New GI Bill Could Bring More College Benefits

My Thoughts (Not That It Matters)

I came into the United States Air Force in 1980 and served until 2005. When I came in, I did so under the Veteran's Education Assistance Plan, or VEAP. VEAP. even after a maximum contribution, wouldn't pay for a full year of school. Further it would be even more inadequate for anyone who planned to make the military a career because the total you received was never adjusted for inflation. Around 1985 the Department of Defense attempted to rectify the shortcomings of VEAP and initiated the Montgomery GI Bill. The Montgomery GI bill, although much better, still wasn't the complete answer. This new GI Bill is the right and just thing to do for our men and women in uniform today. Some argue that this will entice too many of them to get out after their first enlistment to use these benefits. To this I say so be it. With their military background and college education they will serve as a solid foundation for the future of America. To anyone thinking this isn't fair, join the military and hang around for four years and you can get yours!

AL

Seems that your post of 19 Jun is, in part, answering yours of 23 Jun - Do you have a time machine?

McCains amendments

Who after 12 years gets out of the Army to go to college. Everyone who has served knows after 10 years you might as well stick it out till retirement.

416-12

97% of the house voted for this bill. transferability after 6 years to spouse or after 10 for offspring.

New Movement, Vote Later Today, No Veto

"After overwhelming bipartisan votes for a new GI Bill in the House and Senate, the White House has reached a compromise with House leadership to pass a new GI bill, modeled after Rep. Mitchell and Rep. Brown-Waite’s H.R. 5740. This WWII style GI bill will renew the social contract with our men and women in uniform and their families. This new GI Bill will not only fully fund the cost of an education, it will also allow servicemembers who stay in the military the opportunity to transfer their education benefits to spouses and their children.

The bipartisan agreement reached by the House Majority and Minority Leaders and endorsed by the White House is just one more shining example of the broad bipartisan support for this new GI Bill.

The best news is that the basic benefit structure of HR 5740 is still completely intact; the only substantive changes involve transferability. The White House’s included proposal for a permanent transferability program breaks down like this:

· Six years of service, coupled with an additional service agreement of at least four years grants up to 36 months transferability. This 10-year commitment is similar to what our transferability amendment would have required for full 36-month transferability.

· Spouses would be eligible to receive transferred benefits after the service member has reached six years.

· To transfer to children, the service member would need to serve 10 years before transferring.

· The Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs may prescribe regulations changing the years of service required.

· There are no reporting requirements to Congress as our pilot program amendment had required.

· They have included language to create similar transferability programs in the three existing GI educational benefit programs as well: Montgomery GI Bill (Ch. 30), Montgomery GI Bill-Select Reserve (1606), and the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (1607).

· This transferability program has apparently been scored at $10 billion over 10 years, bringing the cost of the total package to $62 billion.

· There is no offset for the GI bill, tax or otherwise.

This is a big victory for veterans and their families. We hope to see an overwhelming show of bipartisan Congressional support when this bill comes up for a vote later today. "

http://www.gibill2008.org/news/

New Gi Bill

Some people say that the New Gi Bill is to generous.

I ask in return "Are we not worthy of the same rewards of our grand parents?"

I hope the president signs in favor of this bill.

If he vetos the bill I hope its sooner rather than later so his veto can be quickly overturned.

New Gi Bill

Some people say that the New Gi Bill is to generous.

I ask in return "Are we not worthy of the same rewards of our grand parents?"

I hope the president signs in favor of this bill.

If he vetos the bill I hope its sooner rather than later so his veto can be quickly overturned.

lay off him....at least he did his job

I used the GI bill for my BA at UT starting in 1995 and still walked away with $25k in student loans. Luckily I became a commisioned officer and it only took me 6 years to pay it back. I can imagine how paltry the GI Bill benefits are today with the skyrocketed tuition rates.

I'd support either McCains version or Webbs - both provide substantially more than it is providing today. I have 12 months of unused benefits left and would like to pass it on to my son... so I lean towards the McCain version. Webbs amendment to allow transfer to family members require signing on for an additional 6 years, whereas McCains version only calls for a total of 6 years served to pass on 12 months worth (or 12 years for the entire 36 months).

Bottom line is something should be passed to give vets the same type of education benefits like the origial bill did, and I think we are all in agreement on that.

July 4th

I received an E-mail recently, within the last week or so, that claimed the bill will be on the President's desk by the 4th of July. I believe the E-mail was sent to me by GIBill2008.org, but I will not put too much thought into it. Just letting those who did not get the E-mail know. Is it ten days of Congress being in session from the time it hits the President's desk that it needs to be signed? I do not remember honestly, but I know the Farm Bill was vetoed on the 22nd of May and overridden on the 23rd. I will Google it I guess. How long do you guys believe this will take to be enacted if it is passed in July? I heard something like August 2009 on another website, but I still believe that I should not believe everything I read or hear. I feel like hording my GI Bill because of this, but I am not completely sure yet. And once again I think the 18 months in Iraq or 9 in Afghanistan was just Post 911 UT Vet's personal experience. This would be a great victory for OIF OEF vet's in my opinion, but if it doesn't pass the world will keep turning.