Serving in the armed forces is no walk in the park.

In fact, it takes a special kind of individual to summon up the courage to voluntarily enlist in the armed forces. These are the men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line and protect the freedoms and liberties we hold dear.

With that said, one would think that the University would be making every type of accommodations to these men and women. It should almost be an honor to be the host institution to these brave warriors who now want to focus on making the world a better place stateside.

But currently, it is difficult for veterans to use their GI Bill money to pay their college bills because the University wants their bills paid up front each semester. But the GI Bill comes in installments each month. Whether it be an oversight from the Office of the Bursar or not, special accommodations should be made to help these students pay tuition bills.

Money provided through the GI Bill is regulated by the government, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to establish a payment plan with the Office of the Bursar. The University should establish communication with the branch of government that provides the funds to the veterans.

It’s a good possibility that this is simply an issue that has never been brought to the many minds at the Office of the Bursar. If the issue hasn’t been addressed before, it’s understandable that with the many other responsibilities that they have, they might not have seen this situation as a concern.

Between the Student Financial Aid Office and the Office of the Bursar, hopefully some solution can be made to help the students out who have helped the country out.

One possible solution is establishing a payment plan similar to the one currently offered to students under Financial Aid’s installment plan.

Perhaps unintentionally, the University is turning off veterans who cannot make the payments in full up front.

With higher education so essential in today’s society, veterans need to know that their community supports their efforts. And that support can come in the form of compromise between the government and the Bursar’s office.

To make an impact, they should take the initiative to do what is right. If they need information about this situation, it appears that USG might be willing to help them work out a plan.

Now it’s time to bring this issue to the forefront.