The VRC was established spring 2008 to serve Butte College's Student Veterans by offering them the support and assistance they need to navigate the often murky waters of transition into the civilian world. As the number of Veterans returning from the overseas conflicts continues to increase, our goal is to help them complete their education or continue on to additional levels of academia. To this end, and to assist the Veteran in his or her daily life, the VRC staff connects Veterans with existing community services and advocates for the development of new services to meet the growing need. Services provided by the Veterans Resource Center include:

• Veterans educational benefits information
• Disabled Veterans compensation information
• Peer support, mentoring, and textbook exchange
• Free printing, copying, & faxing
• Referrals to the on-campus Mental Health Specialist
• Financial aid information & application assistance
• Lounge area with T.V., couches, movies, internet, coffee, and study tables

Services we hope to provide in the future:
• Textbook vouchers
• Sensitivity and awareness training for faculty and staff

The Veterans Resource Center is located on the Butte College main campus, Swing Space C and is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Our staff consists of Veterans who have attended or are currently attending Butte College, and who will treat their fellows with an empathy and respect born of shared experiences. Already our staff has met with Veterans seeking help with such serious issues as Traumatic Brain Injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Substance Abuse. We were able to direct these individuals to appropriate community resources. The VRC staff also serves as a liaison between Veterans and the college, providing a voice for those whose needs might otherwise go unmet. All Veterans are welcome and can expect to receive professional, courteous, and compassionate support in pursuit of their educational or vocational goals at Butte College.

The Veterans Resource Center is an extension of the Office of Veterans Services. Expansion of services is dependent on available resources. From time-to-time, opportunities will present themselves for the community to make contributions towards a specific need. Please let us know if you would like to be added to a mailing list of potential contributors by sending your name and email address to vetsresourcecenter@butte.edu.