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Will it hurt or help Veterans?
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The GI Bill, or the GI Bill of Rights, provides benefits to veterans, service members and some dependents of disabled or deceased veterans wishing to pursue an education.
For a little history, the GI Bill of Rights is also known as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944.
It was put into effect after World War II when the World War Adjusted Act of 1924 (or the Bonus Act) made it so veterans wouldn’t see their bonus for 20 years.
Basically Congress screwed over the veterans of the Great Depression with a wormed bill, then Congress came together, debated a bit and, at length, “finalized” it.
Today, there are several chapters of the bill with different agendas linking to educational assistance within the military.
The latest bill is chapter 33, the Post-9/11 Veteran’s Educational Assistance Act of 2008.
There seems to be a bit of confusion on the new bill and its passing.
And though I’m indirectly associated with the bill as a dependent of the Army – my father’s retired – there doesn’t seem to be any real conundrum, just questions formed from thought provoked rumor.
The main questions arise from the fear that the government will allow soldiers to return home without psychological screening, placing them from the desert to the classroom. The bill will possibly allow them to hurry into school or strip the costs from the psychological studies.
According to R.K. Williams, veterans certification specialist at Boise State, the bill associates with the Department of Veterans Affairs, which isn’t connected with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder screenings or treatments.
“The money allowed to the new GI Bill has nothing to do with Department of Defense or the Veterans Hospital,” Williams said.
He said the V.A. is not going to “outsource the GI Bill.”
Beth Lahny is a soldier in the Navy, a full-time student at Boise State and national promoter for the new GI bill.
It used to be the case, Lahny explains, she received only enough for half of her tuition and some for allowance. The rest was paid in loans.
She explained the bill pays all of her tuition and allows her an increase in assistance allowances. Plus, before she returned from Iraq, she went through screening.
I’m not saying, “No Fear! The new GI bill is here!” but it doesn’t seem the government has any hidden agenda as to decreasing mental health screenings to their veterans.
I would hope the government provides mentally unstable war veterans the health care they deserve rather than take money from that specific agenda.
Sounds a bit crooked, but I completely understand where the idea came from in terms of our history toward our veterans.
JESSICA HENDERSON
Arbiter Journalist
