New GI Bill 2.0 Passes House and Senate

December 17th, 2010 | Published in Veteran Benefits | 2 Comments

Written by Michael Dakduk

Can you believe that after one year the Post 9/11 GI Bill is already seeing reform! Don’t worry though, the reform legislation passed in Congress will not reduce the benefits as done in years past. Instead, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 will expand the benefits to even more veterans.

The upgrades to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, dubbed New GI Bill 2.0, ends the discriminatory language targeting distance education learners and expands the benefits to National Guardsmen who served in support of natural disasters. Under the old guidelines, veterans who choose to pursue their degree exclusively online were ineligible for the housing allowance and veterans who were activated in their state guard unit in support of Hurricane Katrina were ineligible for the New GI Bill entirely.

New GI Bill 2.0 also expands the benefits to apprenticeship and on-the-job training. For those veterans who are not interested in gaining a four year bachelors degree, and perhaps more interested in attending a police academy, they are covered. New GI Bill 2.0 is far more comprehensive and inclusive.

But now the question must be asked: How long will this benefit last? I hate to be the pessimist in a time of landmark veterans legislation. History does prove that our remarkable GI Bill only lasts so long at such a comprehensive level. The original GI Bill, passed in 1944 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, ended in 1956. It supported veterans and their college hopes for 12 years until Congress decided to make some changes. From Korea, to Vietnam, to the Persian-Gulf, the GI Bill gradually decreased. Eventually, veterans became content with a prosperous economy and a moderately funded Montgomery GI Bill. That is, until now!

So I wonder, how long will this New GI Bill last? Will it succeed after the troops return from Afghanistan, or will a drawdown from war equal a reduction in VA benefits? I ask this question because it is easy to be cognizant of veterans needs and support their transition while the effects of war is conveyed in the mass media, but what happens when all the troops come home? Do we inevitably forget about our moral obligation to those who answer the call to service? Only time will tell.

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Ancient Mariner says:

December 17th, 2010 at 1:41 pm (#)

“Can you believe that after one year the Post 9/11 GI Bill is already seeing reform! Don’t worry though, the reform legislation passed in Congress will not reduce the benefits as done in years past. Instead, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 will expand the benefits to even more veterans.”

What concerns me is that you cut the pie into more pieces, The pieces get smaller! We already see cuts in benefits,What is going to happen as we try to extend benefits to these ones coming home from the GWOT? They deserve something, too.
Bird says:

March 13th, 2011 at 1:45 pm (#)

Lets face it.. I see the charges per semester using my GI Bill, which luckily I don’t have to pay. Ontop of that I’m also taking out student loans to help pay for living expenses because I’ve been a working adult with a kid, and wife upto this point. My point is, I don’t see how the government can afford to pay these rates forever. The government will have to end them sometime, while its great & everything the cost on all of veterans is very expensive. I for see perhaps if the military size is reduced over time, they will use the new GI Bill as incentive for them to get out after setting a cut off date on entry into the military for eligibility for the new GI Bill