The Veterans Center is set to have a grand opening celebration 1 p.m. next Tuesday in the Student Services Center, after officially being open for about half a year

“The Veterans Center is going to be a place where veteran students can meet other veteran students,” Esperanza Nieto, assistant director of Admissions and Records, said.

“They can also submit their paperwork for the Veterans Affair benefits,” she added.

During the grand opening celebration, the program will include some remarks from a student veteran Scott Hookey and a keynote speech by Lt. Col. Robert Friend who was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen.

The services at the new center includes access to computers, study area, workshops and on different Veterans Affair and medical benefits by Veterans Administration, Martha Angel, Veterans Certifying Official, said.

Angel added that it is designed to have different veterans around campus connect with one another.

The Veterans Center will also host a tour and will unveil the paintings that have been donated by the South Bay Folk Artist.

Sherman Watson, 29, political science major, is one of the veterans to utilize the new Veterans Center and he also said that his past experiences of serving in the military has helped him.

“I use my skills from (the Marine Corps) to stay on top of things and be more organized,” Watson said. “Every one follows the rules in the Marine Corps but here you’re dealing with a lot of different people.”