“The Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs Vet Corps program is funded through an AmeriCorps grant. Vet Corps members are stationed at many colleges and other locations throughout the state.
“Vet Corps members help veterans achieve their higher education goals by:
- Providing training and support to college faculty, staff and administration to increase awareness of student veterans’ needs;
- Providing a peer connection for veterans new to higher education;
- Helping the college to meet the needs of student veterans; and
- Providing veterans with connections to federal, state or local veteran’s benefits.
About the Program
“The Vet Corps helps veterans and their family members navigate Washington’s higher education and training programs as veterans adjust from military to college life.”
It may sound lofty and perhaps a little vague, but the Vet Corps program and its members are a very valuable resource in our region. The members typically only hold the position for a single term, so awareness is key in both the Navigator’s ability to serve as well as the program’s need to fill the role each year.
Serving as a Vet Corps Navigator can be a rewarding experience in more ways than one. Not only are you helping out fellow Veterans going through transition (helping feels good, right?), but you also receive an Educational Award at the end of your service that can be used for current or past college expenses (books and supplies for active enrollment, or paying off student loans). The position is volunteer, full-time, September through June, and you are paid a monthly stipend during that time.
Networking, gathering information, and making referrals is a huge part of the Vet Corps Navigator’s purpose. During my time in the position, I made it a point to attend every veteran-related meeting I could, meet others who work and provide services for veterans, and then understand how to refer veterans with questions to the resources who would best be able to help them. If this sounds like something you already do, or would be interested in doing, serving as a Vet Corps Navigator might be worth considering.
Future Growth
In the recent years, the Vet Corps program has expanded beyond the college campuses to various other sites across the state. Jason Alves, program director for WDVA Vet Corps, explains: “[The] biggest reason we have chosen to expand the Vet Corps model is to follow the increasing number of veterans that are electing not to transition through traditional college experiences. This was obviously ramped up as a result of the COVID pandemic. Vet Corps requirements and experiences remain all together the same, while the service sites or places that they then engage their community look a little different.”
Group photo of the 2015-16 Vet Corps team
Previously only located at Big Bend Community College and Wenatchee Valley College, there are now a total of 5 Vet Corp positions within the NCW region:
- Big Bend Community College (Moses Lake)
- Douglas County Veterans Office (East Wenatchee)
- Wenatchee Valley College (Wenatchee Campus, with outreach to Omak campus when able)
- Chelan County Veterans Office (Wenatchee)
- NCW Vets Serving Vets, aka The Bunker (Wenatchee)
There is also a Vet Corps position open at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.
Consider Serving
If you or a veteran you know might be interested in serving as a Vet Corps Navigator at one of these locations, applications are open now through the end of July. Apply at: https://my.americorps.gov – Use Vet Corps listing ID 102887
Be sure to visit the WDVA site for more information, or reach out to VetCorps@dva.wa.gov with any questions.
