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Veteran’s Center

 

VETERAN’S SERVICES

Veterans Services provides resources to service members and their families to utilize education benefits and other campus support services to assist students in their education goals. Whether you are actively serving in the military, a veteran, military spouse and/or dependent, Veterans Services is ready to serve you! 

Pine Technical & Community College is committed to providing service members and their families with personalized one on one assistance to apply for education benefits, evaluate military credits for transfer, provide academic degree planning with priority registration, and to provide referrals to students who may benefit from additional campus resources. 

Types of Military Education Benefits

Chapter 30:

Montgomery GI Bill® which provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible veterans.   

Chapter 31:

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) provides education benefits to veterans that have a service-related disability.   

Chapter 33:

Post 9/11 GI Bill® provides financial support for housing and education to eligible veterans.  

 

Chapter 35:

Survivors and Dependents Education benefits which can provide up to 45 months of education benefits to eligible dependents. 

Minnesota GI Bill®:

The Minnesota GI Bill® provides assistance to eligible Minnesota Veterans, National Guard, and Reserve members who served after September 11, 2001 and eligible spouses and children. Students are required to have a completed FAFSA on file for the academic year they are utilizing Minnesota GI Bill® funds. 

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

Getting Started:

Step 1: Complete the free online application to Pine 
Step 2: Connect with Amanda Folkestad to discuss using VA education benefits 
Step 3: Apply for VA education benefits & order Joint Services Transcripts  
Step 4: Complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) 
Step 5: Attend a registration session to learn about Pine and to register for classes 
Step 6: Complete a Request for Credit Certification allowing the School Certifying Official (SCO) to certify benefits to the VA 

VA certifying Official

Amanda Folkestad serves as PTCC’s Veterans School Certifying Official and oversees the VA Educational Benefits at PTCC.   



Veteran Certification

Eligibility for veteran and dependent education benefits is determined by the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). PTCC’s Financial Aid Office certifies students to the VA to receive benefits. A student must be admitted to the college and registered for courses in a degree-seeking program to be certified for veteran’s education benefits. PTCC requires students who would like their credits certified by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs to complete a Request for Credit Certification when the student has finished registering for courses for an upcoming term. Students are also required to notify the VA Certifying Official any time changes are made to that schedule. 

OIF Readjustment Counselor North Metro Regional Coordinator

Stacey Rhodes, LGSW
Tel: 218-722-8654
E-mail: stacey.rhodes*AT*va.gov

Charles Egerstrom, LGSW
Tel: 763-433-1113 
E-mail: charles.egerstrom*AT*state.mn.us 

Resources for Veterans and Service Members
VA Campus Connection

The goal of the Minneapolis VA Campus Connection program is to serve student Veterans by helping you improve your overall health and academic success.

We offer health care at no monthly cost, and assistance with connecting to and navigating VA health care. In addition, we work with your campus to make sure you have what you need to academically succeed.

Connect with a Campus Coordinator

Bradley Foss MSW, VA Campus Coordinator, Returning Service Member Care Coordinator

VA Minneapolis health care

Phone: 612-250-9627

Email: Bradley.Foss*AT*va.gov

Veterans Education Transfer System

With the Veterans Education Transfer System, veterans can more easily determine when they can earn college credits for military training. The online service helps veterans and members of the armed forces identify whether their military training counts for college credits in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU).

Known as the Veterans Education Transfer System, the service is believed to be the first of its kind in the country. “Hundreds of military jobs can lead to civilian careers with some additional education,” said MnSCU Chancellor James McCormick. “In the past, veterans have often found it difficult to know whether the training they receive in the military can count for college credit. We want to help veterans build on the excellent training they receive in the military by awarding appropriate credits and allowing them to complete a college program more quickly.” 



For More Information

Information about military credit transfer options can be found at http://www.minnstate.edu/military/transfer.html, a section of the MnSCU website that has consolidated information about programs and services for veterans. To determine whether military credits can be accepted for transfer, veterans and service members can use the new service to match military occupational specialty codes with programs offered by MnSCU and get estimates of the number of credits that could be awarded for that military occupation. Information about wages and job outlook is also provided. 

Military Training Credits

Credits for military training are awarded using guidelines established by the American Council on Education, a coordinating association of higher education institutions. Currently, the transfer system can identify awardable credits for military training in four large occupational areas – law enforcement, diesel and truck mechanics, administrative and human resource assistants and paramedics. More occupational areas, such as health care, will be added to the system as they are reviewed and deemed appropriate for transfer. 

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