Ding! The sound of the brass bells banging up against the waist held faculty members’, student’s and veterans’ attention while honoring veterans.  They encompassed McCullough plaza in a circle to honor and celebrate the meaning of Veterans Day with a memorial service on Nov. 11.

The service began with Zoe Rae, IU Southeast student veterans organization officer, and IU Southeast Chancellor Ray Wallace giving remarks about the memorial service and how important Veterans Day is to the IU Southeast community. The service continued with the bell ringing ceremony.

Dale Brown, a member of the student veterans organization, and other veterans rang the bell 11 times. During the ringing of the bell veterans stated the wars and the years they served.

Brown said that IU Southeast supports veterans. He said that those who have served have educational benefits. He said that through veteran events and the organization it gives people a chance to connect with service members. Brown said IU Southeast supports veterans and gives educational benefits to veteran students.

“We try to get the word out about veteran’s educational benefits for students. The state of Indiana pays for a child of a veteran’s tuition and fees. There’s a benefits worksheet at the Registrar’s Office,” Brown said.

Jack Howell, IU Southeast’s VA Certifying Official, said the state and federal benefits are available for students who have disabled veteran parents. He said the state and federal benefits are for students who have parents that are disabled veterans.

“For Federal benefits the students parent has to be 100 percent disabled and is not able to work. There is also a Post 911 bill that pays for students books, tuition and fees, and housing,” Howell said.

The Post 911 bill is a bill that offers benefits to a veteran that has severed in 911, or benefits to a student of a veteran. To be eligible for this bill the veterans military duty must be after Sept. 11, 2001. This includes any military service including the Reserves of the National Guard. Monthly benefits for the Post 911 bill include tuition and fees, monthly housing allowance, and an Annual Book Stipend.

The Veterans Day memorial service concluded with a Luncheon in the Hoosier Room in the University Center.

To find out more information about veterans benefits for students head over to the Registrars Office and meet with Jack Howell, or visit their website http://www.ius.edu/veterans/