JCCC has in place a network to assist veterans, starting with the Veterans Services office, staffed by Kena Zumalt, Veterans Administration adviser. Zumalt serves as JCCC's point of contact for veterans (which includes all active, reserve and retired military as well as dependents).

JCCC was named to the 2010 list Military Friendly Schools by GI Jobs, a magazine for military transition. The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to serve America's veterans.

As the VA certifying official, Zumalt's primary responsibility is to administer the enrollment certificate process of veterans to the Veterans Administation. Almost all JCCC programs are approved for GI Bill certification, including some certificate programs in continuing education.

JCCC is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, a consortium of colleges and universities accredited for service members and their adult dependent family members. The college is committed to evaluating and awarding academic credit for military training and experience, transfer course work from other institutions and awarding credit for nationally recognized testing programs.

Keeping abreast of new initiatives and benefits is sometimes complicated for service members as they make the transition from active to veteran status. JCCC is serving as a pilot for a new search engine, VetLink, which will allow veterans to enter their era of service and ZIP code in order to obtain a list of services in their area - including education.

"This is an exciting time to be serving veterans because there is so much we can do to assist this group of Americans," Zumalt said.

The newest education benefit is the post-9/11 GI Bill, effective Aug. 1, 2009, and designed for service members and veterans who have qualifying active duty service since Sept. 11, 2001. Billed "as the most comprehensive education benefit package since the original GI Bill of 1944," the Post-9/11 GI Bill can pay the cost of tuition and fees, not to exceed the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution, monthly housing allowance and a book stipend of up to $1,000 a year.

Zumalt says veterans have to decide which benefits are most advantageous to use first if they have eligibility for more than one. It may be they want to save the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit to further their education at a more expensive institution. Zumalt can assist with that decision as well with a new tool on the Veterans Administration web site, "Which Benefit Is Best for Me?"

"I admire our military students. They deserve excellence in return for their service to our country," Zumalt said.