Increasing the Educational Benefits of War Veterans Essay

It is tough to be an American soldier. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the mainland, the United States of America has been on the offensive in hunting down the terrorists responsible for the crime. The US launched a war against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and a few years after in Iraq. And in order to sustain the offensive, more American youths are drafted to join the military. America’s military men and women serve as national role models for their selfless sacrifice. They spend more than a year in the front lines combating terrorists, insurgents and help liberating foreign lands from the tyranny. Soldiers help rebuild war torn nations through much needed infrastructure and by introducing democracy. But as the war on terror drags, the number of enlisted men killed in encounters increase day by day. More and more troops return home suffering from debilitating injuries, not just the physical but including invisible scars of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The patience and vigilance of America’s military men and women have preserved peace, stability and helped fulfill the nation’s destiny. It is therefore reasonable that they receive all the needed support and remuneration after serving the country. War veterans acquire assistance and benefits through the G. I. Bill. The original G. I. Bill officially known as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 provided college or vocational education (covered full tuition at public or private schools, fees, books, and a living stipend) for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as or G. I. ’s) as well expensive healthcare. It also provided loans for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses (Hyman 1986). The G. I. Bill helped around 7. 8 million the World War II veterans re-adjust to civilian life. The unprecedented educational opportunity immensely transformed the American society. A whole generation of blue-collar workers became engineers, doctors, lawyers, teachers and entrepreneurs (Humes, 2006). The G. I. Bill was one of America’s most successful investments. According to the 1988 report for Congress’s Subcommittee on Education and Health of the Joint Economic Committee by 1952, the US government had spent $14 billion (1952 dollars) on educational and job training benefits for 7. 8 million veterans. Of these funds, $7 billion was spent on college and graduate school for 2. 2 million G. I. ’s. ? The first benefit from this investment was increased growth in the economy. The report calculated that about 40 percent of those who took advantage of the G. I. Bill would not otherwise have been able to attend college. The extra output those people created in the economy amounted to $35. 6 billion (1952 dollars after factoring out inflation) over the next 35 years. There is no doubt that better educated veterans have higher income levels that will inevitably increase tax revenues. For instance according to the same report, for every $1 invested in education under the original G. I. Bill of 1944, the government received at least $6. 90 in return economic benefits such as increased tax revenue. Unfortunately at present time, the educational benefits provided for by the G. I. bill is not enough to cover even the educational expenses of the war veterans. The sad reality is that while the cost of an education has increased, the benefits available to veterans have decreased. To obtain a college education, veterans must pay their own tuition, room and board and other college costs and then are reimbursed only up to their eligible benefit amount over the course of the semester. In 2005-2006, the average cost of a four-year college (tuition, fees, and room and board) topped $17,000 a year. Yet full-time G. I. benefits covered barely more than half those expenses (USA Today, 2008). All these limitations effectively put the dream of higher education out of reach for far too many soldiers who have served the nation in the current wars. As the war on terror drags, the prospect of serving the country among young Americans appears gloomy. A sound G. I. Bill is critical to the military in meeting its recruitment goals and attracting high-quality college-bound high school graduates. In order to ensure a steadier stream of good recruits, the government must enact legislation that would increase the benefits received by the war veterans. Investing on American war veterans through the GI Bill proved to be one of the most rewarding investments the country had. We must renew the commitment to a new generation of men and women who have served our country with extraordinary courage and distinction. In so doing, they will achieve the better lives they so richly deserve and we will secure a better America. We need a revamped GI bill that would address the educational needs and other benefits of our war veterans. I propose that the veterans committee provide an increase in the educational benefits or if possible award the same benefits received by the World War II veterans to the new generation of US war heroes. References Labor Institute and Public Health Institute (1997). Corporate Power and the American Dream: Toward an Economic Agenda for Working People. New York: Apex Press. Hyman, H. M. (1986). American Singularity: The 1787 Northwest Ordinance, the 1862 Homestead and Morrill Acts, and the 1944 G. I. Bill. University of Georgia Press. Humes, E. (2006). Over Here: How the G. I. Bill Transformed the American Dream. Harcourt Brace. Marklein, M. B. (2007, June). How Far Do G. I. Benefits Go? USA TODAY. Retrieved: April 20, 2008 from USA TODAY website: http://www. usatoday. com/news/education/2007 07-10-gi-bill-report_N. htm Subcommittee on Education and Health of the Joint Economic Committee (1988). A Cost Benefit Analysis of Government Investment in Post-Secondary Education Under the World War II GI Bill.