Congressman David McKinley – W.Va. (R) visited West Virginia University Thursday to meet with student veterans and get firsthand references on how veteran resources can be better utilized on college campuses.

McKinley serves as the representative for West Virginia’s first district, which includes the city of Morgantown.

Instead of researching and debating issues on Capitol Hill, McKinley said he wants to hear from the people affected by policy.

“I will listen much more to veterans who have been on the ground, than listen to a bunch of politicians in Washington,” McKinley said. “I want to deal with people who really understand.”

Many veterans pursuing a college education struggle with the transition from deployment to enrollment, or as they described it themselves, “the lack of a transition.”

McKinley said he believes the time away from the habit of being in school and taking classes is a major disadvantage many veterans face.

“I think our veterans are in a different ball game,”

McKinley said. “They have been away from school and an educational environment for four to five years.”

Dan Alexander, a WVU senior and former president of the WVU Veterans Club who served in the Navy, suggested that more resources should be spent on the issue.

“I would start the process a year before someone is due to get out of their service, where they meet with a counselor and let them know what their plans are,” Alexander said. “If it’s someone that’s looking to get out and start college then they push them towards resources that will help them before they get out. There is education at all the bases.”

Lauren Bowen, a sophomore who served in the Marine Corps, said she wants to major in geology, but having to start with lower level classes in math and English will likely force her to stay at WVU past the four years covered by her GI Bill.

“We spend years away from schooling and we don’t have time to do it when we are stationed places,” Bowen said. “I’m starting from scratch, I’m starting from the lowest level of math possible. I am going to use up my GI Bill like that. What are we going to do after the four years once we’re out?”

Another concern WVU student veterans voiced is the limited resources available to them on campus.

WVU currently has 1,109 student veterans enrolled, with just two faculty members serving them.

Alexander said he believes WVU President Gordon Gee and former President Jim Clements have ignored the issue, while the state’s top politicians have tried to help them.

“Barbara Fleischauer, Senator (Joe) Manchin and yourself (McKinley) coming in, have always fought tooth and nail for us,” Alexander said. “I’ve never met a president of this University. I’ve tried to set up appointments but I’ve never met President Clements and I’ve never met President Gee.”

McKinley said he would try to reach out to Gee and investigate the possibility of opening a new resource center dedicated to student veterans.

“We’ll get back to him and talk to him,” McKinley said.

“This veteran resource center is a decision in space. Let me just try.”