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Education program helps veterans prepare for future
The Veterans Education Center
(VECO), sponsored by M t. Hood
Community College and funded by
the U.S. Department o f Health,
Education and Welfare, is one o f the
few rem aining ‘ ‘ upward bound”
programs for veterans. The program
provides GED training, general edu
cation, career counseling and related
services to veterans.
‘ ‘ When young men and women
join the service, they are trained to
fit into a mold. They adapt to having
their lives controlled, doing what
they are to ld, and not having to
make decisions," director Jose Coto
explained. “ When they are dis
charged they have to suddenly
adapt to another way o f life—where
they have to take care o f themselves
and make their own decisions.”
When young people are inducted
into the service, they are led through
the changes—taught to think m ili
tary. When they are discharged they
are on their own, with no one to help
them adjust. Many veterans fail to
adapt; their lack o f education and
useful training precludes their ob
taining meaningful jobs. Their lack
o f self-confidence, family pressures,
and “ Vietnam Syndrome” prevent
them from taking advantage o f the
veterans benefits available to them.
VECO attempts to assist these
veterans to select careers, meet
college or apprenticeship qualifica
tions, build good study habits, and
gain the confidence they need to ex
cel. This is accomplished through
classes in English and literature,
math, social service, and reading;
tutoring; educational and personal
counseling; group activitie s and
recreation. The veterans come from
diverse backgrounds, but their com
mon m ilitary and post-discharge ex
periences enable them to relate to
each other and to assist each other.
They credit dedicated teachers, a re
laxed non-competitive atmosphere,
and common goals fo r their suc
cesses.
VEC O is cu rre n tly seeking
veterans who are o f low-incom e
backgrounds, who have either not
graduated from high school or who
have low academic skills. Veterans
must have enlisted prior to December
31, 1977 and have been out o f the
service fo r less than ten years.
Veterans in the program can receive
VA education benefits, but after he
leaves the program he is still entitled
to fu ll educational benefits. (Call
256-3434 for information.)
Classes are held in the morning to
enable students to work if necessary.
Follow ing are veterans who are
students currently in VECO, express
ing their opinion.
V icto r M ille r discusses sentence structure, career plans and school
desegregation w ith his reading teacher.
A typical VECO class consists of veterans from
varied backgrounds and goals, w ho are learning new
subjects or relearning old skills to enable them to
I entered the VECO program three
semesters ago, under the asumplion
that it would be an easy way to get
my GED and get paid at the same
time. I learned however that not only
could I achieve that, but I could also
get prepared for college if I chose to
further my education.
When I say I learned, I mean I
really learned something. I started to
realize how easy it is to learn and
how satisfying it is to feel that you
have really prepared yourself for the
challenge o f going to college.
I guess this could be because the
instructors here really know what’ s
happening and what they’ re doing.
They’ re sensitive to the students’
needs and communication between
student and teacher are very in fo r
mal and open. A ll the instructors
here could be teaching in a much bet
ter place at a high level, but they all
share the same feeling, they care
about vets. And that’s what it’s all
about, th a t's what makes the
program work.
by Richard Holbert
VECO is a school for veterans.
VECO teaches math, English, social
science and reading comprehension.
This cu rricu lu m is to prepare
veterans for college and/or to get a
GED. During the time here, you can
talk to a counselor concerning per-
cW H A T S THE FBI
’ GOT O N YOU?
begin new careers or educational pursuits.
(Photos Terry Robertson)
sonal or school related problems.
VECO helps on planning futures.
They, the staff, w ill find out in fo r
mation on any colleges or school
grants available to veterans.
Also it’ s a good experience to learn
to get along with others and to learn
more about yourself. Students here
are from different age groups, and
are all vets, so it makes it easier to
relate to one another.
After a time you learn you can get
what you want out o f VECO, how
to learn and how to apply yourself We
know, as in all things, there are a few
who say, “ I am not getting anything
from school,” yet if you look at
their attendance, homework and at
titude, then you would see why they
don’ t learn while being at VECO.
Throughout the school term there
are field trips. This is a time for
students to have some fun. Il gives
the students a chance to enjoy the
outdoors. A chance to enjoy each
other's good company and see more
o f Oregon.
It’ s a time to enjoy talking about
old times and things that have hap
pened to each o f us. A lot o f things,
we fin d, happened to each o f us
about the same way. Vets learn that
VECO is here to help vets, whereas a
lot o f the time, vets feel no one cares
about them one way or the other.
Finishing with a word or two of
thanks— thanks V E C O — fo r your
help on each o f our futures, and your
understanding o f veterans' everyday
problems.
by Susan Hepburn
Personal, organization, or public
info files from any federal agency:
acquisition and analysis.
10am-6pm
ATTORNEY JACK L. SCHWARTZ
233-0838
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The VECO program is under-ad
vertised and yet is one o f the best
programs going for veterans. For the
veteran who has been away from the
educational environment for awhile,
it gives him/her the opportunity to
refresh or maybe relearn skills which
are basic to survival in to da y's
society.
I was recently discharged from the
m ilita ry service, at which tim e I
wasn’t sure where I wanted to be. I
knew I wanted to continue my
education, but the questions were
when, where, and do I have the skills
to tackle school? At this time 1 was
making regular visits to the employ
ment office, which led me to VECO.
After talking with DeAnn Haggerty,
the VA Specialist/Outreach C oordi
nator, I knew that this program was
just what I was looking for. VECO
has opened doors to new horizons
for me. The program offers all the
basic skills 1 needed to review in o r
der to continue on to college. Since
being enrolled in VECO, I have built
my self confidence back up.
The VECO program is important
to the veteran. While in the program,
the veteran has the opportunity to
expand or create goals for himself/
herself. They may strive fo r a
General Education diploma or use
the program for college preparation.
Either way, the opportunity to learn
is there.
by David Bartosch
I was unemployed and went to a
work seminar held at the PP&L
building downtown. There was a
speaker there from VECO who
talked about the program, and what
they had to offer for vets. It sounded
like a good program so the next day I
went and talked to them at school,
the day alter that I started classes.
At first 1 was a little reluctant
about going back to school, since it’ s
been almost ten years since I had
graduated from high school. It was a
little hard at first, learning how to
sludy all over again, but (he teachers
were always there to help and answer
any questions I might have.
In about a week things were going
a lot easier and I was learning
something new every day. I ’ ll be
going to VECO until September, and
then in September I ’ ll be going to
MHCC, where I ’ve been accepted in
to the welding program.
I feel this program is good for vets
because o f what it did for me. It was
only about six months ago that I
didn't even know what I wanted to
do. I always wanted to go to college
but was afraid; I didn’t think I was
smart enough. This program gave me
back the confidence in myself to go
on, after ony two terms, and be ac
cepted in to M H C C ’ s welding
program. I know I'll do real good in
September because VECO taught me
good study habits and to say " I ’ ll try
my best,” instead o f “ I can’ t.” I
think there are a lot o f vets out there
who could benefit from this program
if only they knew about it.
Chicken or Bool
5 'f t r
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to he tested, to have some idea o f my
abilities and to insure that I would
receive help in the areas I needed to
do belter in, and eventually to be
used to see just how much l had
progressed from term to term.
This is my second term and I feel I
am a two or three termer not a lifer
(smile). I see myself now in a more
positive manner, and am able to deal
better with myself because o f this
new awareness about myself, my
ability, and the world around me.
Study here has been positive and
liberally structured to meet my needs
by providing me a basic education
and preparation to continue my
education.
•
To sum it all up, I feel this is the
I am a Black, 22-year-old male,
with a wife and two kids; with a fu
ture.
My particular experience began
when it was not worth it for me to
work because I was not able to make
enough money. I felt the type o f
work I was doing was worth the
amount I made and my future would
be in jeopardy unless I prepared
myself for a betterpaying job and a
more meaningful future. It is up to
me.
I came into the building at 10100
N.E. Prescott, which is MHCC an
nex, and asked fo r in fo rm a tio n
about how to get into school. The
secretary directed me to Carl Parker
who is a vet counselor at MHCC an
nex. Parker in turn arranged for me
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best place for a person who is out of
work, school, or would just like a
better future and get an education.
Here you meet new people, see
how much you can learn and how
easy it is to learn. There arc Work
Study jobs, counseling, transporta
tion assistance, job assistance giants
ol $317 a month or more, depending
on your dependents. This also does
not a ffe ct your 45 m onth VA
education entitlem ent. Also, you
receive college credit. Class is from
8:30 a.m. to l:3 0 p.m ., Monday
through Friday. Study areas are
math, English, social science, litera
ture and study skills.
Remember, you owe it to yourself,
and you can do it.
by Victor Mdler
STIDD'S BROTH
" väl SHHI"
5.1. UNION A OAK
Portland Observer Thursday. July 26. 1979 Page 9
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