Military, Veterans, and Family Members

Military and Veteran Affiliated Students

Centennial Campus•C222•719-502-4100

Rampart Range Campus•S102•719-502-4500

Fort Carson Education Center•Building 1117•Room 117•719-502-4200

Peterson SFB Education Center•Building 1141 •Room 112•719-502-4300

Shriver and USAFA•contact our Peterson SFB office to schedule an appointment on site

Website: pikespeak.edu/military

Email: mvp@pikespeak.edu

PPSC’s Department of Military & Veterans Programs (MVP) is here to serve our active duty, veterans, and family members in supporting your educational goals. We recognize that unlike traditional students your military commitments and educational benefits can create extra challenges for you to navigate while pursuing your education. Pikes Peak State College is a proud participant in the Department of Defense Memorandum of Understanding, approved for veteran education benefits, as well as being recognized as both Military State and Best for Vets. We are passionate about providing resources and services designed to foster student success. Our staff members are active in both state and national organizations committed to providing best practices for military and veteran students.

For all military and veteran students, MVP provides:

• Resources for educational and community support while attending college
• Programming and activities to help with academic success
• Networking opportunities
• Academic Advisors that understand the requirements of your military education funding.
• Military and Veterans Programs staff that understand college, VA and DOD processes and can assist mitigating conflicts due to military duty.

Active Duty, veterans and eligible family members who indicate their military status and/or military affiliation on the PPSC application will receive Resident Tuition rates based upon their response. Military and Veteran affiliated students  who did not select yes to military veteran status on their application can submit an application for instate tuition classification at www.pikespeak.edu/military/instate-tuition.

Active Duty and family members /Guard and Reserve:

For your convenience we have college offices located at both Fort Carson and Peterson SFB Education Centers, providing you an all but one-stop shop to get started at PPSC. USAFA and Schriever AFB are by appointment only.

• Application, Advising, Placement Testing, Registration, and other college services
• Tuition Assistance– ArmyIgnitEd, Air Force Portal, and other branches of service TA
• Colorado National Guard Tuition Assistance
• MyCAA-My Career Advancement Account funding for eligible spouses. Request your Education & Training Plan at www.pikespeak.edu/military/mycaa
• CLEP and DSST Testing
• Joint Service Transcript Evaluation (active duty)-Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
• Student Agreement/Evaluated Degree Plan preparation
• On post, on base General Education classes offered in shorter terms and/or hybrid formats to meet your scheduling demands; no student or course fees for on post/base classes.
• Liaison with instructional divisions if experiencing a military related conflict
• Automatic evaluation of Joint Services Transcripts when you request Tuition Assistance or Certification for Veterans Education Benefits-JSTs will be evaluated for credits that apply to your current declared major.

Getting Started using your Tuition Assistance:

• The Department of Defense requires all active duty to meet with their Education Service Officer/Military Counselor prior to enrolling. Contact your Education Center for the mandatory briefing
• Stop by our office on post/base for assistance with completing the application process, placement testing or exemption based on prior college, and course enrollment.
• Register for PPSC classes. If you need developmental courses, you must take a placement test to justify the courses for Tuition Assistance. More information available at www.pikespeak.edu/placement.
• Visit the TRIO office on Fort Carson for help filling out your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) with experts on military income (required for PELL Grants and other Financial Aid).
• Army Tuition Assistance users must create an ArmyIgnitED account, select an Education Path, complete the Admissions, and class registration process prior to having access to request Tuition Assistance. TA must be approved prior to the start of term per class.
• Air Force TA users must have TA approved 7 days prior to the start of term per class.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Veterans / GI Bill^® Benefit Users

Centennial Campus•C222•719-502-4100

Rampart Range Campus•S102•719-502-4500

mvp@pikespeak.edu

GI Bill^® Education

All students intending to use their GI Bill® benefits for the first time at PPSC must attend a briefing session that addresses how to maximize their benefits, what is funded, what is not funded, and the steps required to use their benefits at PPSC. Additionally, the briefing will provide campus and community resources for veterans and their dependents to support a successful academic experience. Failing to attend the briefing will delay PPSC submitting your enrollment to the VA for payment. Briefing schedules and registration are available on our website at pikespeak.edu/military/briefing.

Services Available

• Assistance with applying for benefits
• School Certifying Officials (PPSC employees who are your liaison to the Veterans Administration)
• Academic Advising specifically addressing GI Bill^® requirements
• Student Veteran Organizations
• Textbook Lending Library
• Veterans Upward Bound/TRIO Support
• Transition Support-Veteran Success Coordinator
• Programming, activities, and networking opportunities
• Veterans Upward Bound-academic prep and college support
• VA Work Study employment opportunities

Getting Started Using your GI Bill^®

• Apply to PPSC and identify yourself as a Military and/or Veteran affiliated student
• Sign up for a mandatory briefing for GI Bill® users at PPSC (pikespeak.edu/military/briefing)
• Apply for your GI Bill® Benefits with the VA (www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/) **Save a copy (or take a screen shot) of your application confirmation page and bring to our office (Centennial Campus room C-222) or send by email to mvp@pikespeak.edu.
• Visit our webpage (pikespeak.edu/military) for additional information about our resources (chapter specific checklist, scheduling advising appointments, military/veteran events)

Using your GI Bill^® Education Benefits at PPSC

• Request certification (excluding CH31) each semester you intend to use VA education benefits to pay for your courses (pikespeak.edu/military/crf)
• Enroll in classes
• Make sure all your courses are applicable to your degree (Reminder: If you need developmental courses, you must take a placement test to justify the courses for Veteran Education benefits. More information available at www.pikespeak.edu/placement.
• Monitor your student email for School Certifying Official Communication

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Veterans Upward Bound

Centennial Campus•C222•719-502-4020

mvp@pikespeak.edu

Veteran/GI Bill^® Benefit User Orientation

The Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program offers free workshops, classes and advising to qualified veterans and active- duty military members. The classes offered are English, math, Spanish, basic science, computer skills and career counseling. All class materials are provided by VUB. VUB staff members can provide enrollment assistance for financial aid, scholarships, admission applications and campus tours. Emphasis is on low-income and first-generation students. VUB classes do not count for college credit but prepare the student to transition into college level academics