As a boy growing up in the small town of Williams, Arizona,

Veteran Services Coordinator at Coconino Community College,

Reuben Salazar, was told that there were two kinds of kids in

school: those that went to college and those that didn’t. Salazar

was told that he was one of those who was not going to

college and for many years he believed it. Since he was not going

to college, Salazar, chose a path that many small town young people made; a future with the military. Little did

Salazar know at the time that his choice would eventually lead him

to something he was told he would never obtain: ironically, a college

degree.

Thanks to the benefits he earned through his 26 years of service

(6 in the Navy and 20 in the Army) and with the encouragement

of a friend, Salazar started attending classes at Northern Arizona

University upon his honorable discharge. While in the

Army, Salazar held the position of a recruiter, for 8 years. One

of those years he was named Recruiter of the Year for the state

of Arizona. As a recruiter, Salazar often stressed the educational

benefits the military offered. His ability to talk to young

people and his knowledge of the military’s educational

benefits eventually helped him land a job at Coconino Community

College in 1999. Through hard work and perseverance,

Salazar eventually earned the degree

he was told he would never have in

2008. Along the way he has helped hundreds

of returning veterans utilize their educational

benefits.

Salazar said, “When I started using my benefits to

get an education, it was pretty simple and easy

to understand with little accountability for the

veteran.”Today it’s not that way at all, it’s much

more complicated and more is expected of the

veteran using the benefits.” One of the many complexities

to veteran educational benefits is the fact that veterans

from before the first Gulf war in 1991 have

different benefits than veterans from before the war in 1991.

Now benefits for veterans enlisting after the 9/11 War on Terror

have different benefits from all the other veterans.

“The many complexities surrounding veterans benefits

are why it’s so important to have someone like Reuben in

place to help the veterans. In addition to his knowledge,

Reuben also offers something intangible that makes him so valuable

to our organization and the veterans we serve,” said Director

of Financial Aid, Bob Voytek.

When interviewed, it is obvious Salazar cares, relating a story

about a young lady who was recently honorably discharged.

Salazar said, “She was on the fence about going to college,

and when I asked her why she was considering it, she said that

a friend had been suggesting she give it a try. I told her I had a

friend like that once and that she too had a very good friend who

was giving her some very good advice”.

CCC is proud to have someone that has been a friend to so many

truly making CCC a veteran-friendly choice for returning vets wanting

to use the educational benefits they earned during their years

of service. For more information on financial aid and veteran benefits go to www.cocnino.edu.