By Staff
Following World War II, our nation's "greatest generation" returned home to a remarkable opportunity: a G.I. Bill that fully funded their college education. Over the years, subsequent generations of veterans have received diminishing benefits.
But in May the U.S. Senate passed a 21st Century G.I. Bill to provide veterans of the post-9/11 era with expanded educational benefits, similar to those provided by the original G.I. Bill, which will help them re-enter civilian life and strengthen our nation.
In these difficult economic times, paying for a college education is high up on the list of worries, a list that is already too long. We have read the stories of returning veterans having to work at night so they can attend school during the day – even with their current G.I. Bill benefits. Our service members certainly deserve assistance to help them pursue an education and return to civilian life without facing steep financial challenges.
The 21st Century G.I. Bill, which I cosponsored, would provide funding to any veteran who has served on active duty for at least three months since September 11, 2001, with increasing benefits for those who served up to 36 months or more. The maximum benefit would cover the cost of any in-state public school tuition and fees for four academic years.
Furthermore, the bill would establish a program under which colleges and universities, including private schools, may voluntarily contribute additional money to veterans to make up the difference between what their school charges and what the new GI Bill benefits would provide.
Under this program, the government would match the schools' contributions dollar for dollar up to 50 percent of the difference. The bill also includes $300 per month in additional assistance (or over $10,000 over 36 months) for service members who serve on active duty for at least five consecutive years.
Together, these measures promise to have wide-reaching benefits for our armed services, for our economy, and for our veterans and their families. The 21st Century G.I. Bill would help the armed services overall by improving recruitment of new service members. And when these veterans enter the workforce, their education and training will have positive effects that spread through our nation's economy.
Earlier G.I. Bills provided education to generations of our nation's leaders, including three former presidents, 12 former senators, 14 Nobel Prize winners, and numerous leaders in the private sector. This sterling record explains in part why the 21st Century G.I. Bill received overwhelming bipartisan support.
Aside from the immediate benefits of this legislation, my hope is that young people across our nation come to associate military service with a free, quality college education. Our message to recruits – and indeed to every young person in America – should be: after you serve us, we will serve you. A grateful nation will pay for your college education.
The men and women of our armed forces today will produce many future leaders of this nation, and we owe them and their families a comprehensive plan to pay for training and education beyond high school.
We must do everything possible to assist these brave men and women in the transition back into civilian life, and to provide the tools that allow them to thrive and prosper in their post-service lives.
I hope that Congress will pass this legislation soon and that President Bush will sign it into law.
Carl Levin is the senior U.S. senator from Michigan.