More than half a century after the GI Bill was first enacted to help send vets to college, politicians and advocates are touting a new proposed bill to expand these benefits. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act was introduced by a number of Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate. Among them is Virginia Senator (and Vietnam vet) Jim Webb whose posted this statement on his Website:
The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act is designed to offer
the brave men and women who have served honorably since September 11,
2001 a level of educational benefits on par with those provided to
veterans of the World War II era.
In a profile of numerous veterans struggling to capitalize on education opportunities after returning home from war, the Washington Post helps to break down where the current GI Bill stands now. The problem is that these benefits can no longer fully fund higher education, as they once did for earlier generations of veterans.
Many people enlist to earn money for college, and almost everyone signs
up for the education benefits -- which, in the case of the main GI
Bill, requires a service member to pay about $1,200 into the plan-- but
not everyone takes advantage of it. And that buy-in is not returned
even if the benefits are unused.
About 70 percent use at least some part of it, said Keith Wilson,
director of the education service, but the VA does not track how many
earn degrees.
An independent study found that just over half use some part of the
benefits, said Ray Kelley of AMVETS, a veterans support group, and only
8 percent use all. "Congress is realizing we're not giving them the
benefits we say we're giving them," Kelley said. "They only have 36
months from the time they start using it to the time they finish." That
means going to school full time, year-round.
Earlier this month NPR's Morning Edition broke down more of the specifics of the proposed bill.
Webb's bill wouldn't cover the entire cost of study at a private
school like George Washington, but it would pay for tuition, fees and
books at the most expensive state university. It would also provide an
allowance for essentials based on the federal cost-of-living estimate.
As an incentive to private schools, the federal government would also
match any scholarship funds awarded to a veteran.
The bill would
also decrease the disparity between benefits offered to active duty
soldiers and those offered to members of the National Guard.
The report also noted the Pentagon's reluctance to the new bill. Officials there are worried that increased education benefits would encourage soldiers to leave the military for college, thus hurting retention numbers.
Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, likened today's planned bi-partisan press conference supporting Webb's bill to the coming together of old rivals:
With the political situation so polarized this election year, it's like
seeing players from the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox sit
down for Sunday afternoon tea.
On the presidential campaign front, Senator John McCain recently unveiled his own GI Bill improvements after receiving criticism for not supporting Webb's bill. According to The Hill:
McCain’s bill is designed to enhance the existing Montgomery GI Bill,
but will compete for Senate votes with Webb’s measure, which already
has 57 co-sponsors, including Democratic presidential hopefuls Sens.
Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.)...
...At the same time, McCain and other supporters of the new bill touted it
as an improvement over Webb’s measure. Some military officials have
worried the Webb bill’s would provide such an incentive for active-duty
military to attend school that it would make it hard for the military
to retain soldiers.
Below are some of the main bulleted points from both McCain's and Webb's proposals. First up, here's Webb's taken from this brief fact sheet:
Increased educational benefits would be available to all members of the military who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001, including activated reservists and National Guard. To qualify, veterans must have served at least three to thirty-six months of qualified active duty, beginning on or after September 11, 2001.
The bill provides for educational benefits to be paid in amounts linked to the amount of active duty served in the military after 9/11. Generally, veterans would receive some amount of assistance proportional to their service for 36 months, which equals four academic years. Veterans would still be eligible to receive any incentive-based supplemental educational assistance from their military branch for which they qualify.
Benefits provided under the bill would allow veterans pursuing an approved program of education to receive payments covering the established charges of their program, up to the cost of the most expensive in-state public school, plus a monthly stipend equivalent to housing costs in their area. The bill would allow additional payments for tutorial assistance, as well as licensure and certification tests.
The bill would create a new program in which the government will agree to match, dollar for dollar, any voluntary additional contributions to veterans from institutions whose tuition is more expensive than the maximum educational assistance provided under S.22.
Veterans would have up to fifteen years, compared to ten years under the Montgomery G.I. Bill, after they leave active duty to use their educational assistance entitlement. Veterans would be barred from receiving concurrent assistance from this program and another similar program.
And, here's McCain's taken from his Website:
An immediate increase in education benefits for active duty personnel to $1500 a month, and to improve retention, those benefits increase to $2000 a month after 12 or more years of service.
Significantly increased benefit for members of the National Guard and Reserves.
Transferability, the ability of service members to transfer their education benefits to dependents. After 6 years, half of the benefit may be transferred and after 12 years 100% may be transferred to a spouse or dependent children.
Student loan repayment. Allows servicemembers to use up to $6,000 per year of Montgomery G.I. Bill education benefits to repay Federal student loans.
Creation of a matching program to help more veterans graduate debt-free. Up to an additional $3,000 per year could be paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs in return for the school retiring some or all of the servicemember’s debt.
Access to Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits for service academy graduates and Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps officers who continue serving.
Builds on existing educational benefits program to ensure rapid implementation with minimal additional administrative costs.
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