Pentagon’s Spin On GI Bill Is ‘Offensive Nonsense’

[itsbob (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Go G-Men

If the amount of 2 year enlistments is very limited than offer a lesser package for those serving on 2 years. In my opinion there should be no 2 years enlistments offered. Serve 4 years honorably and you get the benifits of the new GI bill.

Serve less than 4 (other than those disabled due to war injuries) and you get just the basic VA benefits.

Anyone who is disabled in a war zone should get the maximum benefits available and than some.

See, you and Bruzilla are getting "wounded" and "disabled" confused.

A soldier can get wounded bad enough to warrant a medical Discharge, and still not be disabled. They wouldn't qualify for rehab schooling, or any other disable benefits (unless the lead irritates their bowels).

Take away the 2 year enlistment, and you take away one more tool from the recruiter. I didn't much like the 2 year enlistments as a Section Sergeant, but at the same time I think I ran into it MAYBE 2 or 3 times. If your MOS qualifies for 2 year, it almost always qualifies for BIG bonus money for 3 or 4 year. Money usually talks. I was in an MOS that has always qualified for 2 year enlistment, and rarely did I run into someone that opted for 2 years.

I don't think today's GI Bill is that bad, OTHER than having to take $100 a month away from a soldier for the first 12 months. I would bet that most married new soldiers and sailors opt out of the GI Bill just for that reason.

But >$1500 a month while you are going to school is GOOD money. And you still can qualify for financial aid and loans. Yes, that amount of college money you get now is also determined by the amount of time you enlist for, there are additional college tuition programs out there on top of the GI BILL. EVERYONE that pays into it gets the basic package, but you can also opt for the Army College Fund, or the Navy College Fund. no additional cost, just an option you chose.

The GI Bill is up to almost $40,000, the Army College Fund can kick in up to an additional $23,000 for a 2 year enlistment, and an additional $28,800 for 3 o r more years.

So almost 70K in college money divided by 36 Academic Months = $1900 a month while going to school full time.. Not too shabby. Oh, and you get the $1900 a month whether you go to Harvard, or if you go to a VocTech that costs that much a year.

[cwo_ghwebb]

The entire compensation package for military folks needs to be reworked, imo. I'm Vietnam era and our retirement is much better than say, my brother who retired as a O-6 but was under the Montgomery Bill. Our retirement pay isn't that much different for almost the same amount of years put in. And I certainly didn't retire as an O-6.

Bonuses for critical skills and pro-pay etc were good, not sure what they are now. My biggest beef was the pay, thank heavens for Reagan. But when I was stationed in Hawaii, an E-5 with two kids qualified for food stamps (and most were too proud to take it).

Just a pet peeve with me. These folks bust their butts for next to nothing. The educational benefits are really hard to use unless you're single or independently wealthy, which at that point, you don't need 'em. I still got about half my ed benefits left, which I may use to take some online courses. When you see your folks suffer cause nobody in D.C. gives a rats butt, it kinda gets under your skin.

[itsbob (Premo)]

Originally Posted by cwo_ghwebb

The entire compensation package for military folks needs to be reworked, imo. I'm Vietnam era and our retirement is much better than say, my brother who retired as a O-6 but was under the Montgomery Bill. Our retirement pay isn't that much different for almost the same amount of years put in. And I certainly didn't retire as an O-6.

Bonuses for critical skills and pro-pay etc were good, not sure what they are now. My biggest beef was the pay, thank heavens for Reagan. But when I was stationed in Hawaii, an E-5 with two kids qualified for food stamps (and most were too proud to take it).

Just a pet peeve with me. These folks bust their butts for next to nothing. The educational benefits are really hard to use unless you're single or independently wealthy, which at that point, you don't need 'em. I still got about half my ed benefits left, which I may use to take some online courses. When you see your folks suffer cause nobody in D.C. gives a rats butt, it kinda gets under your skin.

I would have to say I'd trade ANY O-6 or O-5 or O-4 retirement checks, without question.

I'd also like to add, military pay can't be too bad. I mean drive through ANY housing area of any base, and how many old broke down barely running cars do you see.. I see a lot of new cars, in front of the same houses who's occupants complain about how poor they are and how they can't afford to pay for food for their kids.

Education benefits aren't as good as the Vietnam Era, but it beats the hell out of the VEAP.. Pay in $75 a month for 36 months for a $225 (of which 75 was your original donation) return while going to school.

I still have 18 months of ed benefits, and without the ed benefits I never would have gone back to school. When I started I was getting 225 a month, but luckily it converted to the GI Bill middle of my second year, and increased to about $1000 a month. I worked 2 or 3 jobs while going to school, but you do what you have to do to improve your life, or you can sit on your ass and complain about what life handed you (normally not the type of person that joins the military in the first place)

I got no complaints, the Army was good to me. Never thought retirement would be anything more than extra spending money and never depended on it being my only income. I pay for med insurance every month even though tri-care was satisfactory, but never expected to be able to depend on Champus/ tri-care.

[glhs837]

Haha, yeah VEAP, that was a joke, I came in under that, what a waste of paperwork. What was hilarious was that they tried to help twice more, I think, but all they did was offer the same damn program that sucked in 83:) Then eventually, they did offer a GI Bil conversion, but that only applied if you had signed up for VEAP:)