Delaware Tech receives 2017 Military Friendly School Award

For the third year in a row, Delaware Technical Community College has been selected as a Military Friendly School. The award is presented by Victory Media to the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that embrace military students and dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.

Delaware Tech President Dr. Mark Brainard said, "Delaware Tech has never been more prepared to serve our veterans, military service members and their families. This award is a result of the hard work and commitment of our faculty and staff." Delaware Tech received the Military Friendly School award as the result of its many initiatives including: 

• The Veterans Inspiring Progress statewide student veteran organization that provides peer support and resources to help veteran students reach their academic goals 
• Dedicated academic counselors who assist current and veteran service members and their dependents through academic advisement, applying for VA and tuition assistance benefits, getting tuition bills paid and enrolling in classes 
• Priority of services for qualified veterans and their eligible dependents including course registration 
• Priority placement in competitive programs, provided all other minimum requirements have been met, as well as credit for prior learning 
• Events and initiatives that support veterans such as the annual Run, White & Blue 5K, Delaware 22in22 and meaningful Veterans Day events and activities.

This year, the college celebrated Veterans Day and commemorated the 25th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm. The Owens Campus in Georgetown hosted a breakfast with guest speakers Brent Guyer, who served in the Air Force as a security police specialist and is currently a Delaware Tech Public Safety Constable; Bill Wood, who served in the Navy in both Operation Desert Storm and Vietnam, and is currently the chief of public safety at the Owens Campus; and Russ Hamel, who served in the Air Force as a C5 apprentice technician, a flying crew chief, an expeditor and a maintenance production supervisor, and is currently a classroom technology technician. 

The college also received Delaware's 2016 Warrior Friendly Business Award which recognizes businesses that support service members, veterans and their families through workplace initiatives.

The Military Friendly Schools designation process includes extensive research and a data-driven survey of academic institutions nationwide approved for Post-9/11 GI Bill funding. The survey is open to all postsecondary schools and is administered free. Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned business serving the military community since 2001.