-There are at least four specific reasons why the GI Bill is failing to help US Veterans. First, lower benefits; over the last fifty years the value of the military's educational benefits has dropped dramtically. Today, after contributing a nonrefundable $1,200-$1,800 from their first military paychecks, troops can recieve a total of roughly $45,000 towards their education. It covers only 60-70% of the average cost of 4 years at a public college or university. At a typical private college, GI Bill benefits will not even pay for two years of tuition. Second structural problems; there are several problems with the current GI Bill in terms of how the benefits are calculated and distributed. The GI Bill is paid out in monthly increments, so if under the GI Bill count as income for federal student aid, so veterans see their total support reduced if they use their GI Bill benefits. There have been reports of long delays in receiving GI Bill benefits. More than 118,000 VA education claims are waiting to be processed. Benefits expire, an active duty soldier has ten years to use their GI Bill after leaving the military, but many troops cannot afford to go straight into school. 40% of all students in their higher education are older than the typical college student age. The GI Bill fails to take in account these national trends and increase in inflation. Third, the eligibility issues are that the GI Bill is unfair in the terms of eligibilty. Disabled veterans lose out on the GI Bill Benefits. If a service member is discharged for a disability like me are only entitled to as many months of the GI Bill Benefit as they served in the Military. Fourth, the limitations keep vets from using their benefits. Because of all the challenges and obstacles veterans are troubled on whether or not to even try to get their benefit. In fact although 95% of veterans pay a nonrefundable $1,200 contribution, only 8% of veterans use their whole benefit and 30% of veterans don't use their GI Bill at all. These veterans have contributed an estimated $230 million to the US Treasury but recieved nothing in return. (Reference A)
-GI Bill benefit checks from Department of Veterans Affairs typically arrive months after the semester begins, veterans are often stuck paying thousands of dollars in tuition, fees, and living expenses to enter school. Vets have to choose between going into debt, missing semesters, or exchanging college dreams for low-wage work to support themselves and their families. (Reference B)
-Under today's GI Bill Veterans who served more than three years and are enrolled full-time typically collect $1,075 per month for 36 academic months. (Reference B)
-GI Bill financial Catch 22: No matter when the vet notifies the VA, the agency won't process GI Bill paperwork until the vets school submits a certificate of enrollment. Although the VA accepts certificates 3-4 months before school starts, most schools won't certify students until they actually begin classes. For example last fall the VA took an average of 16 weeks to process paperwork, and they now average between 8-12 weeks. Vets are lucky to get fall tuition payments by Thanksgiving. (Reference B)
-Veterans are falling through the cracks of the GI Bill and the Federal Governments failures with the system.
-On any given night in the year 2006; 194,254 out 744,313 homeless in the United States were United States Military Veterans. (Reference R)
-In Ohio in the year (2005) there were 1,698 homeless Ohio Veterans. Again in Ohio in the year (2006) there were 1,710 homeless Ohio Veterans. (Reference S)
Home
Recommendations
References
Bill Proposal