Marshall University faculty and staff were trained Tuesday on how to provide support and resources to veterans on campus.

Green Zone training gives faculty and staff resources to help ensure veterans’ academic success and help them transition to civilian life. Jonathan McCormick, director of Military and Veterans’ Affairs, said Marshall plans to have two Green Zone trainings next spring and more in future semesters.

“Everyone that attended said that they felt better equipped… more confident and comfortable serving our veterans,” McCormick said.

McCormick is a U.S. Marine veteran who attended Marshall after being honorably discharged in May 2007. McCormick said he understands the isolation a veteran can feel while enrolled at college.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reported that 62 percent of military service members are the first in their family to attend college, and roughly 85 percent of veterans and active duty service members enrolled in undergraduate programs are 24 years of age or older.

McCormick said veterans have access to on campus resources such as the Veterans Lounge, where veterans and active service members hangout, located in Gullikson 211. Also, Marshall is located only minutes away from the Regional Veterans’ Association and American Legion.

Ryan White, sophomore studying Meteorology and serving in the Army, said he has had some bad experiences in the past of dealing with professors, but said he has had positive experiences with his professors this semester.

“My experiences have been 50/50,” White said. “Some professors like to work with veterans, some don’t.”

White said it can be difficult to do school work off campus, but because his professors worked with him, he has been able to succeed.

“I was stuck in Iowa (on active duty orders) for the first two weeks of school, and my professors worked night and day to accommodate me,” White said.

Sebastian Morris can be contacted at [email protected].