Veterans' transition to college can be difficult

When Matt KlingDeFazio returned to college after serving in Iraq, he sometimes had a tough time relating to his fellow students. The 27-year-old had served in the military, unlike most of them. And that made a difference.

"Dealing with people who were ignorant about veterans was depressing," said KlingDeFazio. "A lot of people, usually the younger ones, would ask, 'Did you kill somebody? Did you kill babies?' Sometimes they were trying to be funny. Sometimes they just didn't know because they were going by stereotypes."

Veterans come to college with different experiences than younger, more traditional students. They also bring different needs, ranging from dealing with confusing benefits to feelings of isolation.

The number of veterans going to college is growing. Nationwide, about 537,000 vets are using benefits from the GI Bill -- up 25 percent from 2008, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports. That number is expected to keep increasing now that the war in Iraq is ending. Also, the GI Bill was expanded in 2010 to cover various levels of tuition, as well as books and housing expenses.

KlingDeFazio enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve right out of high school, inspired by 9/11. He also figured it would help him pay for college, although his service ended up interrupting his education several times. He served eight years, including seven months in Iraq.

Now he's about to graduate with a bachelor's degree in history from California State University Channel Islands. He'll start at the University of Southern California in January, where he plans to earn a master's degree in education.

His time in the military changed him, he said.

"I'm more assertive in trying to get things done," KlingDeFazio said. "I don't take excuses well. Punctuality is important to me; I like to be early. I try to have a professional manner."

Jaypril Cabillan, 27, who served in the Marine Corps, also feels a disconnect with traditional students. "They're 18-year-olds talking about what 18-year-olds do," he said. "I go to bed at 10 now."

Cabillan enlisted in the Marines right out of high school and served in Japan and Korea. He's a junior at CSU Channel Islands majoring in applied physics.

Like KlingDeFazio, he says he's a different man for having served.

"I take more responsibility, and I expect the same of others," he said. "I try to make it to classes or appointments 10 minutes early, at least. I like things to be orderly."

(Contact Jean Cowden Moore at JCMoore(at)vcstar.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)