The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has been designated a Military Friendly School for the 2021-2022 Military Friendly Cycle.
Military Friendly was created in 2003 as an advocacy vehicle to encourage civilian organizations to invest in programs to recruit, retain and advance veterans as employees, entrepreneurs and students. A trademarked name, Military Friendly is owned and operated by VIQTORY—a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business.
According to its website, the Military Friendly designation “creates better outcomes for veterans. By setting a standard, then promoting it, we provide positive reinforcement for American organizations to invest in programs that improve the lives of veterans.”
“I think it’s great the University is focused on active-duty National Guard and any still-serving service members,” said Capt. A.J. Herink, head of the UTC Department of Military Science. “It very much makes my job a lot easier when mom and dad are looking at where to put their children into a program. If they’re looking at an ROTC program and see that it’s associated with the University, I think that’s kind of the icing on the cake.”
“The Chattanooga ROTC program might be a great program by reputation, but if the University is not deemed military friendly, is that really where I want to put my son or daughter? Chattanooga had a very good reputation for being service member-friendly even before this happened. I think (this designation) is kind of like the cherry on top of it all.”
Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey, with over 1,200 schools participating in the 2021-2022 process. Final results and ratings were determined by combining an institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet minimum thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment and loan default rates for all students and—specifically—for student veterans.
“Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Military Friendly National Director of Military Partnerships Kayla Lopez in the organization’s announcement. “This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve designation show true commitment and dedication in their efforts. Our standards assist schools by providing a benchmark that promotes positive educational outcomes, resources and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community.”
The complete 2021-2022 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine.
To learn more about veteran and military programs at UTC, please visit the Veteran Support Services web page.
