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VETERAN OUTREACH OFFICE HANDBOOKOdessa College“Here to serve those who served!”Odessa College201 W. UniversityOdessa, Texas 79764Please keep this handbook in a safe place and refer to it often.
TABLE OF CONTENTSContact Informa on .1Admissions to OC Checklist .2Types of VA Educa onal Benefits .3Chapter 33 Informa on .4More Types of Assistance .5Student Expecta ons.6Important Informa on .7Other Important Informa on .8Notes .9Revised June 2013
CONTACT INFORMATIONI would to thank you for choosing Odessa College to pursue your educa on goals. It’s a real honor toserve those who served. I hope to assist you with any ques ons that you may have.Odessa College Veterans Outreach Office (aka VOO)Fall/Spring8:00 a.m. ‐ 5:30 p.m. Monday ‐ Thursday (lunch 1‐2 p.m.)8:00 a.m. ‐ 1:00 p.m. FridaySummer7:30 a.m. ‐ 5:30 p.m. Monday‐Thursday (lunch 1‐2 p.m.)Closed FridayPhone: (432) 335 ‐ 6833Fax: (432) 335 ‐ 6553grangel@odessa.eduSkype: girangel09Website: acebook: Office/128253340563488To ensure I will be available to assist you, please make an appointment.Muskogee ‐ VA Regional Office1‐888‐442‐4551 (8:00 a.m.‐6:00 p.m. Mon.‐Fri)Mailing Address:PO Box 888Muskogee, OK ffice of Disability ServicesAt Odessa College we strive to assist students that have a documented disability. We comply withmandates set by Sec on 504 through the Office of Disability Services. Academic advising for class schedulingArrange for academic accommoda ons and use of technologyArrange for sign language interpretersProvide informa on about community resources and agenciesAssist in arranging for tutoring/study skills workshopsBecky Rivera‐Weiss(432) 335‐6861Room 204N in the Student Union BuildingPage 1
ADMISSIONS TO OC CHECKLISTApply for admissions at www.odessa.edu. If you have ques ons, please call (432) 335‐6432.Apply for GI Bill benefits using VA Form 22‐1990 OR fill out VA Form 22‐1995 Request for Change ofProgram or Place of Training OR VA Form 22‐5495 Dependents’ Request for Change of Program for Placeof Training (transfer benefits from the old school to the new school) at www.ebenefits.va.gov (VONAPP)Submit the following documents to the OC Veterans Outreach OfficeCer ficate of Eligibility Le er (veteran & dependent) turned in to the OC Veterans Outreach Office.Mailed to you a er you applied for benefits. If you do not receive it a er 3‐6 weeks, you may call theMuskogee Office and have them fax it to Gloria Rangel.VA Form DD‐214 (veterans only) OR VA Form 2384 NOBE‐No ce of Basic Eligibility (If you are on thenew GI Reservist Bill, please go to the Educa on Office at your reserve unity to obtain this form)Military Transcript (veterans only). Transcript can be sent directly to Odessa College by logging in andselec ng Odessa College. Visit h ps://jst.doded.mil/smart/ for Army, Marines, and Navy transcripts.Community College of the Air Force, visit www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/transcripts.aspOC Veteran Student Informa on Form (veteran & dependent).OC Veteran Agreement (veteran & dependent).Degree Plan (veteran & dependent). Must be signed by department chair.Major:Department Chair & Phone Number:General Studies degree plan can be drawn up in the OC Veteran Outreach Office.If you want to receive a degree from another ins tu on, please tell the OC Veteran Out‐reach Specialist. A parent ins tu on le er (PIL) is needed for every semester of enroll‐ment from the other ins tu on (cer fying official) where the student will be seeking theirdegree from.Submit the following documents to the Admissions/Wrangler Express Office:Official Transcripts from all colleges/universi es the student a ended. Transcripts must be sent in by atleast the end of the first semester of enrollment at Odessa College. Mail all official transcripts from anycollege you have ever a ended to the a en on of the Admissions Office.Proof of Bacterial Meningi s vaccine if you are under the age of 30 at the me when you register forclasses. If you believe you received the vaccine while enlisted, call 1‐800‐827‐1000 (VA Records Manage‐ment Center) to receive a copy of your medical record. Vaccine cannot be older than 5 years.Apply for financial aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov. School code for Odessa College is 003596. Financial aid isimportant to have, especially when the VA is behind on payments. If you have any ques ons, please call(432) 335‐6429.Take the COMPASS placement test. Veterans may use exemp on. See page 7 for more details. Fortes ng mes please call the Tes ng Center at (432) 335‐6620.Page 2
TYPES OF VA EDUCATIONAL BENEFITSVA Educa onal Benefits Ch 30 Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB): Member of full me ac ve duty Armed Forces. Ch 31 Voca onal Rehabilita on & Employment Program: Member of Armed Forces who is re‐ceiving disability from VA at 30% or higher (see below). Ch 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill: Member of Armed Forces serving ac ve duty me post 9/11 or dependentsof eligible service members. Ch 35 Dependents' Educa onal Assistance (DEA): Dependent of 100% disabled or deceased vet‐eran. Ch 1606 Montgomery GI Bill‐Selected Reserve (MGIB‐SR): Ac vely a member of Reserves orNa onal Guard. Ch 1607 Reserve Educa onal Assistance Program (REAP): Ac vely a member of Reserves or Na‐onal Guard with deployment. Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP): Unemployed veterans who are between theages of 35 and 60 and are not eligible for other VA educa on benefit programs.Chapter 30 & 33It is possible to be eligible for more than one benefit. Be sure to research each benefit carefully beforemaking a decision. Some mes decisions are irreversible.Some veterans are eligible for Chapter 30 and 33, a student may choose Chapter 30 for the en tlement of36 months. Once it is exhausted the student may apply for Chapter 33 benefits and receive an addi onal12 months of that benefit.If a student chooses Chapter 33 before exhaus ng Chapter 30, the student will only receive what me isle on Chapter 30 for Chapter 33 (no addi onal 12 months will be added).If you need more assistance on choosing the best benefit visit h p://www.gibill.va.gov/resources/benefits resources/benefit comparison tools.htmlTransfer of En tlement (ToE) or Transfer of Educa on Benefits (TEB)Eligibility of service members to transfer their benefits to their spouse or dependent must first be deter‐mined by the Department of Defense through the online applica on found atwww.defense.gov/home/features/2009/0409 gibill/ Following approval from DoD of the transfer beinggranted, dependents must fill out the modified VA Form 1990E. Informa on is available online atwww.gibill.va.gov/benefits/post 911 gibill/transfer of benefits.htmlChapter 31‐Voca onal Rehabilita on & Employment ProgramApply for Ch. 31 benefits at h ps://www.ebenefits.va.gov. If you have any ques ons about Voca onalRehabilita on contact Melvin Rand at (325) 677‐1766.U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsA n: Melvin Rand, Rehabilita on Counselor400 Oak Street, Suite 103Abilene, TX 79602Page 3
CHAPTER 33 INFORMATIONHousing (BAH)Paid amount equals the Basic Allowance for Housing for an “E‐5 with dependents” and the zip code of theschool. BAH rates can be found at www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bah.cfm. A monthly housing allow‐ance is paid directly to the student at the beginning of each month for the previous month. Amount isprorated by the number of days a student is enrolled during the month. The housing allowance is paid ifthe student’s rate of pursuit is more than 50%.VA calculates rate of pursuit by dividing the number of credits being pursued by the number of credit sconsidered to be full‐ me by the school. The applicable BAH rate will be mul plied by the rate of pursuitrounded to the nearest mul ple of 10.Fall/Spring—BAH Rate of Pursuit7 credits 60%8 credits 70%9 credits 80%10 credits 80%11 credits 90%12 credits 100%Ac ve duty personnel (including those on terminal leave) and their spouses u lizing transferred en tle‐ment are not eligible for the housing allowance.Residen al Housing: At least one class is determined as face to face learning (in class or video).Distance Housing: All classes are distance learning (self‐paced, hybrid, or online).BAH can be paid to students who are enrolled solely in distance educa on. Payment is 1/2 the na onalaverage BAH for an E‐5 with dependents.See the “Educa on Programs Monthly Rate Table” on page 10.Book S pendStudents using Chapter 33 benefits are en tled to a book s pend. The rate is 41.67 per credit hour cer ‐fied, up to 24 credits for the academic year (08/01/YY‐07/31/YY). The maximum s pend is 1,000 per aca‐demic year.Book s pends will be not released more than 14 days prior to the beginning of that term. S pends areexpected to be paid 3‐5 business days a er being cer fied for direct deposit, 7‐10 if you receiveTreasury checks.Early registra on and applying for financial aid is highly recommended in order to receive benefits andguarantee the schedule that you wish to have. Especially for Chapter 33 benefits to receive your books pend before classes begin.OverpaymentsIf you are receiving a refund check from Odessa College, please check with the Veterans Outreach Officeto determine where the money is coming from. Chapter 33 students should not be receivingaddi onal monies from tui on and fees due to the VA overpaying Odessa College.If this happens and it is not reported to the OC Veterans Outreach Office as soon as possible, you may beliable to pay the VA.Page 4
MORE TYPES OF ASSISTANCEFry ScholarshipChildren of ac ve duty member of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty on or a er September11, 2001 may be eligible for this scholarship. Benefit is paid out like Chapter 33. Student may apply forthis benefits on the eBenefits portal(VONAPP).MyCAA—Spouse Career Advancement AccountMyCAA is a program designed by the Department of Defense to assist spouses in advancing their careerskills. Training and educa on is covered up to 2,000 a year to earn a degree or creden als in in‐demand,portable fields that are needed across the country. MyCAA is renewable for a second year. For more in‐forma on visit h ps://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa.Hazlewood/Legacy ActHazlewood and Legacy is available for Texas veterans and their dependents to be used for tui on andsome fees. If you are wan ng to use your VA benefits in conjunc on with your VA benefits or would likemore informa on about Hazlewood or Legacy, please contact the Student Financial Services Office at(432) 335‐6429 or visit www.collegefortexans.com. Please no fy the VOO before using this exemp on.KickersStudents who are paid under Ch.30 will be paid more if the student opted to contribute more thanrequired in their enlistment contract. This might be referred to as the Army College Fund or the Navy SeaCollege Fund. Ch. 1606 and 1607 are also eligible for kickers. Those who are paid under Ch.33 will receivetheir contribu ons with their BAH amount on the last month of their enrollment semester.VFW & American Legion ScholarshipsBoth the VFW and the American Legion offer scholarships to veterans and their dependents. I highly en‐courage everyone to apply for these and join their organiza ons.Odessa VFW (432) 366‐5881Odessa American Legion (432) 332‐5582Advance PaymentChapter 30, 35, 1606, and VRAP students may choose to do advance payment who are at least half‐ me.Advance payment is given to the student to assist with expenses for the beginning of the term (tui on/fees, books, or supplies). Advance payments pays the student’s monthly benefit for the first (prorated forthe number of days a ended that month) and second month of the semester. Advance payment can bepaid if there’s more than 30 days between terms.Advance payment requests must be signed and submi ed to the Veterans Outreach Specialist 40 to 120days before the first day of the term. Check will be sent to Odessa College, payable to the student. Stu‐dent will be no fied once check is received and available for pickup.Fall Semester: AP covers par al month of August and September. October is paid in November.Spring Semester: AP covers par al month of January and February. March is paid in AprilSummer Term: AP may be the only check received for the term.Page 5
STUDENT EXPECTATIONSStudent AdvisementIn order for a student to know they are on track, I require a student to meet with me to register for clas‐ses. This is to verify the classes that a student wants to take match their degree plan on file. This mee ngalso is to talk over any issues or concerns a student may have about their benefits or classes. Pleaseschedule an appointment as early as possible during registra on.Register for classes at the me specified in the schedule book.It is the student’s responsibility to no fy the OC Veterans Outreach Office that they registered for classes,otherwise benefits will not be awarded.A endanceA endance is very important when it comes to being a successful student here at Odessa College. Be sureto read the a endance policy stated in your syllabus for each class. If there is not a policy, ask the instruc‐tor for more informa on. If you ever stop a ending, no fy the Veterans Outreach Office immediately!Veteran students who are receiving Chapters 30, 1606, 1607, or VRAP are required to report monthlya endance by phone 1‐877‐823‐2378 or on the WAVES site. Failure to verify will cause your monthly ben‐efits to stop.8 Week CoursesVA will only play for the amount of me a student is currently taking a class. Eight week courses will becer fied for the start and end dates of the course, not the beginning and end dates of a semester.Example: Fall start date is Aug. 22 and end date is Dec. 12. Student registers for GOVT 2305, ENGL 1301,and HIST 1301‐2nd 8 weeks. The cer fica on will be 6 credits for Aug. 22‐Oct 17 and 9 credits for Oct 18‐Dec. 12 (3 of which is the 8 week course).Grades & Proba on/SuspensionVeteran students who are placed on academic proba on/suspension (receiving below a 2.0 GPA) will bereported to the VA Muskogee Regional office. Failure to improve the GPA a er the suspension will resultin si ng out for one semester. The VOO will closely monitor all students who are on proba on/suspension.An “F” that is earned for a class a student must have a Proof of Course Comple on Form completed by aninstructor and student then turned in to the Veteran Outreach Office within 30 days of receiving the form.Any benefits that you con nue to receive a er you stopped a ending may create a debt to the VA or toOC.Changes and UpdatesFailure to no fy the OC Veterans Outreach Office of changes of updates could result in delays in your ben‐efits from the VA or a debt owed to the VA. Please no fy the Odessa College Veterans Outreach Office ifthe following changes have occurred:Adds/Drops/Complete WithdrawsCancelled Classes or Repeated CoursesDegree ChangesAddress/Phone/Email ChangesPage 6
IMPORTANT INFORMATIONOC Student Veterans Organiza on (SVO)This organiza on is made of veterans, dependents, and other family and friends of military personnel.Everyone is invited to join. Ac vi es include: holiday par es, Veterans Day (Thank‐A‐Vet) event, parades,and trips. Fill out a membership form and return to the Veterans Outreach Office. Mee ngs are held everyFriday, 12‐1 p.m., Room 215 of the Student Union Building.VA WorkstudyThe VA allows students who receive Chapters 30, 31, 33, 35, 1606 and 1607 may work in the VOO. Stu‐dent must be enrolled in school 3/4 me or greater and a GPA of 2.25 or higher. Du es include file VAfolders, make copies, assist with veteran students, and make packets for veteran students. Great oppor‐tunity for those who would like to learn more about VA benefits. Experience working in an office environ‐ment. Very flexible schedule.Ineligible Classes and Fees Developmental courses taken without test scores on file or taken onlinePE courses (dependents, PHED 1100 for nursing, or courses for Physical Educa on major are exempt)Returned check feesParking feesLate registra on fees or add/drop fees ( 25 each)Out‐of‐state tui on & fees (students will pay the difference from out‐of‐district)Courses not listed on your degree plan (includes athle c team courses)Courses taken previously which you received a passing gradeTui on & Fees/PaymentVA benefits are not awarded immediately. Therefore, payment for tui on and fees are due by the duedate for the full amount or a payment plan must be arranged. Early registra on results in a smaller downpayment for the payment plan.Failure to take care of tui on and fees up front may result in classes being voided out of the system andyou will no longer be registered for classes. It is the student’s responsibility to reregister for classes thatthey have been dropped from and set‐up a payment plan. The only excep on are students who receive100% of Chapter 33 benefits or Chapter 31 students.Tui on and fees reported to the VA are those that have been deducted for the sole purpose of defrayingtui on and fees paid directly to Odessa College (waivers, scholarships, aid, or assistance other than loansand funds provided under sec on 401(b) of the Higher Educa on Act of 1965).See page 5 for Advance Payment informa on.Newsle ersNewsle ers are emailed every month to all students using veteran educa on benefits at OdessaCollege to student email addresses. These are very informa ve and contain dates and deadlines.COMPASS TestVeterans may be exempted based on the Character of Status stated on the DD‐214. The COMPASS testincludes three sec ons that include Math, Reading, and Wri ng. The total cost of the test is 29. Studentsare given 5 hours to test (it doesn’t take that long to finish it). Be sure to take your photo ID and socialsecurity card with you to test. Scores are given to you immediately. Provide the VOO with a copy of these.Page 7
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATIONRight NowThe VA Post 9/11 GI Bill website has a FAQ site called Right Now to submit ques ons to the VA pertainingto your benefits. The is the best way to contact them and keep a paper trail of items submi ed. Phonecalls to the Muskogee Regional Office can take longer to respond than by emailing your ques on to theVA.Visit the GI Bill website at www.gibill.va.gov. Click on “Submit a Ques on” on the right hand side. Viewpast ques ons and answers or create an account to keep track of your ques ons.Change Direct Deposit or AddressDirect deposit requests are usually processed within 3 workdays of the date they were received. Depend‐ing on the volume of requests, many are processed within 1 work day.1.2.3.4.Visit the WAVE website at www.gibill.va.gov/wave/index.doClick on “log in instruc ons” at the topFollow the instruc onsChoose from the menu “Direct Deposit Enrollment Form” or “Change of Address.” Both pro‐cedures can be done online.Or call 1‐888‐442‐4551Wrangler ExpressFor a er hours assistance (admissions, financial aid, registra on, turn in documents, etc.) , visit the Wran‐gler Express located on the first floor of the Student Union Building. They are open late, during the week‐end, and on holiday breaks. Visit www.odessa.edu for hours or call (432) 335‐6849.Get your Wrangler Card (student ID) and parking permit from the Wrangler Express. If you have any ques‐ons, please call (432) 335‐6849.*Please let them know you are/will be using benefits before receiving assistance at theWrangler Express.*This handbook cannot provide all informa on pertaining to VA Educa on benefits andOC policies/procedures. Learn more at www.gibill.va.gov and www.odessa.edu(catalog and OC Student Handbook).Page 8
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of Training (transfer benefits from the old school to the new school) at www.ebenefits.va.gov (VONAPP) Submit the following documents to the OC Veterans Outreach Office Cer cate of Eligibility Lefi er (veteran & dependent) turned in to the OC Veterans Outreach Office. Mailed to you a Ler you applied for benefits.
