a community college, where there are so many students, I have to attempt to schedule 2 weeks out (and I failed numerous times). Having finally scheduled an appointment, I waited for the day to arrive, and I had submitted my transcripts in for review, just to verify.
A few days later, I received the results of my transcript evaluation. Admittedly, both my roommates and I had no damn clue how to read the thing, I just assumed the counselor would assist me in the matter.
And that he did. However, he brought to my attention something that I assumed would be the case. Despite having received an Associate’s degree from the military (which is a notable point), about 2/3rds of the classes did not count in the California curriculum, and therefore, I had to make it up. I did receive 27 credits for my troubles, but many of the GE’s I would have to retake, for the sake of their degrees. Apparently, including English courses. In order to sign up for an English class, I have to be classified at how well I speak and comprehend English, which meant I have to take an assessment. Fine, no problem, until the counselor flat out told me that I can’t get assistance with an education plan until I have taken this assessment. Which, in my mind, I was basically waiting for several weeks to talk to a guy to tell me to go away. He said he would have been able to help me with an unofficial transcript, but that the Veteran’s Affairs office required an official one. Whatever the difference is, I got the point, I wasn’t going to be helped that day.
I scheduled the English assessment for later that week (The next day iirc), and instantly felt like I was being treated like a 5 year old. Repetition of instructions, the overly simplistic topic of “Write about someone that is influential in your life), and the wide diversity of my fellow test takers made me question why I was sitting in that room. I finished it rather quickly and got the hell out of there. They informed me the results would be available only if I came to physically look at them on campus, showing picture ID and everything. They said something about it being available after noon or 1 PM after 1 full week had past, but I couldn't remember which one for sure. I left the testing center, attempted to reschedule the counseling appointment and failed, yet again. I would have to attempt the following week, as it is only open for 4 days out of the week.
I try again this past Monday, this time calling them, I didn't want to go to campus. After being on hold for 45 minutes, right when it opened, I was finally connected to someone, and they informed me that they schedule 2 weeks out. I already knew that, what the hell was the problem?
2 weeks from that day was Veteran’s Day. They’re closed. If fate or God or whatever exists, they certainly have a sense of humor. I rescheduled the next day, having an appointment the day following Veteran’s Day, on the 13th. Following the phone call, all I really had to do was go back to the school and pick up the results. I grudgingly went there yesterday during my lunch break, I honestly was starting to get tired of going there and not getting shit done. If nothing else, I hoped that I had guessed correctly, so that the test results would be available after noon, so I wouldn't be sitting there for an hour looking stupid.
The clerk at the desk smiled and was helpful. However, they informed me of a couple things which almost threw me over the edge. I could have looked at the results of the assessment over the internet. I didn't have to go to campus to see it at all, it was only for people who didn't have a picture ID during the administration of the test. Whatever difference that makes. The second is that the test results wouldn't be available until 3PM, later that day. So I was wrong on both accounts.
I had wasted my precious lunch hour going to some place that I didn't need to go, because of misinformation. I had wasted several weeks, attempting to talk to a counselor for something that I have STILL yet to complete. I am still getting crap for being prior military, with many people bunching me together with the negativity the press has associated with the military, and therefore shunned. From people I don’t even know. It has been 4 months following my separation, and I do not feel as if I am any better off than before I was separated from the military, if nothing else, I worked with people who at least sympathized at my situation.
I go back to my car, and turn the radio volume to 10, wishing it could go to 11. The louder the song, the less I could hear my own thoughts. All I wanted was to go to school. I screamed in frustration.
