Pentagon Balks At New G.I. Education Bill

Defense Deptartment Worries Expanded Scholarship Benefits Would Hurt Retention Rates

(CBS/AP)  Veterans groups say it's time to expand college aid for GIs, and Democrats want to use an election year to do it. Their biggest obstacle? The Pentagon.

The Defense Department is lobbying against legislation proposed by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., that would guarantee a full-ride scholarship for service members to any in-state public university. According to defense officials, the plan would hurt its ability to retain service members because the new GI education bill would require only three years before the full benefit kicks in. The Defense Department wants the commitment to be extended to at least six years.

"We have no issue with the fact that Sen. Webb wishes to provide a more generous education benefit to troops," said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell. "But we are certainly concerned that this would be eligible to them" so soon.

The Pentagon's opposition to Webb's bill underscores the difficulty the military has had in recruiting and retaining an all-volunteer force at a time when it is engaged in a war that is deeply unpopular with the American public.

Adding to the military's dilemma is the larger number of soldiers and Marines needed to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year, the Pentagon recommended that the Army be increased by about 65,000 soldiers to a total of 547,000, and the Marines be increased by 27,000 to 202,000.

The difficulty in finding young people also can be attributed in part to low unemployment numbers in recent years. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, unemployment dropped from 6 percent in 2003 to 4.6 percent in 2007.

In recent months, the military has had to take creative steps to reach its desired troop numbers. A year ago, when Army recruiters didn't meet their goal, the service announced new $20,000 bonuses for recruits and up to $40,000 if an enlistee signed up for at least four years.

The Army also has granted special exceptions to recruits with prior criminal records, medical problems or low-aptitude scores that would have otherwise disqualified them from service. Senior military officials defended the change in policy as justified because they say current restrictions were so stringent that many members in Congress would have been denied entrance to the ranks because of indiscretions from their youth.

Retention rates have been less troublesome in the military, with the Army and Marine Corps exceeding their goals by large margins in 2006 and staying strong in 2007. Studies have found that combat deployments can prompt service members to re-enlist, usually because of a sense of accomplishment.

Still, the Defense Department is worried that its retention numbers could fall as service members are asked to return repeatedly to Iraq and Afghanistan and they are given too much of an incentive to leave. One particular problem facing the military is its ability to hang on to seasoned combat veterans, including those in the elite forces, who are being lured to higher-paying jobs in the private sector.

Jon Soltz, an Army veteran and a critic of the Iraq War, argues that a bigger threat to military retention are the private contractors who offer large salaries to employees willing to work in high-risk locations.

"Personally, it took me months after I got back to get contractors to stop calling me, offering me six-figures, tax-free, to do work for them in Iraq," Stolz writes on the Web site ThinkProgress.com. "I didn’t take them up on it, but there are far more who do leave to make money."

Webb, a Vietnam veteran and critic of the Iraq war, counters that his legislation would be more effective in attracting new recruits and would offset any drop in the military's ranks.

"I can't think of a better way to broaden (the) propensity to serve than to offer a truly meaningful educational benefit, rather than simply taking that smaller demographic" of those already enlisted "and pound on it" with repeated combat tours, he said.

[quetzalcrist]

this has to be a Southpark episode.!

[j_flood]

In 1966 I chose a 4 year commitment with USAF instead of a 2 year draft - my dad did nearly 6 years ''39 -''45 - I''m sure that a six year commitment by today''s young people will work. Hopefully they can leave the service in the future when they''re contract is up - let ''em hire more Hallburton folks for work after that.

[briannorwood]

All you folks out there with those yellow ribbons on the back of your SUV should be writing your congressmen and senators demanding support of this bill.

These idiots actually said they can''t support helping our returning Vets with their education expenses because they would be less likely to re-commit to another tour in Iraq.

The Audacity of DOPES!

[middleman8]

Lets face it, the government does not owe any and all service people a free ride for education and etc.
It is the duty of the citizens to serve their country, otherwise they are just more hallburton mercenary''s.

[Gary Kempf]

Pentagon, is the same one that allowed our troops to be deployed without the proper equipment. That should be their biggest concern, not expanded G.I. benefits....

[antizion]

Screw the troops, that what I say. If they had any brains they would be here in DC defending the US from Bush and Cheney and this blackmailed corrupt congress of perverts!

[SamThornton]

So, the Pentagon, which still can''t find Osama, which has taken 6 years to not pacify Iraq, and 7 years to not pacify Afghanistan is whining about their recruiting numbers?

The brass hats are giving a** hats a bad name.

[navyjimfl]

seems like a lot of comments are from folks who did not read the article......the pentagon is not against education for the troops they just want to use them up for at least 6 years before throwing them the education bone......lots of young poor minorities go into the military for the college benefits.....

[briannorwood]

dragonwagon5:

Maybe they all went out and bought lapel pins instead. Now that''s REAL patriotism!

[bobnjersey]

this seems like a reasonable compromise ... maybe make it a scalable thing ... the longer your term ... the greater the percentage of benefit.

how are they paying for this ... more borrowing?

[watcher269-2009]

God forbid that the pentagon would loose the cost of ONE JET to fund the soldiers. I really think this would interfere with the Pentagons Prostitute fund!

Hmmmm - Hookers or Education. Tough choice

[mexinvasion]

Senator James Webb is an American hero and a leader who should run for president in 2012. Not surprised the Pentagon is shooting down his GI Bill plan. The last thing the Pentagon wants to do is show some appreciation to the people who do the work.

[briannorwood]

Obama is solidly behind this bill. McCain is against it.

And where does Hillary stand? Not a peep yet. Too busy taking polls to figure out how she should respond, I guess.

[ioweign]

Pentagon Balks At New G.I. Education Bill



Who "elected" the Pentagon??

[madashell4lo]

I can still remember when the G.I. Bill was considered the greatest inducement for inductment. The Bill allowed so much for those of us without a silver spoon. How many of those in the pentagon now gained from the G.I. Bill early in their lives and careers. How much of the Brass at the odd shaped building grew up in a home financed, in some part, by the Bill. To me this is a stupidly simple question. There is an equally simple answer. Reinstate the G.I. Bill as it was written and established. We as a nation owe our fighting men this much and more. JLA

[forthepeopl1]

DISGUSTING ISN%u2019T IT ??????????

ARABIC/ISLAMIC STATES VOTING RECORDS IN THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT AND UNITED NATIONS RECORDS, AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

PERHAPS IT IS TIME TO GET OUT OF THE UNITED NATIONS, AND GIVE THE TAX SAVINGS BACK TO THE AMERICAN WORKERS WHO ARE HAVING TO SKIMP AND SACRIFICE TO PAY TAXES AND BUY GASOLINE AND THE HIGHEST PRICES OF FOOD THIS COUNTRY HAS SEEN IN CENTERY.

KUWAIT %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 67 % OF THE TIME
QATAR - VOTES AGAINST 67 % OF THE TIME
MOROCCO %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 70 % OF THE TIME
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES %u2013 70 % OF THE TIME
JORDAN - VOTE AGAINST 71 % OF THE TIME
TUNISIA %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 71 % OF THE TIME
SAUDI ARABIA %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 73 % OF THE TIME
YEMEN %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 74 % OF THE TIME
ALGERIA - VOTES AGAINST 74 % OF THE TIME
OMAN %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 74 % OF THE TIME
SUDAN - VOTES AGAINST 75 % OF THE TIME
PAKISTAN %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 75 % OF THE TIME
LIBYA - VOTES AGAINST 76 % OF THE TIME
EGYPT - VOTES AGAINST 79 % OF THE TIME
LEBANON %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 80 % OF THE TIME
INDIA %u2013 VOTES AGAINST 81 % OF THE TIME
SYRIA - VOTES AGAINST 84 % OF THE TIME
MAURITANIA - VOTES AGAINST 87 % OF THE TIME

SO WHY DOES OUR CONGRESS GIVE THESE COUNTRYS OUR TAX DOLLARS IN THE AMOUNT OF
OVER 50 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, IN FOREIGN AID,

[e-mail]
David a belanger,veteran u.s. army

[liberalme]

Come on bagdhadishere--tell us how YOUR Emporer and the government you work for are all FOR our troops!!

hahahaha when it suits you bunch of phonies!

[forthepeopl1]

HERE, THIS SHOULD HELP PAY FOR SOMETHING DONT YOU THINK, READ THE PRIOR POST

[forthepeopl1]

ANY AMERICAN STUPID ENAUGH TO BELEIVE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR OUR TROOPS BEST INTERST . RIGHT..TELL THEM SERVE AND WE WILL PAY FOR YOUR COLLAGE IF YOU MAKE IT OUT ALIVE...

[gopack443]

Why not let prisoners out to join. Relive prison over crowding and get the numbers needed in the military. Win win.
I''m not talking all kinds of prisoners but who better to train to be a killer than a killer? The victimless crimes kind of prisoners probably wouldn''t be as good so they would be on the bottom of the list. and of course white collar criminals would be officer material.
And the enlistment bonuses would be time off there sentence, saving lots of money.
Then we could have criminals from privates all the way up to the commander in chief!

[gopack443]

Or if w''s war is really worth fighting, bring back the draft.
Don''t forget to include Jenna''s new husbands name in the hat. Who knows he might even have been told the real reason were in Iraq.

[armydog2]

The brave young men and women who serve our country do so voluntarilly and do so because all of you keyboard heroes dont have the guts or the balls to serve your country. They have earned this and they deserve our undying respect and gratitude for what they do.Helping these Soldiers to get a college education to make better lives for themselves and their families is the least we can do to say thank you for your Service to our Country.