Colleges face a duty to support military students

Recruitment brings a wider responsibility

The U.S. military is reaching record recruitment numbers, placing fresh attention on what happens after Americans choose to serve. The nation’s promise of opportunity depends partly on whether higher education institutions are prepared to support service members and veterans.

Recruitment is one part of that commitment. Colleges also have a role because education can be part of the opportunity associated with military service. Institutions must ensure their support systems match that responsibility rather than treating military-connected students as an afterthought.

The central standard is straightforward: Service members and veterans should be able to pursue higher education with support suited to their circumstances. Colleges that admit these students share responsibility for making that opportunity meaningful.

What colleges must examine

Higher education institutions need to review how their support systems serve both current service members and veterans. That work should focus on whether students can identify and use the help intended for them, and whether colleges assign clear responsibility for meeting their needs.

Improvement also requires sustained attention. A support system cannot fulfill its purpose if students do not know it exists or cannot navigate it. Colleges should judge their approach by how well it helps military-connected students pursue an education, not simply by whether a program is on the books.

Record military recruitment raises the importance of that institutional work. The country’s commitment to those who serve extends beyond recruitment itself, and colleges are part of fulfilling the promise of opportunity that accompanies service.