Long Island Gets Dedicated Counselor For College Veterans

On Monday, Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, announced that Nassau and Suffolk community colleges will now host a full-time student veterans counselor through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Rice made the announcement in front of Nassau Community College's Veteran's Resource Facility. Opened in 2014, the VRF is a space dedicated to supporting student veterans as they transition to academic and civilian life. In 2015, NCC submitted a joint proposal with Suffolk County Community College to host a counselor through the VSOC program, which began as a pilot program in 2009 and has since been successfully implemented at schools across the country. The VSOC program offers a wide range of counseling and benefits assistance services to veterans, service members and dependents as they continue their education, pursue job opportunities and adjust to civilian life.

In November 2015, Rice penned a letter to then-VA Secretary Robert McDonald urging the VA to approve the proposal, which was also signed by Long Island's entire Congressional delegation. Long Island is home to more than 100,000 veterans, including a growing number of post-9/11 veterans using their G.I. Bill benefits to advance their education at schools like NCC and SCCC. Previously, the only VSOC counselor in the entire state was located 275 miles at Syracuse University.

Chris Holder, the incoming VSOC counselor, is a former Marine Corporal who previously worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in the New York VA Regional Office. In his role as VSOC counselor co-located at NCC and SCCC, Holder will serve as the first point of contact for student veterans with questions about the VA, and will provide a range of counseling services related to education, adjustment and transition to civilian life, VA medical benefits information, applying for and understanding other VA benefits, and referrals to other community organizations as needed.

“I’m excited to announce that Long Island will now be home to a full-time counselor serving student veterans, service members and military families in Nassau and Suffolk Counties,” said Rice. “We’ve pushed the VA for more than two years to make this decision because we have real need and demand for these services on Long Island, with more and more post-9/11 veterans continuing their education and pursuing jobs and new career opportunities as they transition to civilian life. I’m grateful for the knowledge and experience that Mr. Holder brings to this position, and I look forward to working together to provide Long Island’s student veterans with the support, benefits and opportunities they’ve earned.”

Photo: Kathleen Rice's Office