Editor,
I'd like to thank the Daily Lobo and reporter Maggie Ybarra for her May 8 story about the creation of a student organization for military veterans. As the president of the Student Veterans of UNM, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce the organization to the University community.
The organization is open to any UNM student who is a military veteran, active duty, National Guard or reserve service member or eligible to receive educational veterans benefits.
The purpose of the body is to help new student veterans transition smoothly from military life to University life and to provide a social support system for all of UNM's military veterans.
The creation of the organization is only one part of the larger effort to make UNM more attractive and hospitable to veterans. I've also been working closely with President David Schmidly's office and others to develop a veterans outreach center.
In New Mexico, only around 10 percent of eligible veterans actually utilize their educational benefits. We want to partner with state and federal agencies and community organizations to raise that number and get veterans into school to help veterans, add value to the University and strengthen the community.
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We hope to have the outreach center operating before the fall semester.
UNM also has a valuable veterans resource in Lee St. Pierre, the Veterans Affairs-certifying official of UNM.
Until recently, St. Pierre's office was the only veteran-related infrastructure at UNM. St. Pierre has been instrumental in both the student group, of which he serves as the faculty and staff adviser, and the outreach center.
Between St. Pierre's office, Student Veterans of UNM and the new outreach center, we are hoping to make UNM a veteran-friendly University.
With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan pumping out thousands of new combat veterans each month, these services are needed now more than ever.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the organization.
Darrin Kowitz
President,
Student Veterans of UNM
