Paul Smith’s College is working on being more accessible to veterans like these, from left: Cat Heavener; Jackie Hite; Chef David Gotzmer, an adviser to the college’s veterans’ club who was active in the Marine Corps from 1969 to 1972; Josh Robtoy, a forest biology major from Brookfield, Vt. who served in the Marines from 2003 to 2007; and Jeff Bellaire. (Photo by Ken Aaron, Paul Smith’s College)

Several years ago, Josh Robtoy was doing patrols in Iraq, searching houses for rumored weapons and guarding the U.S. Embassy there. Today, he does schoolwork in classrooms at Paul Smith’s College, one of the 14 veterans attending the school this year. With more and more military veterans coming back from the armed conflicts around the world and a new GI Bill that covers more costs for some students, colleges in the area are stepping up efforts to recruit, retain and serve the veterans going to school here. --- One young vet’s story Robtoy, a 24-year-old who grew up in Vermont, spent four years in active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. He served three tours, one in Japan and the Philippines and two in Iraq. In the infantry, he earned a Combat Action Ribbon, which means he was involved with real, on-the-ground combat. He came off active duty on Jan.