Hello, I am Nicholas Whatley and I am a Navy Veteran. In about 2017 I enrolled in Hallmark University’s Airframe and Powerplant Technology Associate’s program to get my civilian aviation certification. I was there for about 18 months. The Associates program coursework was terrible compared to an actual college. There was no real benefit to the Associate’s program.
When I left the school I was never told that I owed the school anything. Last year the VA approved me for the Veteran Readiness & Employment program due to my service connected disability. The program would pay for me to go back to school. I was accepted into my local community college but I could not start classes because Hallmark University refused to release my transcript. Hallmark said I owed $4,000.
My disabilities had left me without work for over 2 years. I wanted to go back to school so that I could possibly find work I could do with my disability. I could not pay Hallmark $4000 when I had only $1700 in fixed income, and I could not get the training to be able to get a job because Hallmark would not release my transcript.
When considering new rules, I hope you will think about ways to make sure student veterans are able to get the education and training that they deserve and need.
Thank you for your time.
Student Veteran Submission- Nicholas Whatley