Ret. Col. & MTC student honors specialist who helps Veterans

(Bradenton, FL—May 28, 2021) Retired Colonel (U.S. Army) Mike Ryan presented Brittany Burton a plaque on behalf of all the U.S. Military Veterans at Manatee Technical College on Friday. Burton is the financial aid specialist at MTC who specializes in helping Veterans with their VA Benefits. Ryan surprised Burton in Wagner Auditorium at the MTC Main Campus in front of a group of about 60 MTC students and staff, including VA students who have also received help from Burton.

“This plaque is on behalf of all the military veterans at MTC,” said Ryan. “We are so grateful for all you have done to assist us.”
Ryan designed and created the plaque using skills he learned in several programs he has completed at MTC. He began attending MTC in early 2019. He completed Advanced Manufacturing and learned Electrical Instrumentation and Industrial Technology since then. He will graduate from Building Trades in June. He retired from the military in 2006 after 31 years of service and retired again in 2018 after running the JROTC program at the Sarasota Military Academy.

Burton is a graduate of Bayshore High School and a 2016 graduate of MTC’s Accounting Operations program. It was immediately after her graduation from accounting that she joined the financial aid team at MTC. Burton was so surprised by the unexpected recognition, she was shaking.

“Brittany goes above and beyond to help our veteran students,” said financial aid coordinator Patricia Forsythe, “ensuring these vets get all they deserve and helping to make things as easy for them as possible.”
MTC is certified by the Florida State Approving Agency for Veterans Educational Benefits. For more information, visit www.manateetech.edu/.