New GI Bill: 'Investment' in the future

by Mark Silva

President Barack Obama today called a newly enacted GI Bill offering college tuition assistance for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan "an investment in our own country.''

The new bill, the most comprehensive education benefit offered to veterans since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the original GI Bill for World War II veterans in 1944, is expected to offer veterans $78 billion in benefits over the coming decade.

The post-9/11 measure is "not simply a debt that we are repaying to the remarkable men and women who have served ,'' Obama said at a ceremony at a suburban state university campus in Fairfax, Va., today. "It is an investment in our own country.''
'
The maximum benefit available under a law that took effect on Saturday will cover the full tuition at a public college or university for four years for each eligible veteran, Reservist and National Guard member. It also offers a monthly housing stipend and as much as $1,000 a year for books.

For those attending a private institution or graduate school, about 1,100 schools are offering additional scholarships matched by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under the Yellow Ribbon Program, a provision of the new GI Bill, support is available for tuition that exceeds the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition.

The VA already has processed over 112,000 claims for tuition under the new GI Bill, which the president called a tribute to "the men and women who have served since 9/11.''

" While so many were reaching for the quick buck, they were heading out on patrol,'' the president said at the ceremony at George Mason University in Virginia today. " While our discourse often produced more heat than light, especially here in Washington, they have put their very lives on the line for America. They have borne the responsibility of war.''

(President Barack Obama and bill-sponsor Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) are pictured above at a ceremony for the new GI Bill today, photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

" And now, with this policy, we are making it clear that the United States of America must reward responsibility, and not irresponsibility,'' Obama said. "Now, with this policy, we are letting those who have borne the heaviest burden lead us into the 21st Century.

Under the new law, service members who agree to serve four more years in the military also can opt to transfer the tuition benefit to their spouse or children. It's anticipated that nearly a half million veterans or family members could participate in the first year. More than 25,000 service members have applied for the transferred benefit.

While the legislation has been widely praised by veterans groups, concerns also have been raised that universities and the VA could be overwhelmed because of the complexity of the benefit. There have been complaints that veterans attending private schools in states which offer low public tuition face a huge disparity in what they can collect.

To qualify, someone must have served for at least 90 days after Sept. 10, 2001.
The benefits range from 40 percent of the state tuition for those with at least 90 days but less than six months of service since 9/11 to 100 percent for those with at least 36 months of aggregate service or 30 continuous days and a discharge due to a service-related disability.

The tuition and fees and will be paid directly to the schools involved, the month housing and annual book stipends paid to the students.

The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), a decorated Marine veteran and former secretary of the Navy.