The Student Veteran Organization was reestablished in Nov. 2015 by current president Antoine Bercich. Dr. McNinch mentioned to Bercich that UOG had a previous American Legion organization, but fell apart because of the lack of support the student veterans were getting. With Guam having the highest enlistment rate in the military, student veterans felt compelled to have their own organization to properly use their benefits. Bercich got the support the organization needed by recruiting current vice president Patrick Pocaigue, current secretary Alex Aflague, and current treasurer Frederick Jones.
Their mission of University of Guam American Legion chapter is, “To provide veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to reintegrate into campus life and to succeed academically.” The American Legion in Tamuning is the oldest veteran established nonprofit organization. They were one of the first groups to have donated and funded to the student veteran organization to help them set up.
The organization has 32 active members with new members joining every meeting. To become a member one must be a veteran.
“A veteran is pretty much anyone who served or is serving in any of the five military branch,” vice president Patrick Pocaigue said. Meetings occur once a month every second Friday in the SBPA building at 3:30.
The Student Veteran Organization is located in the student center in room 4. They offer educational services to veterans such as tutoring in math and English as well as different schools such as the school of business and the school of nursing as well as financial advisement on different veteran grants and aids.
“The services are mainly for the veterans, but we’re also reaching out to the dependents who are utilizing different bills,” secretary Alex Aflague said.
The student veteran organization has plans to renovate their current room to make it a one-stop location for veterans to register, pay, and seek academic and financial advisement.
“The VA has established a good program here, but we’re just trying to pick up the slack and make sure everything is consistent,” Aflague said.
The organization is eager to grow. They encourage all student veterans to attend meetings as well join the club.
For more information contact uogamericanlegion@triton.uog.edu as well as their Facebook page: UOG Guam Americanlegion.