As of May 15, Operation College Promise is now part of Thomas Edison State College, New Jersey's largest provider of collegiate programs for active duty service members and veterans. Operation College Promise, which was established under the umbrella of the New Jersey Association of State College and Universities in 2008, is now part of the College's Office of Military and Veteran Education and will complement the institution's efforts serving veterans, active duty service members and their families.

"Having OCP's staff and services incorporated into our structure will greatly benefit the students we serve," said Louis Martini, associate vice president for Military and Veteran Education at the College. "When the College launched its own Operation Vet Success program earlier this year, we were focused on providing a resource center that guides our military and veteran students toward degree completion. Bringing OCP into the College enables us to expand these objectives by connecting our students to services that go beyond academic support."

Contact Wendy Lang at OCP at wlang@tesc.edu or (609) 777-5696.

Soldier On is a private, nonprofit organization committed to ending veteran homelessness. Since 1994, the organization has been providing homeless veterans with transitional housing and supportive services. In 2010, Soldier On opened the first Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community, a permanent housing cooperative that provides formerly homeless veterans with safe, sustainable housing – transitioning them from homelessness to home ownership. This housing model will be replicated nationally as Soldier On continues to change the end of the story for homeless veterans throughout the country.

For more information, go to www.wearesoldieron.com.

VA Community Partners Day
Operation College Promise attended the "VA Community Partners Day" at the Trenton Vet Center on June 17. This conference/informational session catered to more than 50 veterans and dependents and was designed to disseminate local resources including housing, legal, financial and health services. The event included 9 other veteran service organizations including "Soldier On" and "Volunteer Lawyers of NJ," just to name a couple. Operation College Promise had the opportunity to address the attendees of the event and provide an overview of OCP programs and resources to aid in the transition to higher education.

Stockton University Student Veterans Orientation
Operation College Promise hosted, in collaboration with Stockton University, the 2nd Annual Student Veterans Summit on October 17, 2015. The event, which featured speakers from the American Council on Education, the Chairman's Office on Reintegration, Soldier for Life and others drew 50 student veterans and supporters from across the state. The event, which is the first of its kind, will be enhanced in 2016 to include regional representation.

Army National Guard, Medical Management Unit, Annual Family Day Picnic
Operation College Promise visited the Lawrenceville Armory on July 11 to participate in the annual Medical Management Unit family day picnic and onsite education fair. The event was attended by more than 75 veterans and family members. OCP staff enjoyed the chance to connect with Guard members and their families throughout the day.

Internship Opportunities
Operation College Promise frequently has part-time internship opportunities through VA work study and Mission Continues fellowships. To learn more, contact Wendy Lang at wlang@tesc.edu.

Save the Date:
The next Certificate for Veterans Service Providers (CVSP) program is scheduled for March 9-11, 2016 in Savannah, Georgia!

NY Times – "Ever-growing Wait for Veterans' Care"

National Public Radio (NPR) News – "The U.S. Declared War On Veteran Homelessness — And It Actually Could Win"

Medical News Today (MNT) – "Tours of Iraq and Afghanistan highlight those soldiers at highest suicide risk"

News Works – "New Jersey veterans hotline being replaced in August"

Navy Times – "Sen. Elizabeth Warren seeks review of military student loan law"

Fox News – "Veterans learn VA hospital dumped patient records with Social Security, personal info"

Fox News – VA Launches New No-Cost Training Programs

VA – VA Women's Veteran Campaign

Yahoo! News – "Ex-Green Beret Nate Boyer commanded Seahawks' attention without a workout"