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The counsellor also would help with military or Veterans Affairs programs that provide allowances for tuition and books, Devlin said.

Besides supporting soldiers in the academic world, the agreement is intended to raise the profile of opportunities within Canada’s military, and give soldiers a chance to earn a special “leadership notation” through volunteerism and mentorship that would be recognized on their credentials on graduation.

“It provides them a leg up on every other graduate because they have done their military service and their co-curricular leadership-focused volunteer work that will make them a stronger person,” Devlin said.

The deal also will help soldiers connect more closely with the London community, said Col. Joe Robinson, commander of 31st Canadian Brigade Group.

“As a reserve brigade headquartered in London, all of our soldiers are civilians half their time, so this is an opportunity for students at Fanshawe to link their civilian service . . . to their military service,” Robinson said. “It’s an opportunity for us to come closer to the community.”

For those leaving military life, the new partnership will offer a bridge to the civilian world, he said. “It will provide them the opportunity to . . . sort out some skills they didn’t have in the military to transition into that civilian occupation.”

Fanshawe College is the second city school to strengthen ties with Canada’s military recently.

Western University recently launched the Office of Military Academic Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. The office aims to bolster military medicine research and collaborations in the city, and help build a community for military medical trainees at Schulich.

HRivers@postmedia.com