By Dominique Mack
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) veterans returned for a day of mentoring and guidance at this year’s annual Army ROTC Leadership Conference.
The two-day event began Feb. 12 in Howard Hall. The conference provided cadets with a chance to find mentors and gain knowledge from veterans. The event also served as a looking glass into various issues affecting veterans today.
Ret. Maj. Raymond Spaulding, the FAMU’s director of Military and Veterans Affairs, spoke about the schools initiative to make the campus more veteran friendly. He wants FAMU to be more adamant about counseling veterans on their ability to get back in school.
“Looking at our campus, do we have the services needed to take care of veterans?” asked Spaulding.
Spaulding is a retired Marine major who understands firsthand the difficulty of veterans receiving higher education.
According to The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) there is a total of 22 million military veterans living in the United States; only 27.2 percent of those veterans that are 25 years or older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Spaulding says that many veterans are unaware of the free opportunities they can receive to further their education. He spoke briefly about the Post–9/11 G.I. Bill and its benefits.
The Post–9/11 G.I. Bill serves as an education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. The benefits can vary state to state and also depend on the veteran’s disability status.
Spaulding also discussed various laws and programs in Florida, such as the Purple Heart Waivers Law which provides tuition and free waivers to Florida Military veterans with a star or medal.
“We need to preserve our G.I. Bill benefits. That’s our mentality. That’s our attitude” said Spaulding in closing.
Retired veteran LaVert Jones agreed with Spaulding’s initiatives. He hopes that other veterans will get involved and help support the plan.
“I think it’s a magnificent direction; I think it will benefit many veterans.”
The retired Army colonel was one of the three members in attendance from FAMU’s class of 1962. He and his colleagues were the oldest attendees at the conference.
Jones stated that despite the majority of their group residing in Washington D.C. they manage to stay connected and make an effort to meet up at least once a year. The conference was the first time any of the group members had met on the campus since 2008.
“Going back to the network of guys that graduated, we’re very proud to be products of FAMU” said Jones. “It’s a wonderful bond of Famuans.”
When asked how he felt about returning to his alma mater to speak to the cadets, Jones said that it was both an “honor” and a “learning experience.”
“It feels good to come back and share with the younger generation, the benefits of our experience” said Jones. “I’m impressed with the quality of cadets that I see here.”
Ret. Lt. Col. Gregory Clark, newly elected president of FAMU’s National Alumni Association, was also in attendance for the conference. He gave tips on strategizing money for retirement and the importance of switching jobs during tenure in the Army.
He spoke briefly about the significance of giving back to the school upon becoming an alumnus, and the process of joining the organization. Membership is free for a year post-graduation, and $35 annually after that.
“You have an obligation to give back; somebody helped you. You need to make sure that future Rattlers have the same opportunity that you had when you were once here.”
Clark is a 27-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves and a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He most recently served as commander of the 7242nd Medical Support Unit in Gulfport, Miss.
As a civilian Clark has served as a financial planner with Prudential Advisors for the past 20 years. He further explained that “without money there are no options,” and that cadets need to start putting their money away to obtain them.
The VA reports that the number of veterans in poverty between the ages of 55-64 is on the rise. It is also reported that the increase in numbers is due to the ideology that many veterans are unsure about how to manage their money and prepare for retirement.
“If you want to make yourself better situated down the road, understand money and understand how it works.” said Clark.
For more information about Veterans Affairs, visit www.va.gov.
