The commission shall employ veterans education counselors. The veterans education counselors shall:
(1) work with institutions of higher education and any existing veterans programs at those institutions to:
(A) create a hospitable and supportive environment for veterans;
(B) enhance awareness of and encourage participation in veterans educational programs and commission programs providing other services to veterans, including employment and claims assistance services;
(C) develop programs providing ancillary assistance to veterans based on the unique needs of veterans and their family members;
(D) ensure that veterans successfully complete their education; and
(E) promote the establishment of a student veterans group on each campus of those institutions;
(2) work with local, state, and national veterans groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, to promote educational opportunities and benefits to the veteran population;
(3) work with local workforce development boards to:
(A) ensure that the veterans education counselors are aware of available nontraditional educational opportunities, including on-the-job training programs and apprenticeships; and
(B) advise employers of potential opportunities to create on-the-job training programs for veterans;
(4) work with education services officers at military installations to encourage active duty members of the armed forces of the United States and veterans to use federal and state educational benefits;
(5) create and manage publicity campaigns in concert with the commission and institutions of higher education to promote the use of education benefits under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (38 U.S.C. § 3301 et seq.), the tuition exemption program for veterans and their family members under § 54.341, Education Code, and any other education benefit for veterans or their family members under federal or state law;
(6) support programs to assist students who are combat veterans in readjusting and reintegrating into a noncombat environment;
(7) maintain statistical information regarding demographics of veterans assisted, application success, program completion rates, dropout rates, and reasons for success or failure, as appropriate; and
(8) perform other activities, as assigned by the commission, to enhance the educational opportunities of veterans and their family members.