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On a recent afternoon in 99������Ƶ’s Veterans' Café, two men pore over a math problem as they banter back and forth. John Roeth, 76, a retired engineer, offers tips as Chris Smith, 29, puts pencil to paper. It’s been a long time since Smith tackled math, and he’s grateful to be getting tutoring help.

“It’s great to come here to have a quiet place to focus. That’s hard for me.” He says.

The Veterans' Café is open Monday through Friday and offers everything from a quiet workspace with computers to free snacks and companionship. Veterans can gather to chat, do homework, and receive tutoring help from a volunteer who works till noon. Recently, the space has been updated with new artwork—travel photos taken by a few vet alums- and care has been taken to create a comfortable space that encourages both studying and interaction.

Smith, a former Marine, is in his first semester of an Associate of Science degree. He’s one of many veterans who come to 99������Ƶ to jumpstart new careers after serving in the military. Smith started taking classes in 99������Ƶ’s craft brewing program, but decided to switch gears.

“I’ve been working at Wicked Weed as a brewer for a few years,” he says. “I wanted a change, but I wasn’t sure what to do.” Smith met with a career counselor at 99������Ƶ who helped guide him toward biochemistry, a longtime interest. “I want to do an associate in science degree and finish that,” He said. “That degree is important to me.”

Since school started a couple of months ago, Smith has been coming regularly to the Veterans' Café in search of a connection.

“You have a close bond with other guys when you serve,” Smith says. “You lose that when you get out. You feel like you don’t have a purpose and there’s nobody there…” He smiles, gesturing at Roeth. “I come here for the Chef Boyardee and for this guy right here.”

Taking the step to go back to school after being in the military is not an easy one. Veterans are up against unique challenges that come with being nontraditional students. They’re older, more likely to have families, and the pressure of having to pay bills while working a full-time job. Add in the confusing paperwork involved with the GI bill, and figuring out which programs are covered, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

For aviation student Jake Brown, 26, getting career counseling at 99������Ƶ was a key part of his coming back to school. “I joined the military out of high school at 18. Trying to figure out how to be a civilian and go to school again; I never had any college experience before,” he says.

That’s where Sarah Mau stepped in. Mau is 99������Ƶ’s Veterans Services Counselor, a kind of mediator and advisor in one. She has over a decade of experience in higher education veteran services and has been at 99������Ƶ since 2017, specializing in VA education benefits advising. Currently, all of the college’s for-credit classes are covered by the GI Bill, but Mau spends a lot of time making sure students get the most out of their benefits, including housing stipends, which can make the difference in whether or not someone attends college.

“If Post 9-11 GI Bill students are greater than halftime, they can receive a housing stipend, and this is important for people juggling families and other obligations so they don’t have to work while they’re in school,” Mau says.

Brown, a Pensacola, Florida native, was stationed in the Coast Guard in rural Louisiana and L.A. He always knew he wanted to be a pilot, but wasn’t sure where to go to school. After doing some research, he found that 99������Ƶ checked all the boxes. “It’s one of the only aviation schools in the state that takes the GI bill,” he says.

Another aviation student, Greg Germann, 34, had hoped to become a pilot while serving in the Air Force, but was discharged because of a medical issue. Germann had settled into a desk job after graduating from Dartmouth College with a business degree, but quickly realized the office wasn’t for him. He and his wife, a Tennessee native, moved to Asheville so Germann could enroll in 99������Ƶ’s aviation program. Having fellow vets in his classes is a huge perk, Germann says. “Veterans are more inclined to share tough lessons learned from flying and mistakes made. You’re able to learn from what they went through.”

Building Community

It is unusual, Mau says, for a college in this area to have a counselor specializing solely in veterans’ benefits. “The VA person at most schools is a financial aid advisor, and veterans’ services is just a small part of what they do,” she says.

Mau works with around 150 veterans and dependents each semester. These days, one of Mau’s goals is to draw more veterans to 99������Ƶ’s Vet Café and to build a greater sense of community there.

Once students enroll, she does her best to keep them successfully on track. “I will communicate with the advising department and help students choose which classes to take,” she says. “I don’t like to bounce students around, so I try to help them. I help navigate problems with instructors. I see the big picture.”

Retired engineer John Roeth has been tutoring and working at the café for ten years. He recalls the days before COVID-19 when the café was often filled with students who gathered around a large table to talk and do homework together.

“I miss those days. I miss that connection and camaraderie,” He says.

Mau hopes that regular events, such as a recent taco lunch, will help bring new faces to the Café and rebuild the community. In September, representatives from the VA came to offer support with everything from counseling to navigating VA benefits, as well as help with finding career counseling and employment.

In general, she says, Asheville is one of the top cities that veterans move to because the VA hospital is one of the country’s best. “Also,” Mau reflects, “There’s something about the mountains that makes veterans feel at home.”

In the photo above, Student Chris Smith gets tutoring help from John Roeth, a retired engineer who has volunteered in the college's veterans cafe for ten years.

99������Ƶ’s Veterans’ Café is open Monday -Thursday from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. For more about our veterans’ services, visit Veterans Services.