Comments on: How The GI Bill Changed America

Sunday Morning: Legislation For Servicemembers Returning From WWII Now Updated For A New Generation Of Vets

[tonymerante]

Just watched the piece about the government''s welching on it''s promise to take care of veterans.In particular, I am really pissed off at two of the remarks from Under-SecDef David Chu, that by giving education benefits to vets you will be drawing them away from the service. Secondly, he made the remark about these benefits being a ''gift'' from the American people. I''ll bet the *** is not a veteran, similar to most of this administration''s hacks. He (and they) have no appreciation of what it is to put one''s life and education on hold to fight the dirty little wars of people like Bush/Cheney; to put one''s life and limb in harm''s way. As a veteran (U.S. Navy, 1965-1969/1971) and taxpayer and ardent opponent of this war, I never insist that VA benefits are a ''gift'' but an obligation, a cost to our own people to make sure the next generation will heed the call when it is REALLY needed. People like, W/Cheney/ Rummy/Chu are ensuring that we will have no one to answer the call. Unless Charlie Rangel has his way and gets the draft re-instated. Of course this will not happen as long as W.''s daughters are still draft age.

[johnnye6]

As he signed the GI Bill in June 1944 President Roosevelt said:

"I trust Congress will soon provide similar opportunities to members of the merchant marine who have risked their lives time and time again during war for the welfare of their country."


They''re still waiting:
http://www.usmm.org/
http://www.usmm.org/urgent.html


These guys didn''t get the parades after the war. The Merchant Marine Academy is the only federal academy allowed to fly a battle flag because their students went to war while Navy and Army students stayed home until they graduated. Many didn''t make it home. Merchant Mariners had higher casualty rates than many combat units. They participated in most of the major battles, even manning anti-aircraft weapons alongside their Naval Guard shipmates. There were students from the Merchant Marine Academy who had ships torpedoed out from under them 3 times. Yet whenever we see a Memorial Day or Veterans Day ceremony they''re never mentioned. They had to fend for themselves after the war. No college funds. No help to build a home. No VA hospitals even if they got wounded.

I suppose some social scientist could use them as a control group to see what would have happened to our society if nobody got the GI Bill.

[tonymerante]

Just watched the piece about the government''s welching on it''s promise to take care of veterans.In particular, I am really pissed off at two of the remarks from Under-SecDef David Chu, that by giving education benefits to vets you will be drawing them away from the service. Secondly, he made the remark about these benefits being a ''gift'' from the American people. I''ll bet the *** is not a veteran, similar to most of this administration''s hacks. He (and they) have no appreciation of what it is to put one''s life and education on hold to fight the dirty little wars of people like Bush/Cheney; to put one''s life and limb in harm''s way. As a veteran (U.S. Navy, 1965-1969/1971) and taxpayer and ardent opponent of this war, I never insist that VA benefits are a ''gift'' but an obligation, a cost to our own people to make sure the next generation will heed the call when it is REALLY needed. People like, W/Cheney/ Rummy/Chu are ensuring that we will have no one to answer the call. Unless Charlie Rangel has his way and gets the draft re-instated. Of course this will not happen as long as W.''s daughters are still draft age.

[yamlita]

..I am Desert Storm vet from 1991 and remember the heartbreak when I realized too that my GI Bill was soon running out and I had to drop out. On my own, I worked three jobs and was able to return to finish my BA is Psych. Today, I have Masters in SW and Licensed Mental Health professional in two states...this story brought tears to my eyes! Hoping chabe is soon.
THANKS FOR SHARING! ym [e-mail]

[cloper7]

How could this story completely negate noting the GI bill was not for EVERY american soldier''s benefit.
Due to the social climate that existed in the United States after World War II, racism being a huge factor, African Americans did not benefit from the G. I. Bill of Rights as much as their white counterparts. Rep John Elliott Rankin, a segregationist and racist, sponsored the bill in the US House of Rep. The law did not advocate discrimination, but was truly different for blacks than for whites. another whitewash of american history

[navyvet5]

Your story is great for current military personnel, but look a little deeper at the current retiring veterans that were only offered the VEAP (Veterans Education Assistance Program) program. Many vets have NO education benefits because this program was after Vietnam and before the Montgomery GI Bill. It was never explained or defined to service members which resulted in thousands of personnel who have no education money at the end of their service. The only way to convert to the Montgomery GI bill was to have had funds in your VEAP account. No funds, no education benefits. There is no recourse for veterans who were robbed of the benefits due because the program was broken at the time.

[cloper7]

How could this story completely negate noting the GI bill was not for EVERY american soldier''s benefit.
Due to the social climate that existed in the United States after World War II, racism being a huge factor, African Americans did not benefit from the G. I. Bill of Rights as much as their white counterparts. Rep John Elliott Rankin, a segregationist and racist, sponsored the bill in the US House of Rep. The law did not advocate discrimination, but was truly different for blacks than for whites.

[cloper7]

How could this story completely negate noting the GI bill was not for EVERY american soldier''s benefit.
Due to the social climate that existed in the United States after World War II, racism being a huge factor, African Americans did not benefit from the G. I. Bill of Rights as much as their white counterparts. Rep John Elliott Rankin, a segregationist and racist, sponsored the bill in the US House of Rep. The law did not advocate discrimination, but was truly different for blacks than for whites.