NATIONAL NEWS — In the wake of the recently proposed bill
that would cover in-state tuition for National Guardsmen, it is necessary to
closely look at current federal legislation governing postsecondary education
for U.S. veterans: the GI Bill.
Originally passed in 1944 as the Servicemen’s Readjustment
Act, its most recent edition theoretically provides GIs with the opportunity to
receive up to a maximum of $36,141 over 36 months to pay for college tuition.
Unfortunately, many veterans do not see the original total
promised to them, and even if they do receive an amount close to that number,
the process’ bureaucratic loopholes and complicated stipulations confuse many
soldiers, frequently marking returns from duty with uncertainty. According to
the Finding Alternatives to Military Enlistment Web site, the average payout
for veterans is a mere $2,151, which is not even enough to cover UCSD fees for
one quarter.
A major criticism levied at the GI Bill deals with
recruiting issues — people on both sides of the political spectrum have
condemned the tactics employed by the military in order to get civilians to
enlist. While tales of straight-out lies and false promises abound, an
indisputable fact is that one of the main recruiting guarantees is a
military-funded college education after a soldier’s tour of duty is completed.
For any student wanting to attend a four-year university,
$36,000 is nowhere near enough money. Consider also that the total amount that
the military has given to veterans through the GI Bill is only one-eighth the
amount it has spent on recruiting, according to the American Friends Service
Committee, a group that performs service, development and peace programs
worldwide.
So why are many enlisting soldiers still under the
impression that their education will be covered by the military? One of the
reasons might be that recruiters often throw around the number $70,000, telling
enlistees that much will be accessible to them upon returning to civilian life.
It’s true that servicemen can be given 70 grand for college, but just not under
the GI Bill, as is the general perception. The $70,000 is from of the Army/Navy
College Fund, which only about one in 20 soldiers are even eligible for.
On top of not having access to necessary college funds,
veterans must pay a nonrefundable deposit to the GI Bill to even be considered
for its benefits later on. To qualify for the GI Bill, a serviceman has to pay
$100 every month for the first 12 months of active duty, an amount that would
theoretically be repaid in the future.
But if a veteran is given a less-than-honorable discharge
(as around one in four are), leaves the military in fewer than three years (as
one in three do) or decides later on to not even go to college, the military
keeps every single penny of that $1,200.
This year, a group of veterans attending UCSD formed the
Student Veterans Organization, hoping to build a supportive community for
veterans on campus and create a forum to better educate their peers on how to
successfully maneuver the muddled GI Bill. The group has about 20 members,
representing UCSD’s just-over 200 veterans.
six years in the Navy, the first four as an electronics technician specializing
in satellite communications and the last two as a search-and-rescue swimmer.
Matson will graduate in December with a degree in human biology and plans to
attend dental school. His experience with the GI Bill is typical of veterans:
He returned from his tour of duty and attended junior college before
transferring to UCSD. According to Matson, the GI Bill is very complicated, and
makes enrolling and graduating within a normal timeframe very difficult for
veterans.
“The only downfall is that you only get 36 months worth of
benefits,” Matson said. “If you only go to school part time, then you only get
paid for part time and it will still count toward your 36 months. It can be a
real hassle when you’re taking classes at different schools and the sessions
overlap or leave gaps.”
Last summer Matson took one class during each UCSD summer
session, two classes at
and a class at
— the equivalent of 20 units. But because
the junior college classes ended in August and UCSD ended in September,
he only received part-time funding.
The problem he raises is a crucial one. The military only
gives veterans a span of 36 months to complete their education. While some are
fortunate enough to obtain their degree before the 36-month deadline expires,
many people switch majors, endure personal problems or simply need extra time
to decide their academic futures. Similarly, a veteran who attends a vocational
or two-year school does not have access to the supposed $36,000, but is instead
paid only for the shorter amount of time they choose to attend school.
Kenyon Ralph, a
in his second quarter at UCSD, is a half-year into using his GI Bill funds
after transferring from Palomar and MiraCosta community colleges. Ralph joined
the Marine Corps in 2001 and made two tours to
before leaving the Corps last year with the rank of sergeant. An important
difference between him and other veterans, as he pointed out, is that he is not
entirely dependent on the GI Bill to pay for his college education. But his
awareness of the escalating problems servicemen face with the GI Bill is the
main reason that he takes such an active role in SVO.
“Although I don’t have much to complain about, I know a lot
of people do, which is why we started this vets club,” Ralph said. “We can at
least try to make the process smoother for future students at UCSD. I’m not
sure how the government should be fixed, but I think we’re doing what we can to
improve things at UCSD at least.”
The fact that veterans must oftentimes fly solo during the
transition from serviceman to student showcases a blatant failure by the
military to help facilitate the process. How can the military justify sending
these young people overseas to fight a war, then deny them an education later?
If the government is, indeed, hell-bent on continuing wars around the globe,
the absolute very least it must do is ensure the well-being and futures of the
very people whose lives are at risk.
