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GI Bill Provides Educational Opportunities for Veterans
Information provided by Natasha Bright - Published: 2010-08-01
Online college offerings might help ease what National Public Radio has called the "combat to campus" transition for the veterans benefits offered by the new and existing GI bills.
The U.S. Armed Services offers education benefits under Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills. Where the Montgomery bill provides average college and university tuition costs, its Post-9/11 counterpart (intended specifically for those who provided service on or after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks) provides living and book expenses. According to the Department of Veteran's Affairs, tuition up to the amount of the most pricey public institutions in states where the schools are located is also offered.
Nearly 300,000 American veterans have this year applied for tuition benefits, according to an April report in the Austin American-Statesman. Institutions of higher education in Texas, Massachusetts and Georgia have cited veteran enrollment increases since the Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect in 2009, reports show. But the transition from combat to campus can be difficult, a National Public Radio report suggested. Veteran students can suffer from anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse, reporter Karen Brown of NPR member station WFCR said. Veterans might also find it difficult to concentrate, relax, forge connections with non-veterans and feel part of a college community, the Austin American-Statesman article noted.
Online college programs allow students to participate in studies from their own space, and deployed service members in remote locations have for some time been among the students. Online college students might interact with others via message boards and enhance their technology skills. Some online degree programs provide academic credit for military efforts.
The GI Bill dates back to 1944, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed off on what's formally known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act. The program reportedly allowed financing for home loans and small businesses, as well as tuition. It was reportedly intended to prevent another Great Depression. By 1956, when the program is said to have ended, nearly 8 million veterans reportedly participated in educational programs. Where today's Montgomery bill tuition assistance only rates are fixed, Post-9/11 bill tuition, living and book financing depends in part upon length of service and area of residence, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports. Some veterans eligible for Post-9/11 benefits can pass unused education benefits onto their spouses and children, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Online college programs, which have grown in terms of enrollment and the number and variety of degree programs, including vocational training, offer veterans the option of taking classes entirely online or participating in "hybrid" offerings where they spend time on campus as well. In addition, reports from the Palm Beach Post and American-Statesmen suggest colleges and universities (much as they did in the 1940s) are working to make themselves more veteran-friendly in the way of new and expanded student groups, employee education efforts and guidance and financial advice programs.
To make up any differences between online college tuition costs and GI Bill reimbursements veterans can apply for scholarships, fellowships and grants. A "Yellow Ribbon" program is what some institutions participate in, voluntarily contributing tuition money. The Department of Veterans Affairs then matches those funds, creating more opportunity for veterans.
Veterans must have completed at least 90 days of service on or after Sept. 11, 2001 or have been discharged after 30 days as a result of a service-related disability to be eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports. Information and eligibility determination can be obtained at the website of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill. To secure education benefits, Veterans Affairs recommends texting GIBill to 99702.
Veterans benefits have expanded and are more comprehensive today than ever before. Changes made to the GI Bill affect not only veterans, but their families. It's a good idea to take a good look at something you've worked hard to earn.
- This web page is from the Disabled World Disability Education section which provides: Education for persons with disabilities including scholarships and learning difficulties dyslexia dyscalculia and dysgraphia.
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