Blue Ribbon Panel for Military & Veteran Education

The Blue Ribbon Taskforce was created with the mission of ensuring that every service member, veteran, or family member utilizing their earned education benefits are provided with the quality education they deserve at every institution of higher education. The goal of the taskforce is to develop a series of best practices for veterans education to be used by APSCU schools as well as all post-secondary institutions.

The taskforce includes the following institutional and organizational military and veteran education representatives from APSCU, non-APSCU, and veteran service organizations:
Co-Chairs:
Jeffrey P. Cropsey, Cpt. USA - Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Grantham University and Chair, Public Affairs, Council of College and Military Educators
James Hendrickson, Lt. Col. USAFR - Vice President of Military Education and Executive Director of the CTU Wounded Warrior Scholarship, Colorado Technical University (CTU)

Members:
Jeff Arthur - CIO and Vice President of Financial Assistance, ECPI College of Technology
Mike Betz - General Manager, Military Student Initiatives, Education Corporation of America (ECA)
Scott A. Kilgore - Senior Vice President of Military of Affairs, Kaplan University
Russell Kitchner, Ph.D. - Vice President for Regulatory and Governmental Relations, American Public University System
Scott D. Palumbo, LCDR. USNR - National Director of Military Affairs, DeVry University
James Shane, Jr., BG. USA (Ret.) - Director of Military and Veterans Affairs, Sullivan University
Kathy Snead - Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium President and Vice President for Military and Veteran Partnerships, American Association of State Colleges and Universities
Dennis Trinkle, Ph.D. - Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Harrison College
Joseph W. Wescott - Executive Director, Veterans and Military Education Programs, North Carolina State Approving Agency and Vice President, National Association of State Approving Agencies
Garland H. Williams, Ph.D., Col. USA (Ret.) - Association Regional Vice President, Military Division, University of Phoenix

Special Advisors:
Michael Dakduk - Executive Director, Student Veterans of America (SVA)
Ryan M. Gallucci - Deputy Director, National Legislative Service, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the US (VFW)
Steve Gonzalez - Assistant Director, National Economic Division, American Legion

Each of these schools exhibits a commitment to both the quality of education and the student veterans they serve. Combined with the expertise and knowledge of those representing the military and veteran education communities, the taskforce will provide unique insight and practices to allow other institutions to implement similar policies to improve their military and veteran education programs in areas such as appropriate marketing and recruitment, education benefits, student support services and mentoring, academic counseling, and placement services.