U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, was in Kalispell Wednesday morning to honor Northwest Montana’s veterans.

Tester helped dedicate Flathead Valley Community College’s Veterans Center, an on-campus facility in the Learning Resource Center aimed at accommodating veterans.

While there, Tester also presented medals — including the Bronze Star — to the family of World War II veteran Robert Hansen. Hansen’s family members accepted the medals.

Tester is a member of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies. He’s gone on record in the past to honor Montana’s many veterans. The Big Sky State is second in the union in veterans per capita, and Northwest Montana leads the state in that regard.

FVCC President Jane Karas offered comments along with Tester and college Veterans’ Affairs Specialist Sherry Taylor.

Student veteran Brandon Barthel, vice president of the FVCC Veterans Association, also spoke before the ribbon cutting.

The Veterans’ Center opened last fall in a “soft opening” to assist students and faculty members who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Many veterans find it difficult to relate to other students on campus, and the center is designed to allow veterans to talk to others who may have been through what they have.

The 560-square-foot facility also allows veterans to access resources and get information on their VA benefits. It is equipped with a lounge, computers, study tables, a kitchenette, restroom and “quiet room” for veterans.

In a column Karas penned for the Community College Journal last fall, she noted 128 students were receiving some sort of Veterans Affairs education benefits. The center’s opening was part of a push to help track the number of veterans on campus and cater to their specific needs.

The number of veterans is expected to grow substantially in the next few years.

Christina Ryan, an employee of the Kalispell Vet Center, comes to campus several times a month to help those students who need assistance with benefits or otherwise.

The center was funded by a $30,000 grant from the Montana Office of Commissioner of Higher Education.