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Authors, sign in!Many post-9/11 veterans and servicemembers will soon be eligible for a new comprehensive education benefits package. The new bill goes well beyond helping to pay for tuition. Many veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001, will get full tuition and fees, a new monthly housing stipend, and a $1,000 a year stipend for books and supplies. The new bill also gives Reserve and Guard members who have been activated for more than 90 days since 9/11 access to the same GI Bill benefits. The new GI Bill will soon be on its way to the president for signature, he is expected to sign it by July 4. (Military.com)
Finally, our servicemembers will be granted an enhanced benefit that is worthy of the service that they have performed as a citizen soldier, sailor, airman, or marine. This new GI Bill - Chapter 33 or the GI Bill for the 21st Century - is long overdue. It enhances one of the most important benefits for most servicemembers - providing them with the opportunity to receive higher education and thus to enhance their skills in order to continue to contribute and move our nation forward.
This new GI Bill also provides recruiters with a tremendous tool to utilize in their recruiting efforts. I am sure they are currently strategizing how to best use this enhanced benefit in marketing and promoting how military service not only enhances the individual to, using the old Army slogan, "Be all you can be!" But, that military service beyond the enlistment contract will benefit you to continue to grow through learning at an institution of higher education, vocational school, or correspondence courses. Will this increase the recruiting numbers? Will this help citizens to again consider military services as a means to pay for college education? Time will tell...
One of the arguments that John McCain had about the new GI Bill is that it doesn't support the retention of servicemembers beyond their initial enlistment. I am not sure how the current GI Bill supports retention either. I would suggest, that a promotion in rank in the military has become more competitive and that by providing a means for servicemembers to receive higher education, the more likely they may consider re-enlistment in order to receive a promotion or to receive a commission as an officer.
At the end of the day, the important thing to remember is that our servicemembers have volunteered to provide service to their country. Whether it was out of a sense of patriotism, duty to country, or as a means to receive higher education, they have earned the benefits they receive once their enlistment obligation has been met.
For more information about the new GI Bill click here.
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Comments (2)
What a great post, Bill! Thanks so much for talking about this!
Posted by Alicescheshirecat
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June 24, 2008 5:12 PM
Posted on June 24, 2008 17:12
I was astounded to read in your post that George W. Bush is expected to sign the GI Bill. This will be one of the few bills that Bush has not vetoed, and, in fact, I thought that he had previously threatened to veto this bill. Obviously, I haven't been following it well enough! Thanks for updating us all about it. It's very good news.
Posted by Pam Pohly
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June 24, 2008 10:07 PM
Posted on June 24, 2008 22:07