MSU is the only university to  offer veteran health services in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Jackson, Mississippi.
The G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for American Veterans and Mississippi State University has partnered to bring VA services on campus.
The services stations will be located in the Longest Student Health Center and the T.K. Martin Center. The services that will be provided are polytrauma services which include physical, occupational and speech therapies, along with mental health services.
An announcement was made Wednesday about the new partnership. MSU President Mark Keenum, Jackson VA Medical Center Director Joe Battle, VHA Office of Rural Health Director Gina Capra and U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper from District 3 were some of the keynote speakers in attendance elaborating on the program.
Ken McRae, director of the Center for American Veterans, said he feels this program will help students save time and make therapy more accessible.
“This service is to assist students to stay in class and not have to waste a class day traveling to Jackson to receive these treatments,” he said.
The idea came about from the Center for America’s Veterans. This partnership is aimed not only at benefitting students, but also at benefitting people in the local community. The VHA office of Rural Health located in Washington D.C., will  help fund this endeavor.
Interim Vice President Bill Broyles said it continues in the tradition that MSU cares about its VA students.
 “This program can also be used as a recruiting tool to students that we were once not able to reach. This cuts down on loss on class time, and it just makes more sense to have it on campus.” Broyles said.
Further events for the Veterans Center include a Veteran’s Day ceremony today on the Drill Field at 3 p.m. Keenum will be the guest speaker of the ceremony.