University Communications and Marketing

Billings VA Center relocating to MSU Billings campus

Will be fully operational in time to celebrate Veterans Day on Nov. 11

University Communications and Marketing, 657-2266

MSU BILLINGS NEWS— The Montana Veterans Affairs Division (MVAD) Billings Service Office will be relocating to the Montana State University Billings campus with goals to better serve state veterans and those actively furthering their education.

In a decision made jointly by Chancellor Dan Edelman and Montana Adjutant General, MG Quinn, the center will occupy suite 114 in the College of Education (COE), where Extended Campus was formerly located. Extended Campus moved to room 158 of the COE.

“The benefits of combining the university veteran education with state veteran support is a natural integration; they complement each other, providing area veterans with a comprehensive capability of veteran benefits,” stated Chancellor Edelman.

This relocation will benefit MSUB by providing services to veteran students and helping them learn how to utilize and explore their higher education benefits. All veterans will be provided with a central location for all VA Veteran benefits such as claims, acquiring records, healthcare enrollment, home loan application, and educational benefits.

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was formally signed and came into effect on Oct. 19 during a support agreement ceremony featuring Chancellor Edelman and Montana Veterans Affairs Administrator, Kelly Ackerman.

“Currently, the local office does not have enough room to expand,” shared Ackerman. “We are excited about the move to a new location that will allow us to better serve veterans with additional office space, more parking, and unified service with the MSUB Veterans and Military Service Office directly across from us.”

The MOA summarizes agreements between agencies and institutions within the State of Montana to optimize the use of resources and maximize opportunities to support veterans in Montana. It is designed to enhance, better coordinate, and be more efficient in support services, benefits and resources, and outreach capabilities for Yellowstone-area veterans, veteran family members, and currently-serving military members.

The MOA defines the general conditions under which MSUB will provide facility space, operational services, and general support utilizing the COE building on campus. The space will be located across the hall from the newly developed MSUB Military and Veterans Success Center which supports military members, veterans, and veteran families in obtaining the support and services they need with VA benefits, education needs, and life support issues.

The VA Center will occupy the new space beginning Oct. 29 and use the coming weeks to move in and resume business. The new location will be up and running by Nov. 9, just in time for the Veteran’s Day celebration on Nov. 11.

For more information, contact Budget Manager for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management David Powell at david.powell9@msubillings.edu or (406) 657-1635.