UNLV Office of Veterans Services

The UNLV Office of Veterans Services is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC) on the third floor. I come to the office maybe twice a year to drop off my semester enrollment form, AKA starting the process to get my GI Bill tuition assistance. My experience with the veteran’s office has always been positive. The small staff that work here are nice and do their best to help enrolled veterans.
The director, Ross Bryant, is a super friendly gentleman that I’ve met on more than one occasion. As I was dropping off my form and waiting at the front desk, he double checked that I had been helped and inquired as to how long I’ve been at UNLV. On Veteran’s day of 2014, I remember he called me and wanted to say «thank you for your service»! (I told him my husband was the veteran, and he replied, well please tell your husband thank you).
The veteran’s office also has a great email list where I get employment information, notifications for free or discounted events for veterans, and events happening on-​campus for veterans. I think the veteran’s office is doing a great job. Thanks for taking care of me!
Unilocal 100 CHALLENGE 2015: #267

Not impressed in the least. The woman there acted like I was the world’s biggest imposition when I was seeking basic information on how to enroll for classes.
If you don’t want to work for veterans and help them get another job.

Staff:
VA certifying official isn’t very friendly, which is sort of an unspoken requirement in higher education service work; not so much in teaching. The director is a retired Army Officer. I don’t feel the personnel that make up the office, in leadership positions (there’s only 1) are very effective at delivering what veteran’s actually need.
–I think there’s a generational disconnect between the Director and new returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Most service members seeking education were enlisted and have very different survival requirements now as civilians, whereas, as an Officer, the Director likely transitioned into a very different civilian life; he had more pay upon separation and a retirement, already had an education, and job prospects worthy of an officer. The Director spends allot of time reminiscing about his time in as an Officer when he should be more concerned about his ridiculously offensive body odor.
Size:
For an institution that services over 30,000 students and has 3 military installations within 250 square miles of it, I simply can’t believe there’s 1 Director, 1 VA Certifying Official, and one handful of student workers to tackle such a potentially enormous load. The physical size of the office is small and doesn’t have much to offer regarding pertinent literature, or they just do a bad job of making said literature visible.
Services:
They offer VA certification regarding MGIB & Post 9 – 11 educational benefits. In addition, they organize and host veteran-​exclusive career fairs. They don’t make themselves very visible across campus; you have to literally walk into their office to find out about their services, which I think is a lazy excuse to limit your workload potential by staying on the down-​low all the time. Simply the worst!
Additionally,
–Please be advised–
The VA certifying official WILL NOT inform you that swapping, adding, or dropping course may drastically alter your available financial aid; possibly resulting in YOU owing the government lots of money. The official WILL NOT discuss adding or dropping courses, course selection, or anything NOT regarding certifying your VA educational benefits; THEY ARE NOT A ONE-​STOP-​SHOP; although, they should consider becoming one, maybe modeled after another, more successful office.
–Overall, this VA Office is poorly ran and services are scant at best for UNLV’s student veteran population.
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Get everything months b4 the semester starts because the GI Bill takes a long process. There are over 200 plus Veterans & Active Duty Servicemen handling business and possibly about 2 agents possibly typing 10 words per minute on 2 index fingers (J/​K) and correcting our mistakes on the UNLV Semester Enrollment Forms. If you have an awesome advisor like mine (Ms. Tracy Johnson) then you’re good (scan, fax, e-​mail forms worked for me). Press on!!!