A message from LTG. (Ret.) Colby M. Broadwater, III
The American College of the Building Arts has been fortunate to have Veterans as apart of our student body since 2012. Veterans bring a unique perspective to the classroom based on their experiences and service to our Nation. As a Veteran (and we have other Veterans on the staff), I joined ACBA after having seen the unique learning experience that is offered and the opportunities for both externships and post-graduation employment with the skills you learn here. Charleston, South Carolina, offers so many opportunities to live and learn in a built environment like no other.
We all look forward to showing you why we believe ACBA can offer you a course of instruction like no other and having you join us in mastering a set of skills with our educational process. All of us here want to thank you for serving and look forward to answering any questions you may have.
Why do Veterans choose ACBA?
"ACBA has given me the opportunity to develop a new and exciting career path after my previous military service. I was hesitant to take a leap of faith and start over in an unfamiliar career direction, but ACBA understood and helped me feel as if I was in the right place....and I was! I discovered that I had an unsurfaced passion of Architecture and Drafting that I would have never realized, until ACBA brought out the potential for me to expand in this profession. It was an immediate welcoming experience and I am extremely impressed with how invested the professors, faculty and staff are with the quality education and the well-being of students."
Shannon Depiesse, Class of 2019
"I chose ACBA because I was looking to pursue a career as an artisan. ACBA not only helped me get started on this path but also guided and educated me to a point that I am now able to, not only work alongside but compete with individuals who have been working in the trades their entire careers. I was hired right after graduation to do high end custom millwork and I have had no problem keeping up. ACBA has also provided me with a fantastic network, that I am sure will pay dividends for many years to come."
Phil Jacob, Class of 2016
Transcripts
All Veterans must submit any previous transcripts to ACBA before beginning classes. Transcripts will be reviewed by the Office of the Registrar with any transferable courses awarding transfer credits. It is a VA requirement that all colleges review any previous transcripts.
Additionally, all Veterans are eligible to obtain a transcript from JST. These transcripts are comprised of all training you have participated in during your service and serve as a way to transfer in potential elective credits!
Click here to go to the JST website to obtain a copy of your transcript!
Additional resources
ACBA works closely with a local Charleston Veteran advocacy center called the Palmetto Warrior Connection. PWC helps Veterans find housing, employment, and work with their benefits.
Any Veteran students with additional questions should look toward PWC. They are hugely accommodating and highly recommended by ACBA.
Feel free to visit PWC at this link!
Contact Us
Mr. Chad Urban at
urbanc@acba.edu
Phone: 843-577-5245
Fax: 843-764-9832
Monday - Friday 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Mailing Address:
Office of Veterans Affairs
649 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29403
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) is available for those who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces. MGIB encompasses both the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (Chapter 30) and the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606).
Under Chapter 30, Active Duty members enroll and pay $100 per month for 12 months; and are then entitled to receive a monthly education benefit once they have completed a minimum service obligation. Under Chapter 1606, a reservist must be actively drilling and have a 6-year obligation in the Selected Reserve to be eligible.
For the purposes of determining your BAH rate, you are considered to be an E-5 with dependents stationed in the same ZIP code as your school (29403). This means you can either look up a basic DoD pay chart, or use the Defense Department BAH calculator to determine how much you can expect to be paid every month.
Keep in mind that this rate could be lower if you have less than 100 percent Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility or if you’re not a full-time student. 2016 Post-9/11 BAH Rates are also prorated by how much of the month was spent in classes. This means during summer externships, don’t expect a July payment, and if Spring classes don’t start until mid-January, you’ll see a February payment that is half of the normal rate.