RE: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,183503,00.html

Our new president was supposed to be all for "giving the help and care to the veterans that deserve it" or at least something along those lines in his campaigning across America. This is one of those areas that shouldn't be lost in the shuffle or chalked up to campaign rhetoric.

Nothing surprising here. The 'higher' education system is (almost) the lowest life form in this country. None of them care about anything other than how many dollars of aid they can extract from their students. The only reason they like veterans is because veterans have more options to pay.

Please, Don't even start off by blaming our new president for this already, "campaign rhetoric" at least show enough inteligence to understand this was all put together back under the Bush administration. A couple of points, first if were easy to get into these private institutions they would not hold the value of education that they do. Secondly like most pieces of legislation, this is so full of holes it bary becomes of any use. Case in point, myself, I will not be elligable for the $1100 a month housing allowance just because I take my courses @ ISU distance learning and work fulltime for the Navy, yet I was 80% Army/DOD disabled in 2007 and 100% VA disabled in 2008, both from Iraq. I'm staying with Voc Rehab that at least pays me the additional substance allowance.

First of all I am glad that someone is trying to improve the GI Bill, that is great. But for some of us that did over 20 years and some of us still have to maintain a full time job that some of us are not able to go to school for 1/2 time or greater. That we are going to miss out on the increased benefits of the new POST 911 GI Bill. Also, that the BAH is limited to E5 in our local area. It should at least be the rate of when we retired as. What do you think or was that thought about?

First of all, I'd like to thank Mr. Philpott for bringing this up. I kinda feel like the VA is already attempting to stem the tide of possible applicants by finding cheaper ways to educate, or as in my case, force me back into the workforce with the "skills" I alledgedly obtained while being in the Army. I applied for educational assistance through vocational rehabilitation back in January 2003. It took them two years, five months before someone finally responded to my phone calls and emails asking why I wasn't in some kind of training. When I did meet with one of their agents, I let them know I was working. This guy actually told me that working disqualified me from the program! I told him to show me that in writing, which he couldn't, so we went on trying to get me in some kind of program. When I mentioned the Art Institute of Atlanta, he stated that was too expensive. The Institute actually has a program geared toward reducing costs for veterans! I won't get into the rest, but it didn't end well for me.

Getting back on the subject, this article doesn't surprise me in the least. I've noted how colleges in my state have continued to increase tuition costs and come up with all kinds of excuses to charge students (gym fees, breathing air on the campus fees, etc), while constantly building or obtaining buildings that they probably don't need. My alma mater used to have maybe seven buildings tops in 1995. Today, they have over 25 different properties all over the city. Why? What's the point of owning buildings if you barely afford to pay for them? I hope this bill passes, and that colleges get with the program. Thanks.

I am embarrassed for our country with regards to the Iraq war and the likely economic aftermath for this new group of veterans.

All of our wars are inevitably succeeded by some form of economic slowdown as the massive government spending for them comes to an end.

But this war is unique; in this case, Bush, Cheney, & PNAC, LLP started a war while they simultaneously did what they could to offshore existing manufacturing and service sector jobs.

And - as the coup de grâce, the previous Administration - along with the former Republican Congress - effectively told Wall Street and the banks to steal what they could out of the nation's economy while they could.

So this time our veterans will be returning to an economy that was shattered well before they got home.

This article's reporting on the inability of colleges and universities to participate in the "yellow ribbon" program barely scratches the surface of the economic quagmire we will be throwing our returning veterans into.

As a veteran, I am truly embarrassed for my country.

Ok folks. Read the article closely. It only applies to "Private Schools." Sorry, Harvard and Yale are out. All public colleges and universities are still covered 100%. This is still the best deal in town.
Jim Hunter, Veterans Club Advisor, Utah Valley University (a public, state university).

quote:

Originally posted by jimghunter:
Ok folks. Read the article closely. It only applies to "Private Schools." Sorry, Harvard and Yale are out. All public colleges and universities are still covered 100%. This is still the best deal in town.
Jim Hunter, Veterans Club Advisor, Utah Valley University (a public, state university).

Thanks Jim