Veterans' Services

Cerro Coso Community College maintains a full-time program of Veterans' services to assist veteran students and their dependents. The Veterans Administration Office (VAO), Counseling, and the Admissions and Records Office at the IWV campus and counselor/educational advisors at the Centers work with veterans/students and their dependents in claiming and receiving the educational benefits to which they are entitled.

Receiving Benefits

Eligibility for educational benefits through the Veterans Administration (VA) is determined by the VA; Cerro Coso attempts to facilitate this process. In like manner, eligibility for educational benefits through the California Department of Veterans' Affairs is based on the disability of the veteran and is only available to the vet’s dependents/spouses. This is a needs-based tuition fee waiver based on the income level of the student. Again, Cerro Coso facilitates this process by having the forms available.

Benefits payable through the VA are determined by when you served. The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) [Chapter 30] and the Post 9/11 GI Bill [Post 9/11] are currently offered for returning vets. Vocational Rehabilitation [Chapter 31 Voc. Rehab] is available to disabled veterans and requires a referral from a qualified vocational rehabilitation counselor.

For dependents of veterans who are deceased or are 100% disabled (that is determined by the VA), educational benefits are available under Dependents Education Act [DEA Chapter 35]; the steps listed below need to be followed. The VA also offers vet/students who are in a reserve status [Chapter 1606/1607] a program for reimbursement for educational benefits.

For dependents of active duty personnel, the Department of Defense offers MyCAA https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/ that will pay for spousal education while on active duty. The College supports this program through a contract with the folks at MyCAA.

All veterans and dependents of veterans who wish to receive VA educational benefits should follow these four steps:

Step 1. Fill out the application for the federal VA benefits you are eligible for at http://www.gibill.va.gov. Along with this digital application, the VA may require first time users must to send a copy of their DD214 form to Muskogee, OK. (VA Regional Office, P.O. Box 8888, Muskogee, OK 74402-8888) before the VA will process your application.

Step 2. Contact a college counselor or educational advisor to select a specific educational objective that may be pursued at Cerro Coso Community College. The VA requires that you see a counselor each semester that you are attending college. Counseling can be contacted online via our Counseling Contact Form or by phone at (760) 384-6219.

Step 3. Have copies of high school transcripts and transcripts of work completed at other collegiate institutions, if any, sent directly to Cerro Coso Community College Admissions and Records Office (A&R). In addition, there may be classes taken during your military careers that could be used to satisfy some course requirements. Evaluation of all previous college work and other relevant education (including military school experiences) is done by a counselor/education advisor to determine the amount of credit that will be accepted and applied to a degree program at the college. These transcripts should be sent to:

Cerro Coso Community College
c/o Office of Admissions and Records
3000 College Heights Blvd.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Step 4. Again, each semester, either online or in person, before you register for classes, make an appointment with a counselor/advisor to review your educational progress and the counselor will fill out a VA Program Approval form, a copy of which is sent to the VA office at the college. Counseling can be contacted online via our Counseling Contact Form or by phone at (760) 384-6219.

Additional Things to Know

You will need to notify the VAO, the Counseling Office (760-384-6219) at the IWV campus, or the counselor/educational advisor at the Centers immediately of any changes in address or enrollment status. This includes all changes in class programs during each term of attendance.

Questions?

If you have additional questions, please contact Dave Cornell by email at dcornell@cerrocoso.edu or call (760) 384-6291 or fax (760) 384-6377.

Military Training - Did You Know?

Many veterans receive extensive training while in the military that may be transferable to community colleges and/or a 4 year college. However, you may not know how to access those classes/transcripts. There are resources available to you on the web to help. The American Council on Education (ACE) evaluates military training and recommends what could be applied towards a college education. For links to request transcripts go to their web site at: ACE | Transcript Services or for specific branches:

• Army: Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS) Home Page
• Navy/Marines: Navy College Program
• Air Force: USAF Air University: Community College of the Air Force
• Coast Guard: US Coast Guard Institute, Oklahoma City, OK

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