WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Helping Injured Soldiers Go To School

Helping Injured Soldiers Go To School

Hanover, New Hampshire -- October 8, 2007

25-year-old Brendan Hart checks up on his studies at Dartmouth College's Baker Library. The marine veteran says his short time at the Ivy league school means much more knowing that he almost died from a small pox vaccination he received during his service.

"My body systematically shut down. It started in my respiratory system, moved into my immune system, then moved into my brain," Hart said.

The soldier-- like hundreds of others-- spent months recovering at the Walter Reed Medical Center. Harts said that like many wounded soldiers, trying to find out what's next, especially when it comes to higher education-- is a difficult question to answer. Even though there are benefits through the G.I. Bill.

"Without a services member getting the guidance that he needs, those benefits seem to go to waste," Hart said.

This year-- there are three injured soldiers roaming the Dartmouth campus. They were able to get there with help from the American Council on Education-- or A.C.E.-- and Dartmouth's president James Wright.

 "Our country will be better off if they have an education and can continue to contribute," Wright said.

Wright-- who is a former marine himself-- has personally visited wounded men and women in military hospitals and helped raise over 300 thousands dollars so career councilors from A.C.E. can do the same.

"So this is really focused on the injured veterans. Obviously all veterans need to have this opportunity, but a veteran who has come back home, where ever that is, who is not injured can go to the local school and get the advice that they need," said Wright.

He says it is not just the veterans who benefit from A.C.E. It is also the students who share their classrooms with the experiences of soldiers.

"These young men who are here this year, these marine veterans will obviously have a set of experiences that I think will add a great deal to the education of the other students here," Wright said.

"An added element to a classroom that is generally absent," hart said.

But,  Hart said the void is beginning to be filled, one student at a time.  Since the program got off the ground in the Spring, more than 150 wounded soldiers have received counseling about furthering their educations and 50 are currently enrolled in colleges across the country.

Adam Sullivan-- WCAX News