GI Bill Essay

The GI Bill of Rights
Introduction
In the year 1944, US Legislation passed the Servicemen’s Readjustment act, commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights. It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation ever produced by the federal government; one that impacted the United States socially, economically and politically. The GI Bill offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including financial assistance for higher education for veterans of U.S. military service. The benefits of the GI Bill are intended to help veterans readjust to civilian life following service to their country and to encourage bright, motivated men and women to volunteer for military duty. Many factors and contributions have gone into the development of the GI Bill, and it has changed over the years. This research paper will introduce the reader to a brief history of the formation and evolution of the GI Bill, discuss the current benefits that it offers to student populations in response to their specific needs, and introduce current implications that the GI Bill has placed on student veterans and institutions across the nation.
History of the GI Bill
In order to properly introduce the beginnings of the GI Bill, the timeline will begin in the years during the Great Depression. At this point in history, many Veterans found it difficult to make a living. The United States Congress tried to intervene by passing the World War Adjusted Act of 1924, commonly known as the Bonus Act. This law would provide a bonus based on the number of days served. This law was a failed attempt to help because the catch was that most Veterans wouldn’t see a dime for 20 years. In the summer of 1932, a group of Veterans marched in Washington, D.C. to demand full payment of their bo...

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...s a lot of information out there on student veterans and the GI Bill, and it is hard to keep up on it all. Hopefully this research paper gave a brief introduction of its importance to society. It seems reasonable that all corners of higher education should do what they can to help our veterans. On campus, this translates to reasonable efforts to make small policy modifications that will increase the likelihood that this population of student will succeed. The enrollment of student veterans at colleges and universities will continue to increase into the future. The GI Bill itself will most likely have new additions and another evolution as well. Understanding that student veterans today need more than financial aid upon their entry into college and the more this message is relayed, the better colleges and universities can serve these students during their transition.