The Central Veterans Center helps veterans of the armed forces make the transition back to civilian life, by easing the process and making sure that they get the most out of their G.I. Bill benefits.

“From A to Z, I know what they need,” Susie Beador, director of the veterans center, said.

Beador said that the veterans center most commonly helps veterans make use of the Post- 9/11 G.I. Bill.

“It’s up to them to use the G.I. Bill how they want to,” Beador said. “They can go to any university in the U.S. as long as it’s VA [Department of Veteran Affairs] approved.”

Central has more than 500 students on campus who are either veterans or the dependent of a veteran.

Both are held to the same admissions requirements of any other student, Beador said.

Many veterans coming out of the service may have already received their education while on active duty and can pass their G.I. Bill benefits down to their dependents.

However, not every veteran can qualify for the G.I. Bill.

For a veteran to receive benefits, they must have served at least 90 consecutive days after Sept. 10, 2001, be on active duty, honorably discharged, or discharged due to a service-related disability.

The modern G.I. Bill provides up to 36 months of educational benefits.

This includes a tuition payment to the veteran’s school of choice, a monthly housing allowance and $1,000 a year for books and supplies.

According to Beador, not all veterans choose to go back to school after their service.

“If they were a mechanic, they may go to a mechanic school,” Beador said.

The Post-9/11 bill can be used at institutions, which provides higher education that universities don’t, like trade schools.

“Everyone’s experience is different in the military,” Ruben Cardenas, veterans center outreach recruiter said.

Central has a staff that specifically addresses veterans issues when it comes to their education, Cardenas said.

“Some will decide college isn’t for them,” Cardenas said. “Whatever they decide to do is up to them.”

Central is one of the few schools that currently has a veteran center, but Cardenas noted that it’s a growing trend.

The veterans are assisted in making a smooth transition from the battlefield, Keith Champagne, associate dean for student development said.

“They want to be a civilian,” Beador said. “They want to be integrated into society.”