The GI Bill and its Impact
The GI bill has been around for quite some time now and has done a lot of good for our servicemen. It’s an excellent way to pay them back and thank them for their dedicated service. If you are unaware of what the GI bill is or how it works I will briefly outline its history, its effect on society, and its components.The basic idea of the GI bill was established in 1944 under Franklin D. Roosevelt. What the bill did was give low interest loans to servicemen for homes and businesses. It also paid for college tuition and service training when they returned. When servicemen returned home it also paid one year of unemployment compensation while they were looking for a job.
With the creation of inexpensive pre-fab housing at that time and the low interest home loans provided by the GI Bill, there was a mass migration of families leaving urban cities in search of a better place to raise their kids. This exodus is what spurned sprawling suburban areas in the post WWII era. Before this time these areas were only really affordable for the wealthy, but now they were more affordable for the common American family.
There have been numerous changes and additions to the GI Bill since 1944 especially during wartime. It’s interesting to note that only 51% of servicemen took advantage of the bill during the WW2 era, compare that to 43% during the Korean War and the 71% that took advantage of the bill after returning from the Vietnam War.
Today the GI Bill is also known as the Post 9-11 GI Bill, because there were many additional benefits added for servicemen and women who joined after September 11, 2001. Some of these current benefits include; the full cost of any public college in the home state, a living stipend (amount depends on where you live), a benefit eligibility period of 15 years (compared to 10 with the Montgomery GI Bill), and $2,000 to any licensing or certification test.
Making the transition from overseas service to life back home can be difficult, but the GI Bill and the VA education benefits can help to make the transition easier. Our servicemen and women have earned the right to a solid education and vocational training so they can have the best opportunities they can after their military service. If you have any other questions about the current GI Bill please visit http://post911gibill.co for more information.
