Strengthen the GI bill now

By Matt McLaughlin

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

“… the members of the armed forces have been compelled to make greater economic sacrifice and every other kind of sacrifice than the rest of us, and they are entitled to definite action to help take care of their special problems.”

- Franklin Roosevelt at the signing of the original G.I. Bill, June 22, 1944.

Roosevelt must be grateful he didn't live to see one of his greatest contributions to American society torn apart by the very people who now claim to hold a monopoly on patriotism.

The Bush administration recently endorsed a House bill that will increase the Montgomery G.I. Bill education benefits in several ways, including with a 31 percent jump in monthly benefits and a new $500-a-month stipend to help cover college living expenses.

I would feel appreciative for the increases if the proposal wasn't a scheme to derail a true G.I. Bill bonus proposed by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va).  Webb, a Vietnam veteran with a son also in service, wants to bring education benefits for veterans back to the Roosevelt era, which paid for tuition, textbooks and provided a monthly stipend to eight million World War II veterans.

The G.I. Bill was significantly scaled back in the mid 1980s and today the most a veteran can receive is approximately $9,600 a year for four years.  Whereas in post-World War II America a veteran could attend Harvard for free, now benefits would hardly pay for one year. A Boston Globe article entitled “GI Bill falling short of college tuition costs,” revealed that education benefits often don't even pay enough to finish four years at U-Mass. This article was published February 10, the day after I left the Army.

The current GI bill also expects service-members to contribute $100 a month for the first year of enlistment just to receive a fraction of the benefits previous veterans received. I personally contributed an additional $600 before leaving the Army so my education benefits could be increased to $150 a month. At the time I thought the deal was a steal, now I realize I was the one being robbed. 

Webb is facing fierce resistance from people who claim to “support the troops,” rendering such a cliché phrase meaningless. The most ludicrous excuse for not giving troopswhat they deserve comes from the Pentagon, who are afraid veterans might actually use the GI Bill to get an education!

“The incentive to serve and leave,” Robert Clarke, assistant director of accessions policy at the Department of Defense said to the Globe, may “outweigh the incentive to have them stay.”

The idea of denying troops benefits on the grounds that it will weaken the military is ludicrous. Most soldiers, like myself, already thought their education would be taken care of. A re-vamped GI Bill would only give them what they already thought they had coming. Maybe the problem with retaining troops has less to do with education and more to do with multiple deployments for a war with no end in sight.  If they are so concerned with retention, the Pentagon should focus on creating incentives to stay in the military, not oppose programs that may entice them to leave.

Bush, along with several Republican supporters and the Pentagon, also say Webb's plan, which amounts to around three to six billion dollars a year, is too costly.  This coming from the very people who gave out government contracts in Iraq like they were paid for with Monopoly money. After all is said and done, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will cost America around $1.8 trillion.  Webb's bill will cost the American people less than one month in Iraq, and will reap far greater benefits to this country. 

This administration's sudden concern for spending, after eight years of destroying a surplus is even more insulting when considering the number of Americans serving in the military. Sixteen million Americans served in the military in World War II in one capacity or another. Over 8 million capitalized on the GI bill. Today, only 1.4 million Americans serve in the military. That is less than 1 percent of this nation's population.  Roosevelt somehow managed to pass a massive piece of legislation that was available for nearly a third of the population.

The Republican's lack of support for troops is a reflection of their true feelings towards soldiers and the working class in general. They have no problem putting a gun in our hands, but are hesitant to hand us a book. Webb understands the importance of both service and education. I just hope the false patriots get behind him.

Comments

[JPM]

Matt,

Seems like you have figured out that the "support the troops" bs coming from rich Republican assholes is simply empty rhetoric. You know, the politicians who are rich enough to pay for all their kids' tuition and expenses to the best colleges, and 97% of whom have never served in the military.

My dad was in the Marines in the 1960s and the GI bill enabled him to get a full ride to American in DC.

The watering down of these benefits is a disgrace. If anyone deserves a free ride it is these soldiers.

[GI Supporter]

This is certainly an important issue to discuss. I do, however, take exception to JPM's comments:
'the "support the troops" bs coming from rich Republican(s)....is....empty rhetoric. You know, the politicians who are rich enough to pay for all their kids' tuition and expenses to the best colleges, and 97% of whom have never served in the military.'
I think you have it a little backwards. There are more GI supporters in the Republican Party than the Democratic. And if you check, I'm certain that you'll find far fewer Democratic legislators with family members in the military! Get a grip with the Republican bashing and try to stay on point!!

[Tricky]

Supporter - then why aren't all those "GI supporters" in the Republican party behind Sen. Webb's bill? You can take your "empty rhetoric" and stick it back on your lapel next to your flag pin.

Excellent article, Matt. You've caught one thing that often gets overlooked in these discussions: that ex-GIs with a college education are an incredible asset to society, and will pay back the costs of the GI Bill many times over. Restore the GI Bill to where it was after WWII: a free ride to any college you can get into.

[just wondering]

Anyone who thinks that republicans care about veterans has to look no further than the devastating buget cuts that they imposed on the Veterans Hospitals. These cuts were made while they controled the house the senate and Bush was president as they continued sending troops to Iraq on a misguided mission. They cut funding that supported returning veterans. These are the facts. Republicans have a long history of sending troops to war and forgeting about them when they get home. You can wave the flag all you like but actions like this tell what the republicans really think of veterans.

[Otis]

Thanks for the article Matt! I hope Webb's bill passes. The Republicans under Bush have weakened our military through their poor planning for post-war Iraq and through the reprehensible "stop-loss" policy which many have described as a back door draft.

You'd think veteran's issues would be a bipartisan affair - but apparently not. Webb is a great independent-minded Senator and I hope he continues to fight for these important issues.

[JPM]

In Haig's presence, Kissinger referred pointedly to military men as "dumb, stupid animals to be used" as pawns for foreign policy.
Woodward and Bernstein, The Final Days, chapter 14

That tells you all you need to know about how much contempt Republicans have for soldiers.

[Imux]

Screw that, spending libaloons! That's MY tax money you're talking about. Being a soldier is a job like many others. In many respects, not even as dangerous as many other jobs. Many more people died in construction accidents than in Iraq, for example, since the war started. Why don't give construction workers free tuition and a stipend? If there was a draft, I'd understand: they make you go to war, they should compensate you. But with a voluntary force, this is just bullshit, Mr. Matt. Besides, most soldiers are too braindead for college anyway, it would be a total waste of money. Afterall, you become a soldier BECAUSE you are stupid. Flame away, but this is the politically incorrect truth.

[concerned]

Imux, based on your beliefs it is impossible for me to believe you are not a veteran. But again based on your belief you are to stupid to have any knowledge anyway.

[nobody3]

No opinion on this, but this is not related to municipal issues-I'd prefer Somerville News focus expanding coverage of local issues.

[Imux]

That comment dated May 13th and 6:34 PM was NOT by me. It was by that asshat who likes to be pretend he/she is me. Just ignore him.

Just an FYI. Every generation of my family has served.

[Tricky]

Et tu, Brute?

[Taxes, taxes, taxes....]

The GIs should recive more support. Perhaps when this country wakes up and stops funding silly things, there'll be enough money left for our veterans! How about putting an end to health services, legal counsel, etc. for illegal aliens? How about cutting back sharply on welfare benefits? How about cutting the money which supports all of the crazy things in our budget? There should be PLENTY of money to support the veterans as they deserve!

[Yorktown Street]

The problem with the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is not that it was bungled. The problem is that it ever happened at all. The known costs of the war were too great for us ever to have chosen it ourselves. It is America's shame that we let Bush choose this war for us.

Before we ever let Bush send in the troops, we should have said to ourselves, "Am I willing to see young men and women suffer brain injuries that will cripple them for life? " As the N.Y. Times reported last year:

"Largely because of the improvised explosive devices used by insurgents in Iraq, traumatic brain injury has become a signature wound of this war, with 1,882 cases treated to date, according to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center."

The best way to support the troops is to stop sending them to stupid wars.

[fresh]

Matt - great article.

Yorktown - one clarification, we're not in a War technically. War can only be declared by Congress. Of course, we've had 'actions' in Koren, Vietnam, and the Gulf...but those were all at the behest of the president, no popular support needed. And we have a long history of the Congress (conservative and liberals alike) acquiescing to executive power since Truman.

This is much like the constitutional 'formality' that the Senate must approve of any treaties the US engages in (because they become the 'law of the land' once signed by the president)...so presidents (Democrats and Republican alike) find it expedient to sign 'Agreements' and not risk running to get approval.

So while our apathy in the voting booth is no doubt a major factor - it is not the only systemic weakness to be addressed.

I'm personally hoping for an Electoral College tie this year so Americans can finally get behind the idea of reforming our noble, but antiquated, Constitution to ensure better stewardship. Then we might address issues like Matt's more head on.

[2nd AIR CAV / US ARMY]

The G.I. Bill and other benefits are ok but I think it could and should definitely be strengthen