Office Visit

Kansas City Regional Director Carolyn Cottrell recently visited the home campus with some of her staff, who took advantage of the opportunity to meet with their counterparts in various offices around campus...and to ham it up with the Academic Affairs office staff. Pictured above with Carolyn (right) are (left to right) Kansas City Office Manager Cindy Bratcher, Academic Advisor Yvonne Petite, and Dept. Associate Tiffany Jackson.

More Dates to Remember

 A new GI Bill for the 21st century
AVP Randy Wright reports that the new GI Bill recently approved by lawmakers doubles current benefits and provides the most sweeping changes in benefits since its inception during World War II.   

Important changes include free enrollment for active duty personnel, with the current fee of $1,200 ending immediately; benefits can be transferred to family members; and benefits are retroactively extended to Guard and Reservists with prorated benefits based on service.  Guard and Reservist who have not been mobilized will see a 20 percent increase in their Montgomery GI Bill benefits, and service academy and ROTC graduates are now eligible for benefits.

The Army Times summarized benefits in a report this week which include:

• Basic Benefits:  Initial payment of $1,450 per month, with amounts increasing each year base on increases in tuition costs.
• Housing Stipend:  A monthly payment equal to the local Basic Allowance for housing for an E-5 with dependents with 3 or more years of service.  The current allowance in about $1,100 per month.
• Books and Equipment:  Payment of up to $1,000 per year for full time students.
• Tutoring:  Up to $100 per month with a maximum payment of $1,200.
• Reserve Benefits:  Increases by 20 percent to $380.00
• Other Benefits:  Include more time to use benefits after separation from service, 15 years up from the current 10; transfer benefits for service members with six years of service can transfer benefits to spouses, those with 10 years can transfer benefits to children.

Upcoming Graduations

Jun 11 --Ft. Irwin

Jun 12 --Ft. Bragg; Ft. Leavenworth; Little Rock Metro; Los Angeles AFB; Pope AFB

Jun 13 --Fairchild AFB; Little Rock AFB

Jun 14 --Beaufort Naval Hosp; Salt Lake City Metro

Jun 17 --Tinker AFB

Jun 21 --Greenville Metro; Irvine; San Diego Metro; Tampa Bay

Jun 27 --Scott AFB

Jun 28 --Ft. Bliss

Jul 24 --Ft. Stewart/Hunter AFB

Jul 27 --Jacksonville; Moody AFB

Aug 1 --Shaw AFB

Sep 20 --Ft. Leonard Wood/ Rolla

For Your Campus Graduation:
Orders for graduation regalia are now being accepted. Please see the 2008 Order Information for the Purchase of Graduation Regalia.

Also, remember that we have new President’s Letters. Please take a count of your blue covers and re-order the quantities needed for this year’s graduation.

Keep in mind that graduation stationery orders are generally shipped out four weeks prior to each campus' graduation ceremony. Contact Francine Case if you have any questions.

News from Charleston

Charleston Air Force Base recently held a graduation ceremony for its Airman Leadership School (ALS). The ALS is an entry-level professional military education PME) program that prepares senior airmen and staff sergeants to assume supervisory duties. Charleston CRC Bette Thompson was in attendance at the ceremony and is here pictured with Senior Airmen Patrick Nethery, winner of the prestigious John L. Levitow Award. The John L. Levitow award is the highest award given in PME and is named after John L. Levitow, who was the lowest ranking airman in history to earn the Medal of Honor, which he was awarded for extraordinary bravery during the Vietnam war.

We would like to hear from you!

Do you have a story to tell, pictures to share, or frequently asked questions that would be of interest to other Webster campuses?

Email the
Office of Academic Affairs
with your news, comments, suggestions, ideas, and insights.

Look for our
Next Issue
the week of
July 7