Veterans center at UC Berkeley to open in time for Veterans Day

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- On Monday, UC Berkeley will open the Cal Veteran Services center which will serve as model for other universities. The center will be a go-to place for veterans while trying to earn a degree. It was donated by a UC Berkeley alumnus and U.S. Army veteran Colemen Fung.

Those who have served in the military will find plenty of comradery at the Cal Veterans Services center.

It is new. The boxes have yet to be unpacked. The computers are still not hooked up. But on Monday it will officially open as the headquarters for student veterans at Cal.

"That's the main goal is to have as much services here at the center as possible," said Luis Hernandez, Academic Achievement Counselor.

The Veterans Benefits Administration is in Oakland. Now, a representative will come here instead.

Students never have to really leave campus. There are close to 300 student veterans at UC Berkeley. Here they also get advice on what financial benefits they are entitled to.

"Which is a huge deciding factor for most of us and that's made it possible for me as a single parent to spend time with my family and get my academic stuff done without having to work or get a number of student loans," said student veteran Jeff Stock.

"Once they get admitted, we work with them right to the point they are admitted to make sure they understand how to maximize VA benefits and campus resources as well," said Ron Williams, Director of Cal's Veteran Services.

The center will have an outreach program to help community college students transfer to Cal. These community colleges are essential to the center's growth.

City College San Francisco has had a veterans center for two years now. Many there are now looking to Cal to complete their education.

T.J. Dunnivant transferred here from a community college in San Diego.

"At my community college we really get pumped up about the fact that there are places like Cal for veterans where you can continue your education," said Dunnivant.

Here they continue to make the transition back to civilian life, while talking advantage of the educational benefits they've earned.