Veterans and Military Services

Veterans and Military Services helps to aid the University by providing assistance to all student-Veterans at Illinois State University, including:

• eligible Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces ( Illinois residents and nonresidents)
• eligible reservists and National Guard members
• children and spouses or survivors of Veterans deaths or permanent and total disabilities were service-connected
• children of servicemen or servicewomen missing in action or held as prisoners of war for more than 90 days

Specifically, the office facilitates the issuance of education benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and provides appropriate forms and information relative to military grants and scholarships made available to students through the state of Illinois.  Additionally, we serve as referral to designated point-of-contact in University offices that can assist those seeking information about academic advising, financial aid counseling, disability support, career services, or other support services available to Veterans and military-connected students.

Per Public Act 096-0133/Higher Education Veterans Services Act, the Coordinator of Veterans and Military Personnel Services at Illinois State University is Judy Curtis and is a point of contact for referral to academic and financial advising, disability counseling and the career center. The 2017 Annual Report on the  Fiscal Impact of the Programs and Services Related to the Higher Education Veterans Service Act is available for review. Illinois State University information was submitted Sept. 1, 2018 and can be found in Appendix B of the Report.

Illinois State University is committed to preventing Veteran suicide. We are working closely with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to support 20 million Veterans nationwide.

Check out VA’s recently released video, VA’s Public Health Approach to Suicide Prevention, to learn how we are working together ¾ through a comprehensive public health approach ¾ to achieve our shared goal of preventing Veteran suicide.

Approximately half of our Veterans use VA care or services. Partners like Illinois State University play an important role in helping reach Veterans outside VA care. 

Preventing Veteran suicide is an enormous, complex challenge — one that will only be solved through a collaborative approach that brings together different sectors. We encourage you to share this video with colleagues, peers, clinicians, family members, and friends to spread the word about working together on this important issue. 

Veterans who are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, and those who know a Veteran in crisis, can contact the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential crisis intervention and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, text to 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat .

Reporters covering Veteran mental health issues are strongly encouraged to visit ReportingOnSuicide.org   for important guidance on how to communicate about suicide.

Veterans Stories

Read more veteran stories.