Veteran & Military Resource Center

Programs and Courses

Following VA regulations, you may only receive benefits for courses leading towards an approved Kapi’olani CC degree or certificate. Only courses listed in WEAMS are required to obtain your declared degree and will be certified.

If a course is “recommended” or “highly recommended” but not required, it is not eligible for VA certification.

NON-CREDIT programs are not approved for VA Certification.

Visit VA’s Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS) and search for Kapi’olani CC Approved Programs.

What is WEAMS?

The WEAMS is a central web-based application which combines the functionality of two (2) Veterans Affairs (VA) approval systems – OLAF (Online Approval File) and LACAS (Licensing and Certification Approval System) – and adds functionality for NEXAS (National Exam Approval System). WEAMS is used to store VA and State Approving Agency (SAA) approval information. That information may be entered by VA Central Office (VACO) personnel, Education Liaison Representatives (ELRs), Education Compliance Survey Specialists (ECSSs), and, in some instances, SAAs. The information is viewed by Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) personnel (e.g., Veterans Claims Examiners (VCEs) and Vocational Rehabilitation and Education (VRE) case managers) and public users. VBA personnel use this approval information to determine claimant eligibility to benefits for education and training offered by schools and job training establishments – and is what is reviewed when a certification of enrollment (VA Form 22-1999) is received by VA for processing.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website

You must verify*  your enrollment each month to receive your monthly payment.

• All GI Bill® beneficiaries will need to verify their enrollment through text, email, Ask VA, or phone. Veterans or service members can also verify their enrollment online. If a student has a question about verifying their enrollment, please advise them to review the enrollment verification webpage.

Students can change the way they verify their enrollment to whichever method is most convenient for them. If they encounter any issues with a verification method or have any questions about verifying their enrollment, please have them contact VA through Ask VA or by calling the Education Call Center.

To verify enrollment, the following options are available:

• Text: To verify via text, beneficiaries can opt-in when they begin using their benefits to receive a monthly text message from VA to confirm their enrollment. This is the fastest way for students to verify their enrollment and receive their payments.

• Email: If beneficiaries choose not to opt into text verification, they will receive monthly enrollment verification messages by email.

• Online: Chapter 35 beneficiaries can verify their enrollment through our online tool.

• Ask VA: Beneficiaries can verify through Ask VA by sending a message with their enrollment dates via Ask VA. This is a manual process. Therefore, payment will be five to seven days once the message is formally reviewed, not from when the beneficiary submits the Ask VA message.

*Please note that “verifying” and “certifying” your enrollment are two different procedures. “Certification” is done by a school certifying official and lets VA know how many hours or credits you will be enrolled in so we can determine your payment rate. “Verification ” is done by you at the end of each month and lets VA know that your enrollment information has not changed. 

What is VITAL? Veterans Integration To Academic Leadership (VITAL) is the VA's approach to reaching out to student Veterans to help meet your needs and maximize your potential. The VITAL Initiative is a partnership between VA New York Harbor Healthcare and local college and university campuses. We're here to help you navigate your needs and concerns and maximize your unique set of strengths, skills, and life experiences as you develop and translate your interests and talents into the academic setting. We strive to enhance academic retention and success through:

• On-campus clinical care coordination
• Improving understanding of veteran’s unique strengths and challenges through education and training
• Collaborating with your local VA Medical Center, Veterans Benefits Administration, campus faculty and staff, and community resources

Dr. Jonathan Mueller, who we call “Dr. J,” is our Veterans Integration To Academic Leadership or VITAL Coordinator. He is a licensed Clinical Psychologist employed by the US Department of Veteran Affairs to serve student veterans in the college setting. He provides counseling on a variety of concerns including relationships, academic issues, emotional concerns, adjustment problems, and stress. For more information, click here.

If you would like to talk about difficulties you are encountering, concerns about the future, etc., please contact Dr. J for an appointment: 

Phone: 808.940.4287

Email: Jonathan.Mueller2@va.gov.

Dr. J can also assist with your enrollment in VA health benefits. Complete this VA Health Care Application and email to him from your UH email account. He is our liaison to VA healthcare and can assist in processing your enrollment.

You can work directly with Dr. J on these services.

Are you passionate about working with people? Interested in being part of a team dedicated to supporting veterans, active duty service members, reservists, spouses, and family members at Kapi‘olani?

We are excited to announce openings for VA Work-Study students in our office.

Responsibilities may include:

• General Office Duties: Assisting military, veteran, and dependent students by answering phone calls and emails, addressing walk-in inquiries, and imaging documents. You’ll also help create a welcoming atmosphere by greeting and providing information to our veteran and military student community.

• Record Management: Assist with scanning, inputting data, and maintaining VA records.

• Event Support: Assisting with VA education benefits workshops and information sessions for veterans.

• Additional Tasks: Performing other administrative duties as assigned by the VMRC staff.
  
  

Requirements:

• Must be using VA education benefits

• Must be enrolled at least 3/4 time.
  
  

Priority will be given to students available to work weekdays from 10 AM to 2 PM.

We are eager to hire and train our new team members as soon as possible. The pay rate is Hawaii’s minimum wage, and since it is a VA benefit, it is not taxed. For more details, please visit the VA Work Study Information.

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to kccva@hawaii.edu.

We look forward to welcoming you to our team!

VA Counselor/Coordinator:

Kapi’olani CC VA Counselor/Coordinator acts as a liaison between your school and the Department of VA to provide information on Veterans’ and their dependents’ academic records. The VA Counselor is responsible for providing program advising, academic planning, transfer planning, career exploration and planning, learning assistance, and personal counseling to help you attain your educational, career, and life goals, and to promote self-development and personal awareness.  Kapi’olani CC VA Counselor/Coordinator is not an employee of the Department of VA.

Kristen Fan, VA Counselor/Coordinator; Office: iliahi 112; Phone: 808.734.9290; Fax: 808.734.9876; Email: kkillian@hawaii.edu

VA School Certifying Official (SCO):

VA SCO acts as a liaison between your school and the Department of VA to provide information on Veterans’ and their dependents’ academic records. SCO is responsible for certifying and monitoring enrollment and changes in enrollment for students eligible for VA benefits.

Angie Ocampo,  VA School Certifying Official; Phone: 808.734.9583; Fax: 808.734.9876; Email: kccva@hawaii.edu

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

VA is the government agency responsible for determining eligibility for VA education benefits and for authorizing payment for the benefits. Veterans who have questions regarding their eligibility, or new students who need to apply for education benefits for the first time should contact the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs at:

V.A. Regional Office
P.O. Box 8888
Muskogee, Ok 74402-8888
V.A. Toll Free Education Line: 1.888.442.4551

State Approving Agency (SAA):

SAA is responsible for reviewing the training facility and the courses and programs of education to determine if they can be approved for the payment of VA education benefits.

Stephen L. Rudnick
Hawaii State Approving Agency
3949 Diamond Head Road
Building 300, Room 14
Honolulu, HI 96816-4495

Phone: 808-369-3559

Email: Stephen.l.rudnick@hawaii.gov

Academic Counselor:

An academic counselor plays a critical role in supporting student veterans during the VA benefits certification process. When it comes to the ECR form, the academic counselor is responsible for verifying and ensuring the accuracy of the student’s academic information before it is submitted to our office. Once the counselor signs and approves the ECR form, it will be automatically sent to the student and our office. Visit the Counseling website to identify your assigned counselor based on your academic program: https://www.kapiolani.hawaii.edu/support-and-campus-life/counseling/ 

• Enrollment Certification Request (ECR) Form

• Yellow Ribbon Program

• Transcript Evaluation Request (TER) Form

• Graduation/Diploma Application

• Change of Major

• Change of Home Institution