The post 9/11 GI bill was created to provide active duty members with a free college education, including a monthly housing allowance, and a $500 per semester book stipend. With these benefits, also comes many problems, from many levels. Although the bill is here to provide us with financial assistance, sometimes the rules governing the … Continue reading “Draft Research Paper”
The post 9/11 GI bill was created to provide active duty members with a free college education, including a monthly housing allowance, and a $500 per semester book stipend. With these benefits, also comes many problems, from many levels. Although the bill is here to provide us with financial assistance, sometimes the rules governing the bill starts to become more of a burden rather than a benefit. In many cases, recipients are facing the same or new problems that could have easily been avoided had the rules been changed or improved. Such problems are not only causing a decrease in grades for students, but debt as well! The GI bill requires a few changes regarding the expiration date, administrative discharge eligibility, and overpayment issues because those problems are causing debt/bad credit and extra stress, thus leading to a decrease in academics.
The Student Veterans of America (SVA) held a meeting to discuss improving the GI bill. More than 60 veterans were there! Many proposals for change were suggested, but the two that stood out the most were the 15 year expiration date and administrative discharge eligibility. The current rule regarding the expiration date states that your eligibility expires 15 years after your last period of active duty. Many of us feel as if that should be completely eliminated. If someone puts their life in jeopardy by serving our country for however many years, then why should there be an expiration date to something that will ultimately benefit that person, and in turn, benefit the world. One of the most important things in life is to educate our youth/young adults, that way one day they will become our leaders, inventors, doctors, and teachers. The GI bill can provide that to them, but to put an expiration on its use, only contradicts its purpose.