WRITTEN BY WANDA CURTIS
Transitioning from military life to civilian life can be challenging. Some veterans find they lack the training and/or skills needed to succeed in the outside world after discharge. Taking advantage of benefits available under the GI bill, which may cover college tuition, licensing and certification courses, vocational and entrepreneurship training, or flight school training, can make the transition easier.
Benefits Helped One Veteran Earn Doctorate
Veteran Dan Rice is a prime example of someone who used his GI benefits to not only train for a new career but also continue serving others. He spent six years in the Air Force and completed two tours in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom at Camp Bucca, Iraq and Baghdad, Iraq, During that time, Rice investigated different educational programs which might be paid for by his GI benefits.
According to Rice, an AMVETS representative explained how to access his benefits after he was discharged. He utilized his benefits under the GI bill and benefits from Vocational Rehabilitation to earn an undergraduate nursing degree and then decided to specialize in anesthesia. He received his Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia through the United States Army Graduate Program, which he said was fully funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He then worked several years at the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta.
“Upon returning from my second tour in Iraq, I got out of the military,” Rice said. “I had planned to attend physician’s assistant school, but when my application was approved and sent to the GI bill processing center, they denied me funding because my bachelor’s in criminal justice didn’t meet their standard for possessing an undergraduate degree in a related field. So, I decided to get my bachelor’s in nursing (which they would provide funding for) as a stepping stone in that direction…Taking on that challenge and succeeding, laid the foundation for future investments in myself.”
Entrepreneur Boot Camp for Veterans
Later, Rice decided to start his own business. He enrolled in the Entrepreneur Boot Camp for Veterans (EBV) at the University of Connecticut School of Business where he received experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management.
After completing that training, Rice started two businesses which serve Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The first was New England Vascular Access, which provides ultrasound-guided central and peripheral vascular access to small rural hospitals and office settings. The second business was Collaborative Anesthesia Partners, which provides anesthesia coverage for small rural hospitals in Maine. They have also managed entire anesthesia departments. He said that small, rural medical facilities often have a difficult time finding after-hours anesthesia coverage.
More recently, Rice said they formed a first-of-its-kind anesthesia franchise called Collaborative Anesthesia Franchise. He said the goal is “to educate, train, and mentor anesthesia providers to start and operate their own practice in any type of practice setting.”
From One Veteran to Another
Rice encourages other veterans to take advantage of their military benefits. He said it’s an opportunity to not only better yourself, but also improve your community. He advises veterans who are interested in accessing their benefits to contact the New England Veterans Chamber of Commerce or AMVETS for assistance in navigating the system.
“GI bill benefits, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Education program, veteran specific scholarships, and programs exist as a benefit for their service,” Rice said. “Veterans should be encouraged to utilize these resources not only for themselves, but as a tool to continue improving our communities. There’s always a program available to help, you just have to find the one that fits you. Most importantly, you must do your research on these programs to determine eligibility because you will meet resistance getting help at times and if you know the rules and remain persistent, you will get them.”
Veterans Day 2024
