Veterans Transition Center

The Veterans Transition Center (VTC) is a non-partisan student-led Veterans group at the University of MN-Twin Cities started by Comfort for Courage (C4C). We exist to support the veterans of our country’s Armed Forces and our main goal is to help student veterans smoothly make the transition from military to civilian life. We provide student veterans with a place where they can meet other student veterans in a friendly atmosphere. Stop by and share your story if you’d like, or hear another veteran’s story. The VTC is open to and encourages participation of non-veterans, all students, staff and faculty of the University, as well as neighbors in the community. Veterans do a great job of supporting each other, but it is important to note the support veterans receive from non-veterans and the importance of that support. We want to build an environment on campus that is supportive of and friendly to veterans and making the VTC open to non-veterans is an important part in achieving that goal.

What’s in the VTC?
• Couches to relax on
• Computers w/ Internet
• TV with DVD player (and some DVDs)
• Free pop and candy

SPECIAL THANK YOU to AT&T/Operation Homefront for their generous donation of $40,000. To see the press release, go to this website: http://www1.umn.edu/urelate/newsservice/NS_details.php?release=080502_3523&p

NEWS UPDATE - The VTC was awarded the Tony Diggs Excellence Award for the Rookie Registered Student Organization (RSO) of the Year for 2007. This award recognizes newer student groups (less than 3 years since inception) who have demonstrated significant success and development in following the mission and goals of their organization.

• FREE Pizza Lunches, Fridays 11:30am-1pm
• Other events (BBQs, happy-hours, camping, etc.)

• Get matched with a Veteran in your field of study
• Opportunity for professional development
• Great networking opportunities
• Reference for scholarships/future employment

The relationship between a mentor and a student provides a learning experience for students outside the classroom where they can experience opportunities in the "real world" (civilian style). Mentoring relationships are intended:

• To be professional in nature.

• To help motivate students to succeed in their transition from the military to an academic environment and on to the civilian working-world.

• To offer an opportunity for professional development, networking and an exchange of ideas between experienced professionals and the next generation of leaders.

If you want to be a mentor to a student veteran, if you want to be matched with a mentor, or if you would like more information about this program, please contact Derek Knox at knox0052@umn.edu. You can sign-up anytime of the year to get matched with a mentor.

Website for Veterans at the University of Minnesota - through One Stop Student Services:
http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Veterans.html

Veterans Resource Office
Access resources and individualized assistance related to medical benefits, employment, family assistance, transition issues, and additional veterans benefits and programs
Address:
Higher Education Veterans Programs
One Stop Student Services
University of Minnesota
200 Fraser Hall
106 Pleasant St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone: 612-625-7620
Fax: 612-625-3002
E-mail: bauer333@umn.edu
Website: http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Registration/Veterans_Certification/Veterans_Resource_Office.html

Veterans Certification Office
Learn how to apply for veterans education benefits for new, returning, transfer, and non-degree students. Access procedures related to military activation and return from activation
Address:
One Stop Student Services
University of Minnesota
200 Fraser Hall
106 Pleasant St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone: 612-625-8076
Fax: 612-625-3002
Email: veterans@umn.edu
Website: http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Registration/Veterans_Certification.html

Warrior To Citizen Campaign
Warrior to Citizen Website:http://publicwork.org/2_wcc.html
Community Dialogue Facilitator Training Guide: Download file
MN Works Together Website:http://minnesotaworkstogether.org/tml

Information & Documents
VTC Flyer: Download VTC Flyer

Veterans Mentorship Program
Flyer for Student Veterans: Download Flyer for Student Veterans
Flyer for Mentors: Download Flyer for Mentors

Veterans Movie Night - Iraq: A Student Veteran’s Experience
Who: All veterans, University students, staff, faculty, and our friends/neighbors in the community were invited.
What: The VTC offered this exclusive, unbiased movie based on one of our veteran's experiences during his deployment to Iraq. This event was intended to help students understand a bit more about what many student veterans (their peers on campus) have experienced during their deployment(s) to a combat zone. This was also a good way for veterans to learn about the experiences of other veterans. This event was intended to create a sense of community among the veterans on campus and to help bridge the gap between veterans and non-veterans.
When: Wednesday April 16th, 2008, 6:30pm - 9pm
Where: Theater in Coffman Union
Free popcorn & pop were provided.
PICTURES ARE COMING SOON

Grand (re) Opening of the VTC
On March 14th, 2008, we celebrated our new home in Wesbrook Hall with lots of free food, soda, camaraderie, and other fun stuff, including handing out Warrior to Citizen Challenge Coins to all veterans in attendance. See more info about this coin at http://www.vessey5401.org/article/319/warrior-to-citizen.

Picture of the new room:

MORE PICTURES COMING SOON!

Pizza Fridays

- Student Veterans Appreciation Day, November 14th, 2007 -

Article in the MN Daily
http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2007/11/15/72164546
Article by UMNews
umnnews/Feature Stories U Celebrates Student Veterans
Free T-shirts for student veterans are in our office. Click Here to see what they look like.
Free buttons that say "Thank you, Student Veterans!" are also in the VTC.

E-mail your pictures of this event to lede0031@umn.edu and we may post them on here!

Veterans Speaker Series
When: Thursday November 29th, 7pm
Where: Vincent Hall, Room 16
What: We had two veterans share their experiences from their deployments. This was intended to help students understand a bit more about what student veterans (their peers on campus) have experienced during their time on active duty. This was also a good way for veterans to learn about the experiences of other veterans. This event was intended to create a sense of community among the veterans on campus and to help bridge the gap between veterans and non-veterans.

All pictures are subject to copyright and may not be used without permission of the author and/or the photographer.

VTC Officers

Aaron Ledebuhr - Co-President
lede0031@umn.edu
Justin Riechers - Co-President
riech003@umn.edu
Tim Fuller - Treasurer
fulle191@umn.edu
Steve Biorn - Vice President
bior0003@umn.edu
Derek Knox - Vice President
knox0052@umn.edu

Address:
Veterans Transition Center
302 Wesbrook Hall
77 Pleasant Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Map:

Email: VTC@umn.edu
Website: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/vtc/vtc
Hours: M-F 8am-5:30pm
Phone: 612-624-2913

Veterans-L@lists.umn.edu - This is an email listserv with occasional updates, opportunities, and Veteran-oriented information. Email it asking to be added if you'd like to get these types of occasional emails.

VTC-List@lists.umn.edu - This is the VTC member listserv which is for VTC members only and is used mainly to tell members about weekly events. If you want to become a member of the VTC, send your name and University x500 id (your university email address) to VTC-List@lists.umn.edu and ask to be added to the VTC member listserv.

On September 16, 2005, the University of Minnesota announced that it would sponsor Comfort for Courage’s proposed Veterans Transition Center on the University’s campus.

“This transition center aims to offer a safe-haven and help curb the disturbingly high drop out rate of veterans who return to school,” said Andy Davis, chairman of Comfort for Courage. “We are excited about this opportunity, because we could feel the influx of veterans returning to school similar to what the country felt after World War II.”

During the fall 2005 semester, Comfort for Courage and the University of Minnesota worked to establish the new transition center in Eddy Hall. Volunteers, many of them student veterans, staff the transition center. The VTC exists mainly as a place for veterans to meet other veterans and develop a new support system. Information about educational and other veteran-related resources is also readily available and shared within the student veteran community.

“A solid education is the foundation for achieving personal goals and successes,” said Jerry Rinehart, the university’s Vice Provost for Student Affairs. “We want to ensure that returning student veterans have the support they need to make the most out of their learning experience. We applaud Comfort for Courage’s forward thinking and compassion for the men and women who serve our country.”

Comfort for Courage is a student-led, non-profit, non-partisan effort to support the nation’s armed services. Since its inception in November 2004, Comfort for Courage has shipped more than seven tons of comfort items to service-men and -women serving overseas. Two University of Minnesota students, Andy Davis and Tony Richter, founded the organization. Andy Davis is a former Army Ranger who served three combat tours in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tony Richter graduated from the University's Carlson School of Management in 2007.

-Aaron Ledebuhr-

I served in the Marine Corps on active duty from July '98 to August '03. I was a microwave raidio technician for a few years at Camp Pendleton, California. Then I became a satellite communications technician, stayed at Camp Pendleton for another year or so then went to Okinawa Japan for my last year. From Okinawa, I was deployed twice to South Korea and once to Thailand. I started school at the UofM in September '03, almost immediately after leaving active duty. I'm majoring in Electrical Engineering and will graduate in May 2008. I'm glad to see how far the VTC has come in the few years since it was started by Comfort for Courage (C4C) in Nov. '05. My thanks go out to Tony Richter and Andy Davis for pioneering our group. I am also a member of the University of Minnesota's Veterans Advisory Committee. To see more info about that committee including the minutes from previous meetings and contact info for other people on the committe, go to their website by clicking HERE

-Steve Biorn-

I have been a member of the Minnesota Army National Guard for five years, and was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq from March 2004 to April 2005. In Iraq I performed duties that include: patrolling, QRF, and guarding prisoners. I have trained in several areas around the country including the National Training Center in California. My original job skill was Stinger missile operator (I have never touched a real stinger), before switching to admin. Currently, I am pursuing a degree in Biochemistry at the U of M and anticipate graduating in December of 2008. After graduating I hope to teach high school biology.

- Timothy Fuller -

Hi, my name is Timothy Fuller (Tim) and I'll be returning as the VTC Treasurer this year. A little about myself. I graduated in 2002 from Kimball High School which is located 20 miles south of St. Cloud on highway 15. Most people know of the town because of Powder Ridge Ski Resort and its location 1.5 miles outside of town. During my senior year, I enlisted in the Air Force leaving for basic training shortly after high school graduation. Completing basic, I was sent to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS to attend the electronic principles and electronic warfare tech schools. Completing these programs eventually led to the Air force sending me to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho as an Electronic Warfare Technician. The next three years and four months of my life were consumed by watching tumbleweeds blow around and looking at bleak desert landscape. Just kidding, I actually completed a tour to Osan AB, South Korea and another to Kirkuk AB, Iraq during my time there. Upon completion of my four years of active duty service, I joined the 148th Fighter Wing up in Duluth working once again as an Electronic Warfare Technician as a traditional reservist. I'm currently attending the U of MN as a junior in the architecture program. Some of my goals include attending architecture grad school eventually becoming a certified architect. I love alpine skiing and traveling, they tend to occur simultaneously. I also enjoy creating abstract art and touring buildings and museums. I can't forget partying, who doesn't like to party once in awhile.

- Derek Knox -

I am originally from East Troy Wisconsin and I am currently a student at the U studying Electrical Engineering. I joined the Minnesota Air National Guard in 2004.

- Justin Riechers -