General Information
Active Duty Military
Appointment Availability
GI Bill Benefits
Getting Certified
Documents Needed for Certification
Helpful Resources
Important Points of Contact
The Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution
The newly formed Veterans Service Group is made up of a group of Brookdale Community College and outside resources to assist students who are Veterans or eligible to receive Veteran benefits. Members of a variety of offices including Admissions and Registration, Counseling, Disability Services, Experiential Learning and Career Services, Financial Aid, the Office of Business and Community Development, the Office of Student Life and Activities and Testing Services have committed themselves to providing you with assistance at Brookdale and referral to helpful external sources of information and resources. Be sure to click on the Important Points of Contact link for contact information.
The Office of Admissions, Records & Registration at Brookdale helps all veterans and eligible dependents make full use of their V.A. Educational Entitlements under the Montgomery G.I. Bill, National Guard Tuition Waiver, VA Vocational Rehabilitation, and VEAP/REAP programs. Information and referral to other veterans' benefits is available, as is information on the New Jersey Tuition Assistance Program for eligible veterans.
For full information on how to use your benefits at Brookdale, phone Eleanor Glazewski, Associate Registrar and VA Certifying Official, at (732) 224-2095, or email Eleanor Glazewski. We encourage you to visit the GI Bill website at http://www.gibill.va.gov for information on specific benefits you are eligible for.
Interested in learning more about your benefits and services available to you?
Donald McNamara, Veterans Service Officer
Providing guidance and information regarding veterans health benefits, education benefits and other services.
Available to provide assistance on campus by appointment only on:
Tuesday, January 13 1:00-4:00
Tuesday, February 17 1:00-4:00
Tuesday, April 14 1:00-4:00
Tuesday, May 12 1:00-4:00
Please call (732) 775-7009 to make an appointment.
Did you know?
Testing Services at Brookdale Community College offers a variety of academic credit tests such as DANTES and CLEP. As a Veteran you may be eligible for reduced testing costs. The test proctoring fee (normally $30.00 per test) is waived for our Veteran students. Call Nancy O'Shea, Manager Testing Services, at (732) 224-2076 for more information.
We're on Facebook!
Join other students who are veterans and family of veterans on Facebook! Check out the Brookdale Veteran Student Group and become a member today. You can search for our group using the Facebook group search tool. Just type "Brookdale Veteran Student Group" and join.
All active duty military stationed in Monmouth County and their family members are considered Monmouth County residents for tuition purposes. Also, all military members and their dependents are eligible for the Service members Opportunity College--SOCAD and SOCNAV--programs. For more information on SOCAD or SOCNAV, please contact Jerry Russell at (732) 224-2068.
Members of the New Jersey Army National Guard and Military Reserve units eligible for V. A. Educational Entitlement under the Montgomery GI Bill are served by the Registrar's Office.
Verification of your Monmouth County residence should be available when seeking admission.
For full information on how to use your educational benefits at Brookdale, please call Eleanor Glazewski, Associate Registrar and VA Certifying Official at (732) 224-2095, or email Eleanor Glazewski. We encourage you to visit the GI Bill website at http://www.gibill.va.gov to find out more information about benefits you may be entitled to.
Students called to Active Duty:
Students who are called to Active Duty during the semester should be prepared to provide a copy of their military orders to the VA Certifying Official so that their classes can be dropped for a full refund, or other arrangements can be discussed (ie. incomplete process). It is the student's responsibility to make sure they have provided this information to the college, an important step of their pre-deployment, prior to their date of departure and/or training.
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The VA Certifying Official has general office hours, and can also meet with you by appointment. Students who need to submit paperwork, have questions, or require further information should visit during these hours. These hours change on a weekly basis.
Hours for the week of January 5-9
Monday: No Hours
Tuesday: No Hours
Wednesday: 9:00am-11:00am
Thursday: 5:00pm-6:30pm
Friday: 2:00pm-4:00pm
Bookslip Hours:
Winterim 2009 and Spring 2009 bookslips will be available starting the day books are made available for purchase at the college Scroll and Pen bookstore. Typically this is 1-2 weeks in advance of the semester start date.
If you are using Chapter 31 (VA Vocational Rehabilitation) benefits and you are interested in picking up your bookslip please call ahead to ensure your bookslip is ready. Once confirmed, your bookslip will be available for pickup with photo ID during our office hours: Monday-Thursday 9:00am-6:30pm, Friday 9:00am-4:30pm, Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm.
Interested in learning more about your benefits and services available to you?
Donald McNamara, Veterans Service Officer
Providing guidance and information regarding veterans health benefits, education benefits and other services.
Available to provide assistance on campus by appointment only on:
Tuesday, January 13 1:00-4:00
Tuesday, February 17 1:00-4:00
Tuesday, April 14 1:00-4:00
Tuesday, May 12 1:00-4:00
Please call (732) 775-7009 to make an appointment.
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For specific questions regarding your GI Bill Educational Benefits, please call the GI Bill Hotline at: 1-888-GIBILL-1. Questions specific to your benefits, eligibility, expiration of benefits or payments should be directed to this phone number. Unfortunately, we do not have access to this information, and are unable to provide any information specific to your benefit allotment.
Information about all benefits, including those dependents may be eligible can be found here.
Information about Montgomery GI Bill pay rates can be found here.
Information about all VA benefits can be found on the US Department of Veteran's Affairs website at: http://www.va.gov.
If you are interested in information about Financial Aid at Brookdale Community College and how to apply, please visit: http://financialaid.brookdalecc.edu/. Students who receive VA Educational Benefits can apply for, and receive Financial Aid (if eligible). This does not affect a student's Montgomery GI Bill benefit. Students applying to use the National Guard Tuition Waiver are required to apply for Financial Aid each Academic Year and provide proof of their application.
GI Bill Chapter 33/Post-9/11 Update: For important information about the changes to the GI Bill recently signed into law (Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008), please visit: http://www.gibill.va.gov and follow the links to additional information. Students can sign up to receive additional information regarding updates through the GI Bill site.
The new bill will allow you to take advantage of tuition/fees, a housing allowance and a books/supplies stipend. At the current time there are limited details available regarding specifics of the bill, more information will be coming available within the upcoming months.
To find out the total housing stipend you will be eligible for, please go to: http://perdiem.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/bah.html. You should enter zip code: 07738 (the Brookdale Community College-Main Campus zip code) and select an E-5 rank. The E-5 rate with Dependents lists the housing alliance as of the date of lookup. As of December 2008 this allowance is: $1832.00 per month. Please note, registration in online courses will effect the allowance rate. Currently the VA has indicated that students enrolled in all online courses for the term will not receive the housing benefit. Students enrolled in a mix of online and in-class courses will receive a prorated percentage of the housing benefit.
At present, the books/supplies stipend is $1,000 per year. The VA has estimated this at approximately $200.00 per semester maximum. Students will be responsible for paying for books/supplies up-front. The stipend will be included with your monthly payments.
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Please see the section titled "What you need" if you are using your educational benefits for the first time at Brookdale. Once you are a VA student, your courses are continuously certified while you are in your degree program. Certifications are done every other week. Please be sure to select classes that count toward your degree as outlined in the course catalog. If you take a course that is not part of your regular degree program, or if your Student Development Specialist makes special arrangements for an alternate course to be part of your program, you will need to provide the VA Certifying Official with a letter from your Student Development Specialist (SDS) to verify this will count towards your program. If your SDS is unable to provide you with this letter, you will need to select an alternate course. Your course(s) will not be certified without this information.
Please be sure to notify the VA Certifying Official if you intend to change your major. You will need to complete additional paperwork. You will not be certified unless this paperwork is completed.
If you do not wish to have your courses certified for a term, please contact the VA Certifying Official prior to your registration.
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While there are a variety of different kinds of VA Benefits student receive, in general students should have the following with them for their initial appointment:
Chapter 30/GI Bill (NOT Active Duty):
If you have never used your education benefits for education: Complete and print the VA Form 22-1990 available online at: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-1990-ARE.pdf
If you have used your education benefits for education, have not attended Brookdale for 6 or more months, or have changed your major: Complete and print the VA Form 22-1995 available online at: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-1995-ARE.pdf
Students must also have a copy of their DD-214, Copy 4 (sometimes called Member 4 or Mark 4) indicating discharge status (ie. Honorable Discharge). If you do not have a copy of your DD-214 and need one, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html
Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) students are required to verify their attendance throughout the term. For more information on this, please visit the GI Bill website FAQ section by clicking here.
Chapter 31/Vocational Rehabilitation:
Students receiving Chapter 31 benefits should contact their Vocational Rehabilitation counselor prior to enrolling in classes. Your counselor can provide you with information regarding the benefits you are entitled to, and will also provide Brookdale with your 28-1905 form indicating you are eligible to receive Chapter 31 benefits. The 28-1905 form will indicate tuition/fees and textbook/supplies benefits.
Chapter 35/Survivors' and Dependents' Education Assistance:
Students receiving Chapter 35 benefits should complete the VA Form 22-5490 if they have not received Educational Benefits in the past. This form is available for download by going to: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/22-5490.pdf
Students eligible for Chapter 35 benefits who have used these benefits at a previous institution, who plan on changing their major/program of study, or have not been enrolled in courses at Brookdale for 6 months or more, should complete VA Form 22-5495. This form is available for download by going to: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-5495-ARE.pdf
MGIB Select Reserve---Chapter 1606:
If you have never used your education benefits for education: Complete and print the VA Form 22-1990 available online at: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-1990-ARE.pdf
If you have used your education benefits for education, have not attended Brookdale for 6 or more months, or have changed your major: Complete and print the VA Form 22-1995 available online at: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-1995-ARE.pdf
Students should also submit their Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) if applicable.
Most 1606 students are required to verify their attendance throughout the term. For more information on this, please visit the GI Bill website FAQ section by clicking here.
National Guard:
Students receiving benefits through the National Guard should first contact their Educational Service Officer to receive a Commander's Certification. This certification must state the term for the certification, and must have a signature from your Educational Service Officer. Students receiving the National Guard Tuition Waiver are also required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year. To file the FAFSA online, please visit: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students should bring in a copy of the signature page indicating they have filed the FAFSA along with their Commander's Certification.
Student who wish to use the National Guard Tuition Waiver are required to register starting the first day of Open Registration (or any time after). Students using the Tuition Waiver cannot register during Priority Registration. For information regarding registration dates please consult the semester printed Master Schedule, or the published calendar available on the web.
Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP)---Chapter 1607:
If you have never used your education benefits for education: Complete and print the VA Form 22-1990 available online at: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-1990-ARE.pdf
If you have used your education benefits for education, have not attended Brookdale for 6 or more months, or have changed your major: Complete and print the VA Form 22-1995 available online at: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-1995-ARE.pdf
If a student has been discharged they must provide a copy of their DD-214, Member 4 (sometimes called Copy 4 or Mark 4) indicating discharge status (ie. Honorable Discharge). If you do not have a copy of your DD-214 and need one, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html
Most REAP students are now required to verify their attendance throughout the term. For more information on this, please visit the GI Bill website FAQ section by clicking here.
Tuition Assistance (T.A.):
Students who are eligible for Tuition Assistance should contact their appropriate Educational Officer for their branch of service to receive the Tuition Assistance (T.A.) form. Once the student has the completed form, this information should be brought directly to the Cashier's Office located in the CAR building on the Lincroft Campus. This information should not be provided to the VA Certifying Official.
Once you have completed courses, if you need to have your grades verified, you should bring the grade/end of semester verification forms to the VA Certifying Official to be processed. Your forms cannot be emailed, but can be faxed to the phone number and contact name you provide the office with.
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The following is a list of resources available outside of Brookdale Community College for various needs you may have. Please contact these offices directly through the numbers and/or websites listed.
Counseling
Counseling Hotline 1-866-838-7654
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Your call is free and confidential.
Wounded Warriors Project http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
National Center for PTSD http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/help/
PTSD Guide for Military Personnel http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/manuals/GuideforMilitary.pdf
PTSD Guide for Families of Military Personnel http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/manuals/GuideforFamilies.pdf
Education
GI Bill/VA Education Services/Vocational Rehabilitation 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (888-442-4551) www.gibill.va.gov
POW-MIA Tuition Benefit Program (609) 530-7052
War Orphan Tuition Assistance (609) 530-7052
Veterans Tuition Credit Program (609) 530-7052
DOD Voluntary Educational Program (link to scholarships and student loan info) www.voled.doded.mil
Scholarships, grants and financial aid available to veterans and their dependents www.finaid.org/military
Employment
Department of Veterans Affairs-Career Search http://www.va.gov/jobs/career_search.asp
NJ Department of Labor, Veterans Services http://lwd.state.nj.us/labor/index.shtml
One Stop Career Center 1-877-USA-JOBS http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/wnjpin/findjob/onestop/services.html
Entrepreneurship/Business Start-Up
The Center for Veterans Enterprise http://www.vetbiz.gov/
Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/ovbd/index.html
Health Care
VA Health Care Benefits (eligibility and other information) 1-877-222-8387
VA Medical Centers: Monmouth County (732) 532-4500 Ocean County (732) 206-8900
Health Eligibility Center 1-800-929-8387
Eyeglasses, Hearing Aids and Dental Insurance 1-877-TRI-CARE www.tricare.osd.mil/
Healthcare for Women www.va.gov/womenvet
VA Mammography Hotline 1-888-492-7844
Insurance
VA Life Insurance 1-800-669-8477
Service Members' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) 1-800-419-1473
CHAMPVA (Medical care for dependents and survivors of Veterans) 1-800-733-8387
NJ Services
NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs 1-866-VETS-NJ4U
Yellow Ribbon Committee on Returning Combat Veterans (609) 530-6949 www.state.nj.us/military/veterans/grant.html
PTSD
National Center for PTSD http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/help/
PTSD Guide for Military Personnel http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/manuals/GuideforMilitary.pdf
PTSD Guide for Families of Military Personnel http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/manuals/GuideforFamilies.pdf
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As members of the newly created Veterans Services Group the following individuals are committed to assisting you as a student with Veteran status at Brookdale Community College (each department title listed is a clickable link to more information):
Academic Advisement and Counseling:
Dr. Steve Curto (732) 224-2318 scurto@brookdalecc.edu
Admissions/Registration and VA Educational Benefits:
Eleanor J. Glazewski (732) 224-2095 eglazewski@brookdalecc.edu
Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services:
Information and Assistance (732) 224-2792
Disability Services:
Ernest Oversen (732) 224-2729 eoversen@brookdalecc.edu
Financial Aid:
Information and Assistance (732) 224-2361 faoffice@brookdalecc.edu
New Jersey State Veterans Services:
Donald McNamara (732) 775-7009 Donald.McNamara@njdmava.state.nj.us
Non-Credit Courses/SOCAD/SOCNAV:
Jerry Russell (732) 224-2068 jrussell@brookdalecc.edu
Testing Services:
Nancy O'Shea (732) 224-2076 noshea@brookdalecc.edu
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The Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution
The purpose of the Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution is to educate today's generation about World War II and its significance by providing a range of programs and services to stimulate and foster the study of the political, social, and military aspects of the war and the its impact on world history. The ultimate goal of the Center is to utilize the lessons learned from the war to prevent the recurrence of global armed conflict in a world of sovereign states with divergent interests, wants and needs.
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Check back frequently for news about upcoming Veteran's events!
