A new assistant dean for veterans and ombuds service joined University of Wisconsin staff atop Bascom Hill Monday.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Bechtol, former director of UW’s ROTC, was hired to fill this new position, which was created for the growing number of student veterans. 

While Bechtol said the majority of the position will deal strictly with veterans, approximately 30 percent of his job will put him in contact with the student body as a whole.

Until the creation of the assistant dean for veterans and ombuds service, no comprehensive UW position existed on campus to aid student veterans, though the student-run Vets for Vets and Student Veteran Services provide some assistance.

Bechtol said he is excited to help veterans in various aspects of their life at UW, adding he hopes to be the contact person for all concerned student veterans. 

“My job is dealing and being a single point of contact not with just current veterans, but folks coming off of active duty, service folks who have served in the Guard, and those who have served previously,” Bechtol said. 

The university currently has 592 student veterans in attendance, and officials anticipate a growing number of returned veterans from active duty.

Dean of Students Lori Berquam said in a statement that the new position aims to “approach veterans services in a more holistic manner from years past.”

Returning student veterans face a wide variety of issues, and Bechtol said the new position will consolidate the varying areas on campus from which veteran students may receive benefits. 

“There are a lot of resources in the area,” Bechtol said. “I want to be able to give them options no matter what their issue is.”

Bechtol added he plans on assisting student veterans dealing with deployment, academic and personal issues.