MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Representatives from various organizations including Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s Education Center, universities and government entities met for a roundtable discussion with the United States Military Educators Association in the Fairways Ballroom at the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course, June 19, 2015.
Mike Ramlogan, a member of the board of directors of the USMEA, facilitated the discussion.
“(The) annual roundtable was a request by higher education institutions and (military) leadership to see how they can improve upon what they are doing for our service members,” Ramlogan said.
Thaiha Vo-Le, an education and career specialist at the Education Center, said the center provided logistical support for the event, and does not necessarily share any of the views expressed.
“The Education Center fully supports our on-base colleges and sees firsthand on a daily basis that they go beyond ‘military friendly’ to support our active duty service members and veterans,” Vo-Le said.
Attending the roundtable was also Rep. Ken Ito, Hawaii 49th House District of Hawaii, and Ann Greenlee, the state director of Hawaii and Guam for Veterans’ Employment and Training Service for the U.S. Department of Labor.
Ito presented commendations on behalf of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, 2nd Congressional District of Hawaii, and Congressman Mark Takai, 1st Congressional District of Hawaii. Greenlee presented a proclamation to Ramlogan from Hawaii Gov. David Ige and Hawaii Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui. The proclamation designated June 19, 2015 as “USMEA Military Educators Appreciation Day.”
“The United States Military Educators Association is truly devoted to bringing national recognition and awareness of the military community’s unique needs in selecting, accessing, pursuing and completing their post-secondary higher educational opportunities,” the proclamation reads.
Ito said it was the first time he had seen a discussion of this nature, private colleges meeting with a nonprofit organization. As a Vietnam veteran himself, Ito praised the effort.
Founded in 2010 in California, USMEA is dedicated to supporting service members, veterans and families pursuing higher education, and working with various colleges, vocational schools and universities to help provide that support. In 2013, USMEA signed a memorandum of agreement with the State of Arizona Department of Veterans Services, and is working to share its mission in each state.
An initiative USMEA is taking is working with the Accrediting Council for Veterans Education and Training to provide Military & Veteran Supportive Campuses and/or Institutions certification. Ramlogan said states already audit schools, but the additional certification by ACVET and USMEA would further validate the institution’s support for the military. As a result of the roundtable, Wayland Baptist University, which has a satellite campus on base, is becoming the first school in Hawaii to undergo this additional certification.
“USMEA and ACVET initiatives to define and standardize what constitutes a military supportive campus seem to have the proper approach to assure the U.S. military and veterans are welcome, serviced, and nourished in a higher education setting as required for accreditation/certification,” said Henrique Regina, the assistant executive director of WBU Hawaii campus.