Texas A&M University has been awarded the highest distinction as a Gold Recipient of the Texas Veterans Commission’s 2025 Veteran Education Excellence Recognition Award (VEERA). The award recognizes colleges and universities that provide excellence in education and services to student veterans.

Texas A&M continues to lead in innovative programming and resources for the university’s 1,272 undergraduate and graduate students who previously served or are currently serving in the United States military. Support begins even before veterans arrive at Texas A&M with the guidance of the Military Admissions Office, which offers transitional support, admissions counseling and readmission assistance for student veterans. 

The Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center (VRSC) is the central hub for student veterans at Texas A&M, providing scholarships and financial assistance, career preparation, academic support and more. Serving student veterans in a distance education program or on a satellite campus — in addition to those located on the main campus — Texas A&M meets every student veteran where they are to ensure that they receive the care and resources they need. 

“Achieving Gold-level status from the Texas Veterans Commission for VEERA is not easy. It requires focused and consistent effort from departments and programs across the institution,” said VRSC Director Lt. Col. John Fleming ‘94, USMC (Ret.). “This achievement demonstrates publicly how much Texas A&M values its veteran and military student population and how the programs and services we have in place prove that value every day.”

The VRSC collaborates with offices across campus to foster a community of support for student veterans. This includes mental health resources from University Health Services and one-on-one advising from Aggie One Stop and the Office of Student Success. Scholarships are also offered through the Texas A&M University Foundation and the Association of Former Students. By connecting student veterans to a variety of services and organizations, the VRSC helps them succeed academically, personally and in their transition after military service. 

Texas A&M continues to grow its network of support for student veterans through partnerships outside of the university. A recent partnership with the Brazos County Veterans Service Office has established on-campus office hours at the VRSC in the Memorial Student Center, enabling student veterans to meet more easily with county services. By bringing services directly to campus, the initiative helps student veterans and their families receive the full benefits and entitlements provided by federal and state law without the hassle of scheduling around their classes and other commitments. 

Administered by the Texas Veterans Commission, VEERA is awarded to higher education institutions that meet criteria such as offering student organizations, academic support, mental health and disability services and housing policies for veterans. Colleges and universities are designated at the Gold, Silver or Bronze level.