Issue 77 | 11/7/25

Welcome back, Flames!

Hello, I’m Dr. Mia Garcia-Hills Director of UIC’s Office of Student Veterans Affairs. Student Veterans Affairs provides a welcoming and supportive environment for our military-connected community via the Císar Student Veterans Center. We provide resources, assistance, and programming to ease the transition to academic life and promote academic success.

Stars and Stripes will help you stay up to date with Federal policies, 

UIC Student Veterans Affairs news, events, and announcements. We thank you for being part of our community and hope you enjoy reading our newsletter. Archived newsletter editions are available on our website.

Undeclared Majors

Undeclared

Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree may not have to declare a major before their junior year at some schools. The student cannot be certified beyond his or her sophomore year unless a major is declared. Only “General Education” courses can be certified prior to the declaration of a major.

Non-matriculated Students (38 CFR 21.4252 (L) (2) and (3))
VA defines matriculation as being formally admitted to a college or university as a degree-seeking student. VA educational benefits cannot be paid to non-matriculated college or university students unless they are pending admission to your school. In that case, they can be certified for two quarters or semesters. The student can be certified beyond this two-term limit only if the student is admitted to your school as a degree-seeking student, irrespective of the number of credits taken.

Delays in VA Education Payments

A technical malfunction in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ new claims management system has delayed October Chapter 35 education payments. The VA reports that claims are being processed manually and expects the issue to be resolved by late November or early December. The delay coincides with the federal government shutdown, which has also closed the G.I. Bill® hotline, leaving students unable to check claim statuses. All delayed payments will be issued in full once the system is restored.

Nominations Open for “25 Veterans in 2025”

This program recognizes 25 outstanding Veterans from diverse fields, including business, education, healthcare, technology, entrepreneurship, and public service, who continue to inspire and uplift others beyond their military service. If you know a Veteran who exemplifies leadership, innovation, community impact, and is making a difference in their community or profession, nominate them today!

Spring 2026 Enrollment Certifications

Spring 2026 enrollment certification processing begins on November 14. Students who used G.I. Bill® during Fall 2025 and plan to continue G.I. Bill® in Spring 2026 are only required to upload a completed & signed advisor verification to be processed. If G.I. Bill® eligibility has changed since submitting a Certificate of Eligibility for Fall 2025, a new certificate or a screenshot of the current statement of benefits must also be uploaded.

New Spring 2026 students and first-time G.I. Bill® recipients are required to submit a 2025-2026 annual benefit form and must upload an advisor verification form to be processed. For step-by-step instructions, review the New Student Veteran Reservist and Dependent/Spouse To-Do List on Benefits and Forms.

Graduation Ceremony Veteran Cords
Veteran students who are officially listed as Graduation Pending for Fall 2025 may pick up their graduation cord beginning on Tuesday, November 18 at 9:00 AM at the Císar Student Veterans Center, located on the 2nd floor of SCE, room 248. Students will be required to complete a form at the time of pick-up. Congratulations to our graduating student Veterans.

According to the VA 38 U.S.C. § 101(2) provides: The term "veteran" means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. Additionally, 13 CFR § 125.11 provides: Veteran has the meaning given to the term in 38 U.S.C. 101(2). A Reservist or member of the National Guard called to Federal active duty or disabled from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty or while in training status also qualifies as a Veteran. Consider obtaining an official Veteran ID card if you don’t have one. There are several types of identification cards to prove Veteran status. Learn about the different Veteran ID options.

COL Damon T. Arnold (USAR-Ret.)

This is Chevalier COL Damon T. Arnold, who will be featured in the Lighting of the Flame Ceremony on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 7 PM, in celebration of Veterans’ Day and the UIC Men’s Homecoming Basketball game. He holds the following degrees: an M.D. and an M.P.H. from the University of Illinois, as well as an M.A. in Homeland and Defense Security Studies from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) war college. Col. Arnold also completed a Master of Science in Threat Response Management (MScTRM) degree at the University of Chicago.

He completed two residencies, one in Internal Medicine, and one in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Col. Arnold served on the Governor’s Cabinet as the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for four years (2007 to 2011) where he ran an Agency comprised of over 1200 employees with 130 programmatic areas and an annual budget of over 700 million dollars. He received over 70 formal awards and recognitions for his achievements in this capacity. Col. Arnold also served for 26 years in the Army National Guard as the Commander of the Illinois State Joint Task Force Medical Command and as a qualified Blackhawk Helicopter Flight Surgeon. He served two tours of combat duty in Iraq and has received numerous military medals and recognitions including the highly coveted military Legion of Merit (LOM) medal from President Barack Obama. In his roles as IDPH Director and in the military, Col. Arnold was heavily involved in emergency response planning and training. He has published numerous health-related articles and a book on emergency response entitled The Theory of Social Disruption.

Col. Arnold was the co-founder of the master’s in public health degree program at Chicago State University where he served as the Assistant Dean for Health Sciences. He then worked for over seven years before retiring from Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC) - Blue Cross Blue Shield of IL, MT, NM, OK, and TX as a Medical Director. Col. Arnold's duties included work in the predeterminations and claims areas, Special Investigations Division (SID), and IL government programs. He was also formally Knighted into the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem as a Knight Templar. Col. Arnold holds a black belt in Shotokan karate and enjoys oil painting and writing. He lives with his two bosses, his wife Sharon Johnson-Arnold and their bossy cat, Sophia.

Veterans Day Free Meals

To honor members of the military, select restaurants are offering Veterans free meals or beverages on or around Veterans Day, November 11!

LeaderShape Institute 2026

The LeaderShape Institute is a four-day (January 5-8, 2026), immersive experience that challenges participants to clarify their values and create their vision for a just, caring, thriving world. If you are interested in applying for this leadership experience, fill out the application below! The preferred deadline for submission is November 14, with a final deadline of November 21.

Upcoming Events
Join the Student Veterans Affairs Group to stay up to date on all our events and programs. We look forward to seeing you!

CIA Information Sessions
Meet with a CIA representative to learn about opportunities and the hiring process. Open to all majors and academic levels. Must be a U.S Citizen. Attend the CIA Information Session on Monday, November 17 (4 – 5:30 PM) or Tuesday, November 18 (2 – 3:30 PM) in SCE Tower 613. Register for Nov. 17 Session | Nov. 18 Session

Atomic Object is Hiring
Atomic Object is inviting veterans to bring their mission-driven mindset and teamwork skills to software development. Atomic is looking for an entry-level Software Developer (0–2 years of experience) in Chicago.

Job Club: Fall Series
Hosted by The Chicago Lighthouse, this 12-week series will take place on Wednesdays and conducted on a hybrid basis via Zoom or In-Person.

The Císar Student Veterans Center (CSVC) is located on the second floor of Student Center East (SCE) room 248. Go through the Inner Circle food court, turn right (west) at the entrance to the Wellness Center, go past the Wellness Center front desk down the hall through the Commuter Student Resource Center, and you will see the CSVC entrance on the back wall.

Check out this step-by-step guide to the center: VIDEO

Fall hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM


Contributing Editor: Nicolle Velasquez & Fati Jones