Office of Military Services at Mason

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GMU_PurpleUp_April17 This is "GMU_PurpleUp_April17" by GMU-TV on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Did you pay into the MGIB buy-in?

You may be able to get a Montgomery GI Bill refund if you meet the requirements!

Learn more: https://www.va.gov/resources/montgomery-gi-bill-refunds/

One of our own! Congratulations Fernando!

ONCE A MARATHONER, ALWAYS A MARATHONER | Fourth Estate Photo Courtesy of FinisherPix A Mason student veteran runs the 48th Marine Corps Marathon for his first time. BY KAYLYN BARNHART, CULTURE EDITOR “Every Marine has Nov. 10 ingrained in their minds since their days in bootcamp. It’s a great day to remember the time served, the friendships made, an...

Congratulations to all our student veterans!

Congratulations to our very own Michelle Hodges, USMC veteran, for being a featured jazz vocalist.

Working towards a STEM-focused undergraduate? Our Edith Nourse Rogers Scholarship may be the right fit for you!

Need more information? https://www.va.gov/education/other-va-education-benefits/stem-scholarship/

🌟 FREE On-Line Professional Development Courses and Professional Certifications for Active Duty, Veterans, Reservists & Military Spouses 🌟

The Veterans Transition Support “No Cost On-Line Professional Development Program” on-line courses include options such as:
Project Management – University of California, Irvine, CA Construction Management – Columbia University
NY Patient Safety – Johns Hopkins University, MD
LEAN Six Sigma Yellow Belt & Green Belt – Kennesaw State, GA Supply Chain Management – Rutgers University, NJ
Healthcare Organization Operations, Rutgers, NJ
Cybersecurity – IBM, Univ of Colorado
Univ of Maryland or NYU
💻 Google IT Support, Google

We are so proud of our student veterans! You chose to selflessly and honorably serve our country and now, you are achieving your dreams. The veteran stoles look amazing! Congratulations to Tyler, Joseph and all the 2023 student veteran graduates. SO PROUD!

Please follow ArmyIgnitED if you are trying to use Army TA. This is where we find the majority of policies and instructions for soldiers.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/george-mason-university-veterans-day-2022-luncheon-tickets-432042218907

George Mason University Veterans Day 2022 Luncheon George Mason University and The Office of the President celebrates and honors Veterans Day

Live, Love, & Work In Virginia! October 5th, 2022 Job Fair with Virginia Employment Commission.

Premier Virtual 2.0 Premier Virtual - Specializing In Virtual Career Fairs, Virtual Job Fairs And Industry Leading Staffing And Hiring Events.

Keep an eye out around Mason. Bogey has been missing since last year. Please call the number if you see Bogey. Do not chase.

8/23 Update: We are following up on 3 possible sighting calls. One was near the GMU Campus. Another was off Braddock Road near Rutherford Park (a couple miles east of GMU). The third was off Henderson Road near Clifton. We are working on getting a tracking team out in the next few days to try to confirm if any of the sightings were our girl. We appreciate everyone sharing our posts. We ask that when you share, please make the post public and ask people to please CALL 703-596-9296 with ANY possible sighting info and not to post sightings in comments. Thank you for your continued help and support.

We wish everyone a Memorial Day full of reflection and gratitude!

For your awareness.

Due to recent requirement implementations, our Education Call Center is experiencing a heavy call volume. As wait times continue to increase, VA encourages you to use the Ask VA (AVA) inquiry portal to seek answers to your questions. https://ask.va.gov/

It's really happening! If you are unsure of the cell phone on file, please call the ECC at 1-888-442-4551.

Kicking off 2022, Post-9/11 GI Bill Students who attend Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) facilities will need to verify their enrollment at the end of each month.

To learn more, visit: https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/isaksonroe/verification_of_enrollment.asp

No one wants surprises when it comes to tax season. Students frequently ask if GI Bill funds are considered income, so we are here to make sure all student veterans are in-the-know!

Congratulations, to the first recipient of the Admiral John Harvey Career Achievement in Military Education Excellence. This award was presented by the Virginia Department of Veteran Services.

Jennifer Connors was chosen from a long list of educational professionals in the State of Virginia. We are so proud of the work she has done for the military and veteran community.

George Mason University is where the GI Bill Post 9/11 was announced to the nation and where Jennifer Connors built an office that would be modeled across the country. Jennifer Connors is beyond deserving of this recognition and we are fortunate to have her, as our Director and student advocate.- Ryan Barnett

Virginia recognizes Jennifer Connors with award for military education excellence Jennifer Connors, director of Mason's Office of Military Services, is the first recipient of the Admiral John Harvey Career Achievement in Military Education Excellence Award, which was presented by the Virginia Department of Veteran Services in September.

CALL FOR HELP

To give you a quick update on Wreaths Across America (WAA) 2021. Due to functions outside our control within the WAA website an additional 2400 people were allowed to register to lay wreaths. We found out a few days ago and have been working non-stop to mitigate the potential chaos and disappointment of wreath layers. Grave specific requests are our top priority.

We need your help to ask people to volunteer on Sunday 19 Dec to support NOVA Veterans operations, see Sign up Genius link below. We have 2 people signed up, we need about 60 total.

Recap of situation: We were on schedule to manage and coordinate 2000+ wreath layers 18 December, for Wreaths Across America at Quantico National Cemetery. This was set up very similar to last year's. Then we got notice on Monday this week 2400 more had registered outside our Eventbrite link and believed they were on schedule to lay wreaths. In order to not disappoint all these participants and prevent potential extraordinary traffic and safety issues on the 18th, we went into action immediately!

As of today:
1. We asked Quantico National Cemetery (QNC) to open up Sunday for us to accommodate these additional 2400 wreath layers. Our 18 Dec date was already filled to capacity. Approved.
2. We asked the Marine Corps Museum if we could use their parking lot for pre-staging vehicles prior to their arrival to lay wreaths at QNC. The First Zion church we will use on Saturday for this was unable to accommodate a Sunday use, understandably. Approved.
3. We asked WAA to please email the 2400 individuals, who registered through them and not our Eventbrite, and ask them to register for our new Sunday 19 Dec date. Complete.
4. We are jumping through multiple multiple hoops to get the logistics and volunteer management requirements in order. But we need your help to spread the word through your churches, employers, friends, other associations, neighbors, breweries, etc. If they cannot attend in person we also need sponsorships/donations for porta potties, food, drinks, generators, and other volunteer and logistics requirements. See donation tab underneath signup genius. Not Complete - Please Help.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d48a9a82cabffc43-wreaths3
Wreaths Across America Volunteers for Quantico National Cemetery--Sunday
Wreaths Across America will be held on Sunday December 19th 2021 On arrival, all Volunteers will report to Command Center at the Marine Corp Museum, 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy Triangle VA 22172. Parking will be near the Command Center. Please register at the Command Center table, where all duties will be assigned and a safety briefing will be given at that time. Covid Restictions In accordance with this guidance, signage will be posted at each public entrance at VA national cemeteries if face masks are required in the cemetery's indoor facilities. All employees and visitors, vaccinated or not, must wear masks in Federal buildings and indoor spaces if so directed.
www.signupgenius.com

SignUpGenius.com: Free Online Sign Up Forms A FREE online software tool for volunteer management and event planning. Save time with sign up sheets and schedules for schools, sports leagues, business events and more!

Veteran Mediation Night 1730-1800 https://gmu.zoom.us/j/99262846361?pwd=MENHOGZlVFBCUmg3ZkdGWVhzd3VMdz09. Consider joining your fellow Veterans tonight and enter for a chance to win a Tactical Meditation Cushion.

https://mailchi.mp/df3e2860563a/armor-down-tactical-meditation-cushion-giveaway

Armor Down Tactical Meditation Cushion Giveaway

George Mason Veterans Day Luncheon is November 12th, from 11:45am-1:15pm. Please RSVP Now!

Annual Veterans Day Luncheon – HR & Payroll HR & Payroll News Annual Veterans Day Luncheon From our colleagues: "Join the Mason Annual Veterans Day Luncheon to honor our veterans - those who have been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of America and its values. George Mason University celebrates and honors Veterans Day which i...

FYI

Starting today, VA’s “Ask A Question” will become Ask VA. This new system allows users to submit questions, concerns, recommendations, and compliments by providing the ability to:
• Interact directly across the different VA enterprise branches
• Receive timely, verified, and accurate responses for VA related questions

You’ll either use your existing VA.gov account to sign in or create a secure, verified account here https://www.va.gov/?next=/resources/signing-in-to-vagov/

Great program for Veterans and spouses! Right around the corner near Mount Vernon.

Veteran Farmer Program | Arcadia THE CHALLENGE The average American farmer is 58 – even older in Virginia – and is nearing retirement. The USDA estimates the nation needs 700,000 new farmers to replace them over the next decade. Hundreds of thousands of American veterans, including those who volunteered for the military after t...

Check it out!

Dr. Nyati Dhokai, Veterans and the Arts Initiative Program, George Mason University Listen to the show here. Dr. Niyati Dhokai, the Director of the Veterans and the Arts Initiative Program at George Mason University talks in this podcast about how effective music therapy is for Ve…

See message:
I am a Georgetown and GWU alumnus working with the current president of Georgetown University Student Veteran Association (GUSVA) Nick Mararac and VFW Post 9274 to help the incoming Afghan SIV and refugees. We are in need of volunteers as soon as possible but also looking to build sustainable collaboration to help SIVs and refugees resettle. We are currently working with the Afghan diaspora to collect in-kind donations as many of the original drop-off locations, such as restaurants and mosques, have filled up.
If you want to volunteer independently, want to donate, or can at least post on your personal social media, the information is below.
VFW Post 9274 at 7118 Shreve Rd, Falls Church, VA 22043.
Monday 5:30pm-7:30pm. Tuesday through Thursday 5pm-10pm. Friday 5pm-12am. Saturday 4pm-12am.
https://gofund.me/528c543f

VFW Post 9274 - Afghan Refugee Drive for NOVA, organized by Jesi Kat Hello Friends and Family, I am a member of the VFW Post 9274 in Falls Chur… Jesi Kat needs your support for VFW Post 9274 - Afghan Refugee Drive for NOVA

(Reposting)

The Alexandria Health Department is looking for Pashto/Dari speakers to assist with translation support for recent Afghan arrivals who need medical care and support. If you can assist, know somebody who can or even pass this on to the wider community, many thanks during this critical time.

Contact
Ionela Lutai, MPA
MRC Coordinator
Alexandria Health Department
4480 King St
Alexandria, Va 222302
Office: 703-746-4978
Mobile: 571-481-8354
[email protected]

Like many today, the Office of Military Services staff struggle to make sense of the past 72 hours in Afghanistan. Our hearts are heavy. We understand the struggles are very personal and mean something different to each and every person. Please know you are not alone. We hope to schedule a time very soon where we can reflect, talk and move forward in a productive way.

For immediate assistance, please reference the list of resources below.

CAPS offers a wide variety of services to students who are part of our military community, including, but not limited to, workshops for stress management, group therapy, and individual therapy.

In addition to Mason CAPS, other free or low-cost counseling resources are available.

Give an Hour® provides one year of free therapy for veterans, service members, and their families. It also offers alternative care, such as yoga and acupuncture.
https://giveanhour.org/provider-search/

The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals provides therapy to veterans, active duty service members, and their families.
https://www.easterseals.com/DCMDVA/our-programs/cvn-home.html

Fort Belvoir provides therapy and other resources for service members.
https://belvoirhospital.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Childrens-Health/Pediatric-Outpatient-Behavioral-Health

Other services can be located using Military Onesource
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/

VA Crisis line https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/


Sincerely,

The OMS Team

The Military, Veterans, & Families Initiative – mvfi We focus on giving back to those who give their all to our nation, through direct services and education opportunities for service members, veterans, and their families; training of future professionals who will work with service members, veterans, and their families; and research dedicated to impro...

Congratulations Ryan on your selection as a Veteran Champion in Higher Education!

The FOUR BLOCK Veteran Career Readiness Program Fall 2021 Application is Open!

To give transitioning service members and veterans more time to discover and apply to our Career Readiness Program this fall, we opened the application period for our Fall 2021 program on April 2. Since then, more than 230 have already applied.

If you know a transitioning veteran or active-duty service member who would be a great fit for our community, please share the link with them: fourblock.org/apply.

Apply Program Dates and Locations* The application period for the Fall 2021 semester is now OPEN! APPLY TODAY *To ensure the health and safety of all involved in response to COVID-19, all cohorts are operating virtually at this time. We will resume with in-person engagements when it is safe to d