Veterans Advantage Delivers Complimentary Memberships to Syracuse University Veterans

Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and Veterans Advantage today announced a campus-wide veteran initiative, providing complimentary one-year Veterans Advantage Card Benefits Program memberships to SU students, faculty and staff who are veterans and active duty military. SU is serving as a national model program, which Veterans Advantage hopes to extend to other universities in the near future.

Organized by U.S. military veterans in 2000, Veterans Advantage has established the nation’s leading card benefits program dedicated to “Giving Back to All Who Serve.” The program’s mission is to deliver new respect, recognition and rewards for active duty, military veterans, retired military, active and retired National Guard and Reservists and their family members, who have served in all branches and periods of service.

Those who enroll with Veterans Advantage receive a benefits package with a personalized military I.D. card, benefits directory, bonus offers and savings benefits as a thank you for service to our country from top patriotic companies. Through the partnership, the IVMF will offer a complimentary one-year membership to veterans and active duty members of the SU community. Veterans Advantage is also providing a complimentary DVD, HBO’s “Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals,” the legendary rivalry between of NBA greats “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird, to each member enrolled in the program.

“The IVMF is happy to partner with Veterans Advantage, a great organization founded by veterans and committed to supporting efforts to recognize and give back to our nation’s service members through partnerships with industry and non-profits. We are pleased to offer this service to veterans and active duty military members within our campus community and to further Syracuse University’s role as a national model of the veteran and military supportive campus,” says IVMF executive director Mike Haynie, Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Whitman School and a U.S. Air Force veteran.

"We are delighted that Syracuse is providing the Veterans Advantage card membership program to those who have served. It is a valuable gift that sends an important message that the University cares and honors its veteran students with real and unique benefits as a thank you for their service," says Vietnam veteran Paul W. Bucha, a Medal of Honor recipient and Veterans Advantage Advisory Board member. "It is exciting to see this next generation of veterans beginning their transition to civilian life with the benefits of a quality university education and a Veterans Advantage membership.

The Veterans Advantage Card is accepted at thousands of participating locations, in addition to benefits available online and by phone 365 days-a-year. Cardholder savings include discounts on travel and entertainment, home and office, everyday shopping, health and wellness and business and financial services from real brand names like Amtrak, United Airlines, Foot Locker, Dell, Greyhound, Verizon Wireless, Apple, Ford, Target, Sirius XM Satellite Radio and many more. Examples of discounts available include a 15 percent discount on Amtrak; up to 30 percent discount on select Dell computers; 20 percent bus travel discount through Greyhound; 15 percent discount on new and existing eligible Verizon Wireless voice and data plans and 25 percent off accessories; and purchase or lease of a Ford vehicle at or below dealer invoice price.

For more information on the complimentary one-year Veterans Advantage Card membership available to veterans and active duty members of the SU community, contact Jared Lyon at the IVMF at (315) 443-0141 or [email protected] with your name, email address and service information. Members of the SU community may also stop into the institute, located in Suite 303 of University College, 700 University Ave.