SwiftVets.com

[Guest]

By Jay Root
Star-Telegram Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - Carl Basham was born in Beeville, registered to vote in Travis County in 1998, holds a Texas driver's license and does his banking in Austin.

So he was shocked when Austin Community College told him a few weeks ago that he didn't qualify as a Texas resident "for tuition purposes." Basham, a former Marine corporal, said he was even more shocked when officials told him why: After two tours of duty in Iraq, he's been out of the state too long to qualify.

"They told me that I have to physically live in the state of Texas for at least a year," Basham said in an interview Tuesday. "It kind of hurts." Austin Community College officials were unable to specify why Basham isn't considered a Texas resident, only that he didn't meet state requirements as determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. A spokeswoman said privacy laws prevent a discussion of Basham's case.

An official at another college said the fact that he entered the military in another state nearly a decade ago, despite his deep Texas ties, might be the reason.

Either way, two state officials said bureaucratic technicalities should not prevent the decorated veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom from being considered a Texas resident -- and paying about $500 a semester in tuition instead of around $2,600.

"Mr. Basham has gone to war for us, and I intend to go to war for him!" said state Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, in a letter to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. "We owe it to our returning service men and women to make it as easy and uncomplicated as possible for them to resume their normal lives."

Likewise, state Rep. Suzanna Hupp, R-Lampasas, who represents many veterans serving at Fort Hood, said she wants to investigate the matter.

"I think we need to look into it further. It doesn't make sense that people who have bullets flying over their head aren't treated properly when they get back," she said.

The higher education board is investigating the case, an official there said.

Basham, 27, said he has to come up with about $3,000 now to pay for tuition and books as he works toward a degree in emergency medical care. Although he expects to get his college paid for eventually by the federal government, he said those GI benefits won't kick in for several more months, so he's stuck with high out-of-pocket expenses for now.

Basham's wife, Jolie, said an admissions officer at the college kept asking for documents proving his Texas residency. He brought in his driver's license, car registration papers, voter registration card, bank records and tax returns -- all sporting a Texas address.

"She said, 'It's really your military service that's holding you back.' I couldn't believe that those words came out of her mouth," Jolie Basham, a California native, recalled.

She said it stung her husband badly to be told he was not a Texan.

"He's always Texas this and Texas that," she said. "It's always been his home."

Jolie Basham remembered her husband's reaction when he got his car stolen last year while they were stationed in California at Camp Pendleton.

She said the Texas plates had been removed and mangled, but Cpl. Basham refused to replace them.

"He sat there and hammered 'em out and screwed them back on his car," she said. "He refused to get California plates."

Basham, the son of an air traffic controller who often was tranferred around Texas as he moved up the career ladder, lived most of his youth in Waco. During his junior year, he followed his parents to Monroe, La., where he graduated from high school.

It is there that he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Over two enlistments and eight years of service, Basham was awarded a Combat Action Ribbon, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and other decorations. He served as a driver and an auto mechanic in two tours of duty in Iraq, each lasting seven months, he said.

Basham was honorably discharged from the Marines on Jan. 31. He said he got to Texas as fast as he could, but he had to stay in California until his wife, who had pregnancy complications, gave birth in May.

The Texas Legislature has generally gone out of its way to ensure military veterans pay the lowest possible tuition. But it's not a perfect system, and some veterans end up falling through the bureaucratic cracks.

Donna Darovich, spokeswoman for the Tarrant County College District, said the big problem is that Basham entered the service in Louisiana, even though he only lived 1 1/2 years there.

"It basically doesn't matter if you've lived here all your life," she said. "Where you enlist is what kind of sets the stage for residency."

Ray Grasshoff, a spokesman for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, could not say how many returning service members face the problem Basham has encountered. But he said officials were looking into his case now.

"Our staff is trying to talk to the ACC staff and trying to figure out what can be done if anything to resolve the issue," Grasshoff said. "We, of course, support veterans and all they do for the country and want to make sure they get all the benefits they're entitled to."


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© 2005 Star-Telegram and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.dfw.com

Texas official says ex-Marine eligible for in-state tuition Associated Press

AUSTIN - A Texas native who joined the Marines while living in Louisiana is expected to get in-state tuition after all at Austin Community College.

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson late Thursday announced Carl Basham, 27, of Austin, qualifies for a waiver.

"It's been a pretty good day to help one Marine," said Patterson, himself a retired Marine.

Patterson, who also chairs the Veterans Land Board, is preparing a letter for Basham to take to the school on Friday to further prove he is a Texas resident.

The decorated veteran, who served two tours in Iraq, was honorably discharged in January.

The Beeville native's home of record, when he joined the Marines, was Monroe, La.

Basham was denied cheaper in-state tuition because the Austin school said members of the military are presumed to have the same residence as when they enlisted.

But Patterson says Basham changed his official residence to Austin more than a year ago.

The veteran has been registered to vote in Texas since 1998.

Basham also meets two waiver requirements, he has a valid will in Texas, plus he's had a vehicle registered in Texas since 2001, according to Patterson.

He suggested the waiver be broadened by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, or perhaps by legislative action.

Patterson anticipates similar cases with other returning veterans.

[Armybrat/Armymom]

That's Austin for you. Panhandlers welcomed, heroes not.

[I B Squidly]

Arizona on the otherhand doesn't care where your military service took you. They want to collect income tax on it.
_________________
"KILL ALL THE LAWYERS!"

-Wlm Shakespeare

[davman]

Here are the email addresses for the President and Board of Trustees of Ausin Community College. Please take the time to email, and let them know they can not treat our soldiers this way!

President Stephen B. Kinslow, Ph. D
ceo@austincc.edu


ACC Board of Trustees
board@austincc.edu

[dusty]

A beauracrat stepped up to the plate. They got it fixed and he's now a Texan again.

http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=143692&SecID=2
_________________
Left and Wrong are the opposite of Right!

[srmorton]

When I first heard this story yesterday, I could not believe it! I have
been teaching at a community college in Jacksonville, NC, for over 20
years. For those of you who may not know, Jacksonville is the home of
Camp Lejeune, the largest amphibious MCB in the world. We love our
Marines here and do everything we can to help them (as well as their
dependents) qualify for in-state tuition. If they are active duty, married
to an active duty Marine or sailor, or the child of an active duty Marine
or sailor, they are eligible for in-state tuition, no matter what their legal
state of residence is. Even if the guy mentioned in the Texas story is
no longer active duty, as a Texas native he should qualify for in-state
tuition wherever he spent the last year.
_________________
Susan R. Morton

[retire05]

Here are the phone numbers:

Austin Community College Board of Trustees (512) 223-7613
President of ACC (512) 233-7598

I will call all appropriate Texas State senators and congressmen.

This is ********. We can give in-state tuition to friggin illegals but not to a vet? ACC should not only cover all his expenses for the two years he willl spend there, but they should cover his expenses at Texas A & M (not UT, it's too friggin liberal).
But then, that's Austin. The only place in the world were a cross dressing transvestite can run for mayor.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Great news!

They really do things right in Texas as a rule.

Glad to hear that this soldier is getting what he earned.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[retire05]

At least ACC straightened it out, but I am sure that there was more than a little pressure brought to bear.
I am so sick of this crap.
Two tours and the college had the gall to tell him he was not an in-state resident when every illegal in America is given in-state tuition if they can prove they live under a Texas bridge.
Bear in mind, Austin is one of the most liberal cities in our nation. Home of Ronnie Earle and UT who pays Michael Moore-on $25,000.00 to wave his Oscar around.
Since I am sure that the mind set of the ACC hierarchy is anti-war (which is typical for Austin) they had no problem telling this hero he wasn't wanted.
Great school? I hope some day this young hero graduates from Texas A & M and one day all those idiots have to call him "Boss".
I am not going to let this one pass. This is my turf. I will call everyone who will listen and demand that alll vets be given in-state tuition.
Wonder how Rick Perry will like it (he's running for re-election) when he has thousands damanding that our state policy on vets change?

[dusty]

What they need to do is kick Austin out of Texas. Or move the state capitol somewhere else.
Good for you retire05, I'm sure calling my reps and senators. Enough of us Texans let them know how we feel and they will make some changes.

Dusty
_________________
Left and Wrong are the opposite of Right!

[davman]

I'm glad to hear that this was eventually corrected. As far as I'm concerned, any college anywhere should treat any vet like a citizen of that state if he or she so desires!