With program, homeless veterans are getting jobs, life skills at CSN

Chantay Lee counted on the wrong people.

That's how the 46-year-old U.S. veteran ended up in transitional housing and looking for work.

This fall, she joined 70 other unemployed and homeless U.S. veterans attending the College of Southern Nevada full time. They are part of a new program implemented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs designed to help them enter the workforce.

"This is going to be great for me. I am proud of myself for doing this," said Lee, who served in the U.S. Air Force between 1984 and 1992 and was part of Desert Storm. "I am learning that I can count on myself."

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs implemented the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, also known as VRAP, this summer. It provides 12 months of education assistance, equivalent to $1,473 per month, to qualifying veterans enrolled full time in postsecondary education. The money can be used to fully cover tuition, fees, books, transportation and living expenses.

Lee is working toward an Associate of Applied Science in early childhood education and wants to graduate and work at a day care, and one day own her own business, to help children with special needs.

A divorced mother of two grown children who both serve in the military, Lee didn't contribute to the Veterans Education Assistance Program during her service. She has struggled in recent years and wound up homeless in early 2011.

Now on her own, she has since found transitional housing for veterans and is working to get back on her feet.

She has a bachelor's degree in child development from California State University and found she could only get jobs in local call centers.

"It's stressful. We're a dime a dozen," she said. "I shine, but the last call center I was in, I got sick. I couldn't see a doctor and so I was terminated."

She learned about the VRAP program and attended an August orientation, where she met with CSN Veterans Educational Center, student services and college officials.

"The VRAP program provides us with a unique opportunity to help this population get off the streets, re-enter society and get the skills they need to obtain meaningful employment," CSN Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Santos Martinez said. "The veterans that will benefit from this program face unique challenges. It is our hope to help them enroll and also provide tools to help them succeed, such as tutoring, psychological counseling and assistance with disabilities."

Coming back to school has been more difficult for Lee than she thought. "My attendance isn't up to par," she said in mid-September.

She struggles with transportation to class from the transitional shelter for veterans where she lives and relies on a bike and the bus. Since the monthly payments from the Veterans Department do not begin to disburse until October, she has also found it challenging to get books and other supplies in the meantime.

But she is "jazzed" about her instructors and proudly notes that three of her four professors have doctoral degrees.

"I'm learning patience. I'm also learning about the structure of government, small businesses and politics. I am learning a lot about computers," she said, referring to the courses she is taking.

With a roller bag of books in tow, she ran to her class with CSN Business Professor Tom Jackson, only to find that she was early. She handed him a paper as he entered the room and proudly proclaimed that he would find no mistakes. This did not seem to surprise Jackson, who grinned and said he was proud of her.

"If I can do this, anyone can. You have no excuse," Lee said, "especially, if you are a veteran."

As part of the program, the federal government offers employment assistance to every veteran who participates upon completion of the program. To qualify, veterans must meet the following criteria, established by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:

n Are at least 35 but no more than 60 years old;

n Are unemployed on the date of application;

n Received an other than dishonorable discharge;

n Are not eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance);

n Are not in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployment; and

n Are not enrolled in a federal or state job training program.

CSN serves approximately 1,300 veterans each semester and is exploring ways to expand services and outreach to this community. Most recently, the college signed on to become a Principles of Excellence school with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.