Texan Mosaic

by: SKYLER McCLESKEY/Staff Writer

South Plains College has two new veterans who are heading up the Veterans Affairs Office at the Levelland and Reese Center campuses.

Kristi Simpson is the new Veterans Affairs Benefits and finical aid assistant advisor at the Reese Center campus in Lubbock. Her office is located inside Building 8 in room 804.

“My favorite part of this job is just being able to sit down and talk to these vets who have some awesome stories,” explains Simpson.

Simpson served in the United States Air Force for 10 years. She traveled as far as Kurdistan in Iraq, while being deployed. During the last five years she spent in the Air Force, Simpson worked for the Pentagon in Washington, DC. She has been out of the service for five years now.

“I feel like because I am a vet myself I can relate to these people more and help them out,” said Simpson.

Simpson says that her typical day in the office starts off by checking email and answering phone calls. Then she works throughout the day helping veterans fill out paper work on VA benefits, along with as financial aid forms such as the FAFSA.

Before coming to work for SPC, Simpson worked at the Hockley County Sheriff’s office, where she did administrative work, paper work and oversaw all the records. Simpson is from Levelland, and she loves being able to work for a college that is centered around her hometown.

Outside of work, Simpson enjoys horses and being outside. She descried herself as “outgoing.” She has been married to her high school sweetheart for 18 years. They have two children, one is 14 and the other 11. Simpson says her whole family enjoys riding and raising horses together.

Tim Miller is the new Veterans Affairs Benefits and finical aid assistant advisor at the Levelland Campus. His office is located in the Finical Aid Office in the Student Services Building.

Miller said his favorite part of the job is getting to talk about the ‘good old days’ with different veterans with different experiences.

Miller joined the United State Marine Corps out of high school, and he served for 10 years. While in the Marines, he spent three months in Romania. His time in the Marine Corps involved him handling legal cases, which he says, “has giving me an insight on how to handle day to day situations, which a lot of people do not have.”

Miller is a Levelland native but moved and graduated from Whiteface High School in 2005. After returning home, Miller used his veteran education benefits and attended SPC. Miller graduated with a degree last fall from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history. Miller says he wishes to continue his education in some way that relates to education.

Miller has a 5-year-old son who plays baseball in New Orleans. Before working at SPC, he was a substitute teacher at Seagraves ISD, where his wife is currently teaching. In Miller’s free time, he likes to study the Constitution and follow politics. He enjoys having a full understanding of what is going on around us.