Most of us take the time to speak a word of thanks whenever we see a young man or woman out in public dressed in military attire. These men and women have given years of service and of themselves in ways that average citizens cannot fully comprehend. Now, thanks to the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, the country is thanking its citizen soldiers with more than words.
The law subsidizes up to a year of education geared toward giving veterans new skills to make them more competitive and employable in our rapidly changing world, but the technology needed to support this learning is not funded through the Act. The American College of Technology (ACOT) offers a wide range of classes designed to meet the standards of the Act, but is going even one better by helping veterans to obtain the technology tools needed for online education.
The veterans retraining assistance program, or Vrap, outlines standards for coursework and study as well as giving financial aid. The American College of Technology (ACOT) is a 100 percent online Vrap approved school. Through ACOT, veterans can learn new skills in Network Administration, Health Technology, Computer Programming, Criminal Justice, Business Administration and more.
All classes are offered online, which keeps the cost to students low while making learning more accessible to more people. ACOT is a military-friendly institution who values serving veteran and active duty soldiers. In fact, close to 70 percent of ACOT’s student population is made up of military men and women and their families.
Because ACOT is committed to serving veterans and current duty military students, the College waits until Veterans Administration reimbursement funds are received before billing. That means that there are no out of pocket expenses for attending this fully accredited Vrap approved school. ACOT was one of the very first schools to enter into the Vrap program and its VA trained staff understands how ensure that GI bill requirements are met and payments are received on time. Yet, since ACOT costs are only about one half of the national average, most veterans are able to retain as much as $600 per month after tuition is paid. These left over funds are designed to assist the veteran with related educational expenses such as internet and technology.
Online courses make learning easier because students don’t need to be concerned with getting to class or working around rigid course schedules. Live lectures and demonstrations occur at set times through the week, but these are then posted to the website where students can view them seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
As great as the format is, ACOT has found that many veterans and soldiers do not possess the devices needed to access online learning. Of what value is an accredited, funded, Vrap approved school if the target student population doesn’t own the technology to access it? The program is too worthwhile for veterans to miss just because they don’t have the money to buy a new laptop, tablet, computer or smartphone. That is why ACOT is launching a program to encourage folks to donate laptops to veteran students.
Laptops must be no more than four years old, but donations could make the difference in whether or not a veteran can take advantage of the veterans retraining assistance currently available. The school is leading the way in donations and has committed to any repairs, cleaning or necessary upgrades, and shipping to the veteran. This is a great way for ordinary citizens to go one step beyond mere words of thanks. Show our military you are grateful for their service by donating a laptop soon.
In fact, due to high demand, ACOT has depleted its used technology by donating all extra and used PC’s to veterans. This is an exciting trend, but the organization needs your help. The VA only pays after a student starts class, making funds to support the necessary technology unavailable. With your help, however, these veterans who want to realize their education can do so through ACOT and Vrap. The Vrap program expires March 2014, so don’t delay.
Ship your laptop to:
American College of Technology
2700 N Belt Hwy
Saint Joseph MO 64506
Email: firstname.lastname@example.org to let us know it’s on the way.