Norwich — At first, it was hard for Daniel Docker to assimilate. He came with a different mindset and life experiences from many of his peers.

But a refuge at Three Rivers Community College helped to change that. The college first opened its Operation Academic Support for Incoming Service Members, or OASIS, center in the spring of 2011.

The center, a lounge located on the second floor of the college's main building, can only be used by student veterans, active duty military and their dependents, who go there to unwind during the school day, do school work, and be around fellow veterans.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., on Tuesday visited the center, which serves the roughly 350 student veterans and 100 military dependents at Three Rivers.

Last week, the center was visited about 80 times, according to Docker, the center's student coordinator, who Blumenthal met with briefly to discuss campus resources and support for veterans.

Docker, 61, of New London described his studies at Three Rivers as preparing him for this third career. He's studying criminal justice and security administration with the hopes of teaching the latter one day.

He served in the military — first the Navy, then the Army — from 1973 to 1989. After getting out of the military he worked as an emergency medical technician, he said, before suffering an injury, which led him to leave the job because he didn't' trust that he wouldn't have a "brain fart."

Docker has run for state office as a Republican against Democratic State Rep. Ernie Hewitt and State Sen. Andrea Stillman. He now runs his own business, he said.

Three Rivers pays Docker to work as student coordinator for 10 hours a week, but he makes himself available 24/7. He helps to connect students with information and groups, and answer questions they may have about school.

Every institution in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System, which enrolls more than 2,600 self-identified veterans, has an OASIS center.

Legislation passed in 2015 required a study to be conducted of OASIS centers, evaluating and assessing programming, and to specifically identify successful programming at the centers.

The study, conducted by the system, found that all centers provide "fairly robust" programming, including readjustment support, Veterans Day ceremonies, scholarships and school supplies, and other other programs.

The structure of the OASIS centers vary by institution, with some being staffed with student workers and others with a full-time staff member, the study found.

"Institutions without a full-time staff member report an interest and need to have a person dedicated to this role," the study said. "Based on the reports received from each OASIS center, there is enhanced programming and additional academic support and advocacy at centers that have this full-time professional."

The colleges and universities system is working to bring the OASIS coordinators together on a regular basis to discuss successes and challenges, and to ensure collaboration.

j.bergman@theday.com