Sunday, May 13, 2007
Editorial: Update the GI Bill
The nation needs better education benefits for those who enlist in the war on terror.
From the RoundTable blog
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U.S. Sen. James Webb wants better education benefits for military veterans who have seen active duty in the post-9/11 global war on terror.
He is right. A grateful nation should do more -- but not as much more as Virginia's junior senator envisions.
Webb has introduced a bill in Congress that would provide college tuition, room and board plus a $1,000 monthly stipend to veterans who have served at least two years' active duty since the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Clearly, an increase in the GI benefit is warranted. A currently enrolled veteran eligible under the GI Bill can receive a maximum of only about $38,700 during his or her entire college career, which can extend over only four years.
These limits don't square with today's realities: Nationwide, the average annual cost of tuition, room and board at four-year public colleges in the 200607 school year was $12,796, the College Board reports. The State Council of Higher Education figures that it was $13,197 in Virginia.
Even the lower amount leaves almost a $12,500 gap over four years that veterans will have to fill. And if they cannot complete their undergraduate courses in that time frame, they're on their own -- though many college students these days are not able to finish in four years.
They're not all goofing off or wasting time. Sometimes students get blocked out of required courses and need more time to finish. Others can't take full loads because they're working to support themselves or their families.
People willing to enlist, especially during this time of war, should have a benefit that actually covers their college tuition, room and board at a public institution.
Beyond the simple decency of helping people who might have sacrificed a lot in defense of the nation, there is a compelling, practical reason to do more: to boost recruitment.
With wars in Iraq and Afghanistan going poorly and regular, reserve and National Guard troops stretched to the max, free market principles demand a higher incentive. Webb is right to fight for them.
