Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) introduced a bill to improve the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits program. The bill includes six major changes that will be welcomed by veteran students, school officials, and veterans service organizations.

Read more: http://military-education.military.com/2010/06/senate-moves-to-fix-gi-bill/?ESRC=education.nl#ixzz0ptED0dDh

Excelsior College hosted an Open House for military and veterans this past week on Wednesday, May 19th. It was well attended and allowed for prospective students with questions talk to advisors and counselors right on the spot. Thanks to everyone for their hard work!

Afghanistan Veteran, Rhodes Scholar and IAVA Board Member Wes Moore is traveling the country this summer to share his much anticipated debut book The Other Wes Moore, the true story of two boys with the same name and two dramatically different fates. Click here for more information.

Excelsior College is holding an Open House for all military servicemembers and veterans on Wednesday, May 19th from 10:00am to 12:00pm and 4:00pm to 7:00pm at our Albany campus. There will be refreshments and prizes and if you bring your transcripts, one of our military advisors will give you a FREE evaluation right on the spot!

For more information or see our flyer, visit www.excelsior.edu/openhouse.

Here’s some interesting news from our backyard,courtesy of the Times Union newspaper:
A Clifton Park soldier and longtime car racing fan needs your vote: He’s one of five finalists to have a major NASCAR race named after him.

New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Brian Speach is in the running to have the May 1 NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway named “The Brian Speach 400 Sponsored by Crown Royal.”

Speach, 43, was nominated for the honor by a fellow guardsman after serving a half dozen times in Iraq or Afghanistan since joining the Navy in 1986, and for resuscitating 8-year-old John Edward, who had almost drowned in the pool of the Saratoga Springs Hilton Inn on Sept. 19.

The combat veteran is a finalist in the Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey’s “Your Name Here Military 400.” If Speach receives the most votes here by Friday, the race will be his.
As a finalist, Speach and his wife Theresa, also a NASCAR fan, won a free trip to the Daytona 500 in Florida on Sunday, Valentine’s Day. The winner of the Crown Royal contest will be announced from Daytona Friday.

Speach is a massive Miller Light racing fan, so having a race carry his name and being honorary starter would be overwhelming.“That would be like the best experience I ever had,” he said.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy 2010 from Excelsior College.

Our first Open House at Excelsior College specifically for our military & veteran community was a great success! We had over 50 people come visit us, get answers to their questions and some enrolled in Excelsior on the spot! We reviewed many transcripts and met some great folks. Thanks to everyone who came!

On Wednesday, November 11th, Applebee’s restaurants are offering free meals to veterans and active duty military servicemembers. Just bring proof of your military service. Click here for more information.

If you live in the Capital District of NY, please consider coming to visit us on Wednesday, November 4th. We are holding an Open House at our campus, located at 7 Columbia Circle, Albany from 10am to 8pm. We will have representatives available from all of our schools and from Financial Aid to help you learn how best to take advantage of your GI Bill benefits. Refreshments will be served and there will be door prizes! For more information, please click here.

How great would it be if your second career used all the strengths you developed in your first career? That’s why so many military personnel get into criminal justice when they retire. The character traits you build in the service—discipline, dedication, sacrifice, leadership—are exactly what law enforcement agencies look for. And the job outlook is bright: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (see the March issue of G.I. Jobs), employment in law enforcement should expand 11 percent through 2016.

More and more agencies, though, are looking for college diplomas, especially bachelor’s degrees. So I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Excelsior College’s criminal justice degree.

Do you know someone who’s made the leap to criminal justice? What did they think of their new career?