What’s the G.I. Bill?
Congress passed, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944, known as the G.I. Bill, to aid World War II veterans. The G.I. Bill now refers to education benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including grants and stipends, for active-duty service members, veterans, and their families.
Understanding G.I. Bill
Under certain conditions, honorably discharged veterans and their families can receive G.I. Bill. benefits. The GI Bill covers several forms of training. The college offers associate, bachelor, and advanced degrees. Also addressed are vocational and technical training and non-college degree programs. Includes on-the-job training, apprenticeships, licensing, and certification reimbursement. Covered are flight, correspondence, work-study, tuition, and tutorial support. Veteran wives and children get education and career training from Survivors and Dependents Assistance.
The Yellow Ribbon Program covers tuition costs not covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill.3. Tuition Assistance Top-Up helps with college expenses. 6 The $600 Buy-Up Program boosts monthly GI Bill payments. V.A. educational benefits recipients can receive tutoring through Tutorial Assistance.
G.I. Bill History
Although amended, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, which created the GI Bill, provided veterans with small business loans, mortgages, and education subsidies after WWII. 1 The GI Bill is one of Congress’s most important 20th-century laws. After WWI, veterans’ struggles to reintegrate into civilian life and the workforce fueled the bill’s success. The Bonus Army marchers in 1932 protested the Great Depression and lack of assistance. After the war, the GI Bill led to more college-educated Americans as soldiers chose to pursue degrees instead of returning to work. In 1947, when the GI Bill was most popular, 49% of college admissions were to veterans.
The first GI Bill expired in 1956, and over half of veterans chose technical training or college. G.I. Bill updates since 1944 include the 1984 Montgomery GI Bill, the 2008 Post-9-11 G.I. Bill, and the Vocational Rehabilitation and Education Program. Veterans who served two years on active duty receive MGIB-AD payments. The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) benefits the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard. Veterans who served after Sept. 10, 2001, can use the Post-9/11 GI Bill for school or employment training.
Conclusion
- The federal GI Bill provided financial and social advantages to returning WWII soldiers.
- Since its beginnings, the law has evolved to offer education benefits to active duty members and honorably discharged veterans.
- These advantages apply to vocational and technical training.
- Besides the GI Bill, the Yellow Ribbon Program provides military benefits.
