Christina Hammett

The Advocate

Mt. Hood Community College’s Career Planning Center is creating a Veterans Committee for students who are affiliated with the military on campus.

The club, which will be led by counselor Jeffrey Obermeier, may begin meetings this month.

The committee is designed to give support to MHCC veterans, allow vets to share common experiences and stories with each other, and to let them decide on what to do as a group in the future.

“It’s a good thing for the school to finally have something like this,” said Veterans Services representative LaNae Hiatt.

MHCC has 240 veterans enrolled as students. Last week, surveys were sent out by the Career Planning Center to find out when and what hours they would like to start meeting.

The meeting location will be decided after the surveys are returned.

“The location of the Veterans Committee meeting will depend on students’ schedules and the level of interest that is in the group,” said Obermeier.

The qualifications for joining the group are that you must either be a disabled veteran, be in the reserves, be on the Montgomery G.I. Bill, or be a survivor or dependent of a veteran.

Obermeier is estimating 10 to 20 members at the first meeting of the Veterans Committee but hopes for more of a turnout in the future.

He expects that members will range anywhere from 18 to 35 years old but would “welcome anyone who fits the categories” and qualifications for being a club member.

Surveys can be turned into the Career Planning Center today, located inside the College Center, or starting again next Nov. 3, when the center will move to its new location located in room 1152.

For more information about the Veterans Committee, contact Obermeier at (503)491-7259.