From the DirectorYOUR SERVICE IS APPRECIATED! The summer term has ended and the 2018-19 school year kicks off in a few short weeks. Minot State University Veteran students are reminded to complete their worksheet if they intend to use their educational benefits this fall.

Looking forward to another successful fall term!

— Andy Heitkamp, Veteran Services director

Events attendedJuly9 Minot Veteran Center outreach event Washburn, ND 11 VA Voc Rehab counselor on campus 11-13 ND Suicide Prevention Coalition Connect Master Training 17 Staff Senate meeting SAMASA Veteran Suicide awareness webinar Military credit and Extended Learning meeting 18 University Cabinet ND Suicide Prevention Coalition executive committee conference call Project 6 conference call ND Suicide Prevention Coalition SAMHSA Webinar session 2 19 UnitedStatesDepartmentofVeteransAffairsSchoolCertifyingOfficialsworkshop20 ND State Fair booth Orientation 21 NorthDakotaStateFairParadewalk25 Maj Sheldon NDNG meeting JST transcript review process ND Cares meeting 26 ND State Fair booth 30 North Central Stand Down meeting Study Abroad meeting 31 National Guard Education Center on Campus MAFB Change of command and Col Connor farewell, 91stMW Commander

Veterans CenterVolume 6 – Issue 2AUGUST 2018

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR VETERAN STUDENTS OF

MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY

OFFICE HOURS8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

500 University Ave. W.Minot, ND 58707

701-858- 4003/1-800-777-0750www.MinotStateU.edu

Important Dates —Aug.4 Northern Neighbors Day Air Show

15 Fall Convocation 8 – 10a.m.

15-30Bookstorefinancialaidbookcharging 16 CONNECT Orientation

17 Move-In Day New Student Convocation 2:30 – 4 p.m.

17-20WelcomeWeekend

20 16-weekclassesbeginafter4p.m.

21 firsteight-weekclassesbegin–16-weekclassesbegin

26 Lastdaytoaddfirsteight-weekclass

Lastdaytodropfirsteight-weekclass, or withdraw from all classes and receive 100 percent refund

29 Lastdaytoadd16-weekclass

Lastdaytodrop16-weekclass,orwithdraw from all classes and receive 100 percent refund

Sept.3 Labor Day, University closed

Check out the MSU Veterans Center Facebook page and give it a “like”

to stay current with events. www.facebook.com/MinotStateVeterans

Ann’s Corner …Hello everyone! School will be starting at the end ofthismonth.Don’tforgetto submit your semester worksheetasap!.Pleasecontactourofficeat701-

858-4003ifyouhaveanyquestions.Ifyouhaveany changes to your class schedule, please contact meimmediately.Also,tochecktoseehowmanymonthsareremainingonyoureducationalbenefit,logontoyoue-benefitspageorcontacttheVAat1-888-442-4551.EnjoytherestofyoursummerandIwillseeyouattheendofthemonth.

— Ann Bougard, Veterans Education Benefits Coordinator

US Armed Forces datesAug.Antiterrorism Awareness Month1 Air Force Day 4 Coast Guard Birthday 7 Purple Heart Day 16 National Airborne Day 29 Marine Forces Reserve Birthday

Remember your Educational Benefits Hotline: 1(888) 442-4551Disability services are available for anyone with a service

documented disability by contacting Evelyn Klimpel,

disability services coordinator, at (701) 858-3371. Alternate

format, testing accommodations, notetaking and electronic

books are just a few of the accommodations available, http://

www.minotstateu.edu/disability_services/

North Dakota National Guard Education office was on campus 31 July assisting service members with educational benefits. Army tuition assistance users – Guard, reserves, or active duty questions were answered by Lisa Rankins, education services specialist, Raymond J. Bohn Armory, 4200 E. Divide Ave. Rm 351, PO Box 5511, Bismarck, ND 58506 - Comm: 701-333-3205 - DSN: 312-373-3205 - Fax: 701-333-3313

North Dakota Department of Veteran AffairsWe highly recommend that anyone who served in Iraq or Afghanistan register on the Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits website (https://www.publichealth.va.gov/expos…/burnpits/registry.asp)

Minot State University Veteran students who wish to be certified to use their VA educational benefits, please submit the worksheet for the upcoming fall semester at https://survey.minotstateu.edu/classclimate/

online.php?p=8unsp9Qx

Mirta’s cornerHello!I like to welcome you all back to another exciting and challenging academic year! I also wanted to share an article titled: “50 Tips for College Students,” the same is found on PsychologyToday.com at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/

blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201008/50-tips-college-students,and will offer great tips to help you enjoy your college time and be successful while pursuing your education.

ND Disabled Veterans Camp Grafton Deer HuntNov 19 and 20

APPLICATION DUE BY 10 October and available from County VSO’s\

Registration link https://form.jotform.com/80673587550162

Honor flightshttps://www.honorflight.org/regional-hubs/?state=North%20DakotaARE YOU INTERESTED IN AN HONOR FLIGHT? DO YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT IS QUALIFIED TO FLY ON AN HONOR FLIGHT?

NORTH DAKOTA HONOR FLIGHTS

1. ND NATIVE VETERANS HONOR FLIGHT (BELCOURT, ND) FLYING FROM : FAR (Hector International Airport-Fargo, ND) Contact: Richard Marcellais at 701-477-8986 or 701-278-0632 William Peterson at 701-205-7816

2. VETERANS HONOR FLIGHT OF ND/MN (HUNTER, ND) Flying from FAR (Hector International Airport-Fargo, ND) Contact: Jane Matejcek at 701-238-7749 Craig Koehler at 701-640-2856

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Beaver Booster Golf ScrambleFor more information contact Brock Weppler at 701-858-4451.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Community Block Party • 5 – 7 p.m. On the loop in front of Old Main

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Golden Awards Dinner • 6 p.m. MSU Conference Center

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 Alumni & Friends Reunions • 7 – 11 p.m. • Grand Hotel• Native American Students • Football• Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity • Veteran StudentsPlease visit MinotStateU.edu/Alumni to register.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Parade begins at 11 a.m. Tailgate & Football followIf time allows, reunion groups will be recognized on the field at half time of the football game.

Details at: MinotStateU.edu/Alumni

MSU’s 90th

Homecoming!

SEPT. 16 – 23

Changes coming to Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance programhttps://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/50119/50119/

Effective August 1, 2018, the entitlement available under the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program will be reduced from 45 months to 36 months, but in October, the monthly allowance for eligible recipients will increase.

These changes, part of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, aka “Forever GI Bill,”were passed by Congress last summer.The DEA program offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or of Veterans who died while on active duty or from a service-related condition.DEA benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Surviving spouses-can use benefits for correspondence courses and remedial, deficiency and some approved refresher courses.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW:• If you’re already taking classes, or will start taking

classes by July 31, 2018, you remain eligible for up to 45 months of education entitlement benefits

• Beginning Oct.1, 2018, all students will see a significant increase in the monthly benefit

Eligible DEA recipients will be entitled to a monthly allowance of:

• $1,224 for full-time coursework, compared to $1,041 currently as of Oct. 1, 2017

• $967 for three-quarter time coursework, compared to $780 currently as of Oct. 1, 2017

• $710 for half-time coursework, compared to $519 currently as of Oct. 1, 2017

These increases go into effect Oct. 1, 2018.To find out more about DEA benefits, please visit the DEA page on our website.

CALL US IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS!If you have further questions about your entitlement or eligibility, please call 1–888-GI-BILL-1 (1–888–442–4551). If you use the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), the federal number is 711. You can also visit the Forever GI Bill website at FGIB website.

As always, be sure to follow us on Facebook and on Twitter at @VAVetBenefits. These give you quick and helpful updates.

About the author: The Veterans Benefits Administration’s Education Service delivers GI Bill education benefits to Veterans, service members, and their families. Since 1944, the GI Bill has helped millions of Veterans pay for college, graduate school and training programs.

IRS News for Veterans who received disability severance payments after 17 Jan 1991https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/veterans-owed-refunds-for-overpayments-attributable-to-disability-severance-payments-should-file-amended-returns-to-claim-tax-refunds

Veterans owed refunds for overpayments attributable disability severance payments should file amended returns to claim tax refunds.

Army Guard gets tuition assistance boosthttps://www.military.com/militaryadvantage/2018/07/11/army-guard-gets-tuition-assistance-boost.htmlNew members of the Army National Guard will no longer have to meet a time in service benchmark before tapping into its tuition assistance program for undergraduate and graduate degrees, officials announced this week.Instead, tuition assistance (TA) use will be tied to finishing Guard training requirements.

Tricare Changes cominghttps://www.military.com/militaryadvantage/2018/07/11/postcards-warning-tricare-dental-changes-are-mail.html

Military retirees should soon find a postcard in their mailboxes reminding them that Tricare’s retiree dental program will shutter later this year.

Currently, military retirees can purchase dental insurance through Tricare’s Delta Dental coverage program.

Starting in 2019, military retirees will have dental and vision coverage outside of Tricare, while active-duty families will have access to vision coverage for the first time ever, thanks to a law passed by Congress in 2018.

Minot VA Town Hall Claims Clinic 4:40 – 5:30 p.m.

Town Hall 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Call (701)239-3724 for more info