The G.I. Bill of Rights

The Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944 is known informally as the G.I. Bill

One of the more discussed topics these days is the cost of higher education. Now that I am in my sixties, I think back to how much education has changed since I was in public school  and then college. However, for the purpose of this article, I will address only post high school education.

This topic came to me recently when I read the paper about a young man who had racked up $350,000 worth of student debt while getting his undergrad and then law degree. While this case was an anomaly, it again brought back the clarion call for clear thinking on how we educate our young people without impoverishing them.

When I was first discharged from the service in 1973, I attended college using the G.I. Bill (from the G.I. Bill of Rights). This is not to be confused with the watered down version known as the Montgomery GI Bill which was introduced after the original G.I. Bill "sunsetted". Under the G.I. Bill that funded most of my education, the rules were very simple: 1.) had to be a full time student meaning taking a minimum of 12 credits per quarter 2.) had to show progress towards a degree, and 3.) had a total of 60 months worth of benefits to use in a 10 year period after discharge. It was a very good benefit. In fact, it was a great benefit - a game changer. I got married while finishing my degree and the Bill even allowed for additional money for married students. I graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1975 without going into private debt nor taking out any student loans.

One interesting point. As poorly as returning service people were received in the seventies, the welcome home that meant the most was the G. I. Bill. Most most vets, it was the most important benefit offered.

We should once again have a program that our youth can take advantage of. When serving in the Armed Forces, the pay is very low in the lower ranks. The hours long and the work if often hard. To have a benefit available once done serving of free or reduced education would serve both the youth and the country. Countless thousands of young men and women received an education using the original G.I. Bill. Using on-line and as well as community college courses, money offered via the G. I. Bill would pay for most, possibly all of a four year degree.

My belief is that the out of control costs any many colleges and universities will take care of themselves. People just won't go there anymore. People still want to learn, and using our new technologies, many opportunities will open to them. I think on-line, computer added education is the wave of the future. I used the old Plato system from the early eighties and it was cutting edge for that time period. We really do need to think outside the box on how to educate our young people for an evolving world and how to do it in an affordable way. We have done it before, we can do it again. The future will belong to the cleaver, the nimble and the innovators.