Educational Benefits and Veteran Success

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The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, also known as the GI Bill of Rights (GI Bill), was signed into law on June 22, 1944, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (United States Department of Veterans Affairs, 2012). It was a pivotal point in history, which has impacted the United States socially, economically and politically. Today, educational benefits are primary tools used to recruit service members. In 2007-2008, about 4 percent of all undergraduates and about 4 percent of all graduate students were veterans or military service members (Radford, 2011). Furthermore, the recent expansions in benefits increase the use of education benefits by veterans will grow almost 5 percent (Simon, Negrusa, & Warner, 2009). To improve the success in higher education, veterans must ensure they keep updated on current educational assistance programs as well as other educational services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and their institutions.

Prior to war and the passage of the GI Bill the average American could only dream about college and owning a home. Designed to be used for college, technical or vocational courses, apprenticeship/on-the-job ship/on-the-job training, certificate programs, flight training and correspondence courses and home loan guaranty, the GI Bill has been credited with establishing the foundation of today’s middle class. By 1984, when the GI Bill was revamped, 7.8 World War II Veterans had participated in education or vocational training programs. The updated program became known as the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), after former Mississippi Congressman Gillespie V. “Sonny” Montgomery. His goal was to continue education programs and the VA home loan guaranty for the latest as well as, future generations ...

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...ilitary Service Members and Veterans: A Profile of Those Enrolled in Undergraduate and Graduate Education in 2007-2008. Stats in Brief. NCES 2011-163 [Abstract]. National Center for Education Statistics.

Simon, C. J., Negrusa, S., & Warner, J. T. (2009, October). Educational Benefits and Military Service: An Analysis of Enlistment, Reenlistment, and Veterans' Benefit Usage 1991-2005 (ISSN 0095-2583). Western Economic Association International.

United States Department Of Veterans Affairs (2012, February 9). The GI BILL's History. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/history_timeline/index.html

United States Government Accountability Office (2011). Veterans' Education Benefits: Enhanced Guidance and Collaboration Could Improve Administration of the Post-9/11 Program (GAO-11-356R). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

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