Cecil Byrd

Background

About Cecil Byrd

Byrd continues to serve as volunteer Executive Director of the DC based National Association of Concerned Veterans (NACV). Byrd is responsible for assisting all military, veteran and dependent personnel with accessing their educational benefits and achieving a successful transition, reintegration and re entry to civilian life through the Great Expectations program model. A major focus is to ensure that returning veterans are linked with immediate employment opportunities in their chosen fields. The Great Expectations Re entry model links students with a variety of resources, services and programs within the DMV as well as with the DVA, DOD, HHS and DOL and local VSOs and support systems. Students use a variety of DOD and DVA educational benefit options: Chapters 30, 31, 33, 1606, 1607, 35 as well as DOD active and reserve Tuition Assistance Programs. Benefits can be used to cover tuition and fees, books, housing, etc. There are programs for military, veterans, veteran dependents, spouses, widows and the children of parents who died while serving. Use the benefits you earned. In addition, NACV works to address the mental health and supportive services for this population working with the various VSOs, agencies and supportive service providers throughout the area.