What are some of the biggest challenges and opportunities in integrating various educational programs?
At the end of World War II, we were about the only game in town for veterans who wanted to go to college. It was simple: They used the GI Bill. It’s very different now. There are a lot of educational opportunities that servicemembers can pursue while they’re on active duty. There are many more opportunities besides the VA to pay for college. You’ve got campus and state-based aid, scholarships, grants and other awards. There are also more manners in which students can pursue education. Online training, for example, is obviously very prevalent today. So integrating what we offer to students with all of these other programs and opportunities is a continual process. And part of the challenge is making sure veterans know that we are just one piece of the puzzle—a significant one, from our perspective, but just one piece. Q: How much does the development of good policy influence the planning side of these programs? A: This is really key to everything. If we don’t have a good foundation from
