While many college students are concerned with adjusting to harder classes and balancing their academic and social lives, students who have served in the military have their own set of issues.

These range from knowing what financial aid and other support they have coming to them under the G.I. Bill of Rights to coping with postwar stress.

A new student organization at West VirginiaUniversity aims to help those who have defended the nation deal with these unique concerns.

Most of the veterans in our organization are nontraditional students,said Analisa Blackwood, president of Veterans of West Virginia University.We dont know a lot of people, so we have something in common to work from. Its nice to be around people who have had the same experiences as you.

Blackwood, a sophomore majoring in political science, serves in the U.S. Army Reserves300th Chemical Company in Morgantown and has been deployed overseas. Upon graduation, the 23-year-old from Fairmont would like to work for the Defense Department in weapons of mass destruction preparedness.

The Veterans of WVU s semimonthly meetings serve as a forum for members to discuss various issues, chief among them benefits guaranteed veterans under the G.I. Bill of Rights, Blackwood said.

Some people dont know that they are entitled to certain benefits because veteran benefits are constantly changing,she said.We help educate people to know what theyre entitled to.

The group can also be a sounding board for members who are having difficulty coping with emotional issues related to combat, she added. In extreme cases, they refer members to professional counseling services.

Members are also working with WVU officials to develop a University 101 course tailored to veterans.

University 101 is a required course designed to help first-year and transfer students with transition from high school to college.

The course is great for someone coming here right out of high school, but it doesnt accommodate most veterans,Blackwood said.

Like other student organizations, Veterans of WVU is also service-oriented.

The organization is raising money to donate to an organization that helps modify homes for disabled veterans and assisting other groups in preparing care packages to send to troops overseas, she said.

The group was the brainchild of Terry Miller, WVU s veterans advocate.

I saw a need for an organization that gives our student-veterans an opportunity to network, share their concerns and just be there for one another,said Miller, who serves as the groups adviser.

Despite its name, Veterans of WVU is not limited to veterans, Blackwood said, adding that anyone with an interest in the military is welcome.

About 400 WVU students are receiving some form of veteran benefits, she noted. That figure includes students who are not veterans themselves but are attending school on the G.I. Bill as a result of their parentsmilitary service.

So far, about 30 veterans have joined the group, Blackwood said. Meetings take place the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair.

For more information about Veterans of WVU , contact Blackwood at 291-5322 or aboyce1@mix.wvu.edu