UW-Madison is working to improve services provided to current ROTC students and student veterans returning to campus through the creation of a new position: assistant dean of veterans and ombuds services.
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Bechtol, who began his new role Sept. 15, worked with UW-Madison's Army ROTC and served 21 years active duty and three years in the National Guard before accepting the position.
According to Kevin Helmkamp, assistant dean of students, the university's primary focus is to reach out to over 500 student veterans in an effort to ensure smooth transitions to and from campus.
Bechtol said he wants to provide service by working with campus departments interested in helping student veterans.
If a veteran is calling the university to get information, there is no central entity to go through to get all that information '¦ the university should be doing this and taking responsibility,"" Bechtol said.
Dean of Students Lori Berquam held listening sessions with the military community last spring on the importance of providing services for veterans returning to the university from the war.
""Upon [a] student's return from service, there are numerous benefits available,"" Berquam said in a statement. ""This position is designed to approach veterans' services in a more holistic manner from years past.""
In the past, veterans received services from Vets for Vets, a student organization on campus responsible for dealing with benefits and meeting the needs of these students.
""Vets for Vets has done a great job with the new GI 9/11 bill,"" Bechtol said. ""But the university expects an even larger amount of veterans on campus seeking these student benefits and that's just too much for one organization to handle.""
Bechtol said he plans to work hand in hand with Vets for Vets in an effort to provide even more services for student veterans.
""UW Madison as a whole has been very supportive of student veterans and ROTC '¦ this is just a step in the direction of improvement to help this population out.""
