The Veterans Resource Center an open house event Tuesday, Nov. 12 at the Los Medanos College Pittsburg campus. The event provided the center with positive exposure and provided students with great insight into what it is and how it helps veterans. 

The Veterans Center at LMC is a place to get resources, connections, respite and tutoring in a more relaxed and quiet space. These services are available to veterans, dependents and any student that is signed up for classes through VA-financed programs. They focus on helping any student that comes through their doors to succeed. The center is a comfortable place to kick back and relax, as well as a good resource for certain amenities for servicemen and women. 

Among the provided benefits are counselors that specialize in education plans. They also help with getting students registered for upcoming semesters with the right classes for their desired goal. This sort of help can be crucial in any decision-making process and the center is equipped to aid students with these specific issues. 

Benefits also include welcome packages of basic supplies for classes such as blue books for tests, scantrons, binders and paper to help students get a good start. 

For those looking to sign up for the armed forces, there are multiple different ways the center is able to assist with that process. Although there is no recruitment office on the premises, there are occasional visits by recruiters. Between visits, students can talk to those on staff and ask for information about how a recruiter may be reached in the future. 

The Veterans Club also plans to offer a $1,000 scholarship for any and all students transferring to a university. Details regarding the requirements and how to apply will be available online soon.

According to Christopher Long, the full-time head coordinator of the Veterans Center, the open house event was being held in order to invite the community to see how this center operates and what it does to support veterans on campus. 

“[This event brings] word of mouth to get the word out to vets and get more students here to help them with the offered services,” said Long. 

One of the student veterans that frequents the center had positive feedback for this event.

 “[This event] is to let people know who we are, where we are and what we do,” said student veteran Marc Oshea. “We’re all friendly former servicemen and want to welcome you to come by.”

Hours of operation for the Veterans Resource Center are Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information on upcoming events and times for tutoring, email [email protected] or call (925) 473-7511.