UTEP is recognizing its veteran students with Veteran Appreciation Week. Organized by the Military Student Success Center, this weeklong series of events will allow military students to meet others, take part in discussions and receive help with career planning beyond their college career.

The week kicked off with breakfast Monday, where United Services Automobile Association representative Brian Parks, spoke about the importance of having universities support their veteran students through organizations.

“I think it’s important for student veterans they need to know they’re not in this alone,” Parks said.

Parks also presented the Military Student Success Center with a $7,500 check from the USAA, meant to help the university and its military students.

Help, veteran students have said, is not hard to come by at UTEP.

Wayman Brown, a sophomore human resources major and 20-year U.S. Navy veteran, says the university has worked closely with Veterans Affairs to have the G.I Bill cover all his academic expenses, paying for his classes and materials.

“They’ve helped me with my classes and my certification,” Brown said. “It’s been a great experience.”

Beyond official policies, students say they have received substantial support from faculty.

“If I’m on a particularly bad bout of depression I can talk to my professors, and they’re pretty understanding,” said Tanner Milroy, a junior philosophy major who struggles with post traumatic stress disorder..

Milroy said having others to connect at the university has provided valuable networking opportunities.

“I’ve met a lot of people and made a lot of connections,” he said.

Connections with other veterans, said Parks, can help students land jobs after graduating. He admired the university’s efforts to support its military population.

“I think what UTEP is doing is completely scalable to other universities,” he said, talking about how other universities can follow the UTEP example. “I don’t think we can sit idly by and not help the vets.”

The week’s events include resume reviews at the Career Center on Tuesday, in the West Union Building. Career advisers will help veterans looking for jobs go over their resumes and suggest changes that would make the students more marketable.

The USAA will also hold a career information session, meant to help students decide what they want to do with their degrees and where they can go after graduating.

The Military Student Success Center will also hold a lunch social from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the El Paso Natural Gas Conference Center, giving students a chance to socialize with others from the same background.

Volunteers are welcome to help install small flag displays on the library lawn and Centennial Plaza from 7 to 8 a.m. on Wednesday, honoring those who have been part of the armed forces. The El Paso Fire Department will also hold an American flag display at the Undergraduate Learning Center from 8 to 10 a.m.

Following up on the Career Center’s resume reviews, a veteran resource and career fair will be held at Centennial Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., giving veterans a chance to meet with potential employers.

Those wanting to show their appreciation for veterans can sign postcards for them at the plaza at noon.

After the career fair the 1st Armored Division Band will take over the plaza, bringing signature military pieces.

To wrap up the day, the Military Student Association will hold a meeting in the library room 410 from 3 to 4 p.m.

The week’s festivities will continue on Thursday with Green Zone training. This will take place at the Mike Loya Building room 131, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., giving civilian faculty, staff, and students a chance to learn more about the military population on campus and bring awareness to military-affiliated issues.

A brown bag lunch will be held at noon in room 112 in the Union West building. The discussion will center around how civilians view members of the military, and lunch will be provided.

UTEP will conclude its week-long celebration of veterans with a fundraiser. The Military Student Association will host their Burger Get-Your-Grill-On event, raising money for the Student Veterans of America Conference on the same lawn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Friday will also be Orange Friday, anyone wearing orange clothing will be given coffee and cookies in front of the library from 9 to 11 a.m.

Julio Cesar Chavez may be reached at [email protected].