AWESOME!!!
When I got out of the Marine Corps in 1979 I heard a lot of vets lamenting about how they never used their GI Bill. Enough so I did use mine to get my Bachelor’s degree. Because I served in Afghanistan, I am now eligible for the post 9/11 GI Bill, but I’ve never used it and it runs out in less than five years. I have no intention of ever using it, as I’m retired and have no desire to go back to school. Eliminating the end date won’t matter to me, but I hope it gives other vets a chance to get their degree or training.
Finished active duty in ‘62 and was discharged in ‘65. Had 7 years to use college benefits that paid $75/mo. for at least 7 credit hours of courses per semester.
Spent years going to night school at Jr. Coll. while working and raising family, then transferred to Univ. Worked night job to permit day classes, while driving 120 mile commute from home-school-work-home.
1973 would be my last year of VA education benefits, so I took a year’s leave of absence from my job and arranged a deal with my apt. mgr. to knock off $5 from my rent for every hour I worked there painting, moving furniture, shampooing carpets, landscaping, etc. (that was more $/hr than my job as an Eng. Tech with a Secret Clearance).
In 12 months I knocked out 59 credit hours, with 21 in the final semester. Was rehired at the defense contractor where I was laid off in ‘70 as Viet Nam was winding down. Later earned a 48 hour Masters degree in ‘82; night and weekend courses.
If it had not been for the shorter time limit on VA education benefits, I probably would not have been motivated to gain my education and well paying jobs later, as well as my relatively comfortable retirement. ...Besides, I needed that $75/mo.
I didn’t know the VA Ed. Bennies had gone to 15 years, but I don’t believe that or the extension proposed will benefit our military servicemen/women, as it imposes no urgency. ...JMO
Too late for me.
I wonder if that means I can get my GI Bill benefits from my 1976 to 1988 USN service. I medicalled out in 1988 and went straight to work. Now, I am semi-retired, working from home as a science editor. I’d love to get a degree via correspondence courses or similar now that I have plenty of life experiences and time to study.
This is a nice benefit but an accounting nightmare for the government. We would basically have to be prepared for a contingency in which anyone who qualifies can use these funds up until the day they die; imagine the amount of money involved.