How The GI Bill Changed America

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

(CBS)  PL 346 was the Congressional designation of a landmark bill signed into law 64 years ago today - legislation designed to smooth the transition to civilian life for millions of World War II servicemen. In the process it changed America for ALL of us. Congress is very close to approving expanded benefits for service men and women of today's Iraq War era. Our Cover Story is reported now by Thalia Assuras.

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They returned to a hero's welcome - sixteen million men and women who had served their country during World War II, one out of every nine Americans.

Yet, along with all the smiles and the tears of joy, there were fresh worries: Would returning vets be able to find jobs? A place to live? What was next?

"There was a near certainty that after the war - assuming the allies were victorious - that a depression would follow, just as happened after World War I - that the economy would tank," said author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ed Humes.

In his book "Over Here," Humes tracks the fate of those returning GIs.

"You had an economy that had been totally retooled to manufacture arms," he said of wartime America. "You had women entering the workforce in record numbers to take the jobs that the men had to leave to go fight. And so suddenly saying, 'Okay, back to normal,' it was gonna hit us like an explosion."

But it didn't.

In a display of foresight not often seen in Washington, long before victory was assured, President Franklin Roosevelt put into motion a plan to ease vets back into the fragile economy.

As told in one period newsreel, "When a man gets out of the Army or Navy or Marines he's worried most about a job, an education and a home. And that's why Congress, led by the president, passed a law: The Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the GI Bill of Rights."

Signed into law 64 years ago today, the bill promised every GI Joe and GI Jane the building blocks of what would become the American dream: low-cost loans to buy a home and, perhaps most important, a free college education.

It was largely the brainchild of the American Legion, a group representing veterans of previous wars.

Peter Gaytan is director of veteran's affairs for the American Legion. He says the bill's humble origins on a sheet of hotel stationery belie its radical premise:

"We didn't wanna just create legislation that would write a monthly check to a veteran who returned from combat. We recognized that they needed a transition into a life, not a payment for service. What the GI Bill originally did was allow them to go to school, to purchase their home, to become part of the work force when they took the uniform off."

Up to that time, America had a lousy track record when it came to taking care of its veterans. Even after the Revolutionary War, vets had to storm Independence Hall in Philadelphia to demand payment they'd been promised.

In 1932, in the depths of the Great Depression, World War I vets marched on the Capitol demanding compensation owed to them. Government troops were called in to disperse them by force.

It was a bleak chapter in American history - and the GI Bill was intended to make sure it would not be repeated.

Jerome Kohlberg, who enrolled in the Navy when he was 17, knew the value of the GI Bill: "I got three different degrees on it.

"I certainly had a lot of friends who never have gone to college and for whom the GI Bill was the difference in life and death, really."

Now 82, Kohlberg is a billionaire businessman, and he's giving away millions to help today's veterans pursue their educations - a way of paying back the investment the country once made in him.

"The GIs were appreciated, and more than that, the country realized that education was important to the country," Kohlberg said. "And that education paid for itself ten-fold, if not more."

The GI Bill's authors predicted a few hundred thousand vets would take advantage of its education benefits. Instead, nearly eight million did.

"It was phenomenal," Humes said. "There was also this feeling that these veterans, these ordinary, mostly blue-collar guys, aren't really college material. The president of the University of Chicago, [Robert] Hutchins, who was an innovative educator, he said, 'You know, this benefit is gonna turn our campuses into hobo jungles.'"

The veterans proved everyone wrong.

In fact, many of the country's post-war leaders got their education on the GI Bill: presidents (George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford), senators (Daniuel Inouye, Bob Dole, John Warner), even Supreme Court justices (William Rhenquist, John Paul Stevens, Byron White).

Famous actors, writers and even an astronaut reached new heights thanks to the GI Bill.

"Really, the cold warriors were educated on the GI Bill," Humes said. "They used different weapons. They had the drafting table instead of the draft board. They used their new skills to later on take us to the moon. GI Bill guys were behind that. Same with the Internet, with the invention of computers. You can trace back much of what's good in America today, to the skills and the prosperity that the GI Bill brought to this generation."

… which brings us to the present. GI Bill benefits are still available to returning veterans. But, while the cost of a college education has exploded in recent decades, government assistance has failed to keep pace.

For Todd Bowers it wasn't just a tough decision to just stop going to school: "It was embarrassing."

The 28-year old Marine reservist was almost killed by a sniper while serving in Iraq. The bullet is still lodged in his rifle scope.

Back home, Bowers re-enrolled for classes at George Washington University but had to drop out. Despite his savings and part-time jobs, his benefits simply didn't go far enough.

"I was as surprised as I think all of America is," Bowers said. "I hear from a lot of my friends who have not served and even family and they say, 'Well, you served in the military, your college is paid for.'"

For more than a year, Vietnam veteran and Democratic senator James Webb has been pushing for a new GI Bill comparable to the original. It would guarantee funding to cover a four-year state university tuition, plus living expenses. It also extends benefits to reservists and National Guard troops.

"When you look at today's military, even though people say this is a volunteer military, they forget that the majority of the people who go into the military get out on or before the end of their first enlistment," Webb said. "And they deserve the same opportunity to readjust into civilian life and a first-class shot at the future."

But the Pentagon was initially lukewarm about Senator Webb's proposal.

Cost wasn't the issue: The estimated price-tag for an expanded benefits program, $4 billion a year, is the equivalent of about one week of combat costs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Still, until this past Thursday, the Bush administration and the Pentagon were balking because of concerns the new bill could encourage forces to leave the military.

"We in the department want to be careful that any changes to benefits don't undercut retention," said Undersecretary of Defense for manpower issues David Chu. "In other words, if you are very generous about post-service education, you're creating a draw away from continued military service, which we would need to counter-act."

But confronted with evidence that Senator Webb's proposal was gaining bipartisan support, on Thursday President Bush withdrew his opposition.

Hoping to encourage skilled forces to stay in the ranks, the compromise version of the bill will allow education funds to be transferred to military family members as well.

"We'll help you while you're in service," Chu said. "Here's our tuition assistance program. You can take this gift from the American public and you can give it to your spouse, your kids, whatever. I think it's a very powerful draw."

Humes believes the new GI Bill proposal is true to the spirit of the original legislation.

"The intent of the GI Bill, as it was written originally, was strictly to benefit the veterans, to help the servicemen readjust," he said. "It's about helping veterans take their place in society and become educated, become professionals. It's about investing in the future of America. That's what the GI Bill has always been about."

[bvau15]

Being a prior enlisted Marine, I am appauled at your ignorance of what "benefits" enlisted personel get. To start off, one of the first days all Marines must sign a receipt for money to be drawn from their account to pay for uniforms, boots, underwear, tooth paste, and even the spectactular hair cuts received while in boot camp.

The "free" meals single enlisted personel receive aren''t really so free. If you ever look at an LES at the deductions there is money withdrawn before it gets to the Marine to pay for the meals at the chow hall. In my case which I''m quite sure is the same for many others, often times we did not get an opportunity to go to the chow hall due to neccessary training restraints or any variety of reason not to make it to chow in the alloted hours of the chow hall. In these cases these enlisted personel who have already paid for a meal must now go pay again to eat.

Officers, while you do have to pay for your meals you receive extra pay for food AND housing. The annual clothing allowance both enlisted and officers receive to maintain uniforms, the officers is greater, even though all the uniforms cost the same amount of money(which officers already make).

I''m not saying as officer''s your not entitled to benefits, just that you should know what your enlisted personell actually get(they are in your command).

[veterpimp]

Your understanding was ill conceived patc212813, just like this war and your vote for Bush. Enlisted folk also pay for their uniforms and food as well. They do not "get everything paid for while they are in service." Idiot, it saddens me to think you could possibly be in charge of some of these guys and yet puport to understand you know something about their benefits. As you should chump. Stop whining. Oh, and furthermore, this benefit does apply to officers. Hopefully, it really applies in your case, because degree or not, you certainly could use an education--because you just got schooled. F_a_g

[pc212813]

It is my understanding that the GI Bill benefits are not applied equally to officers. That the bill was originally designed to provide enlisted personnel with additional benefits since their salaries were considerably lower. While officers do make more money they, to, should be afforded the same benefits. Enlisted personnel get everything paid for while they are in service; officers do not. They must purchase their uniforms, pay for their meals (including when they are attached to a ship and are out to sea).

While most officers (I assume) have undergraduate degrees, many go through officer training and therefore may not necessarily have a degree. In addition, officers may apply for educational ''assistance'', but they do not have the full benefits and/or privleges afforded to them for education (undergraduate or graduate).

While I am 100% in favor of the GI Bill and benefits, they should be applied equally and consistently among ''all'' military members. Officers put their lives in harms way as much as enlisted and should not be penalized by having different benefits. They should not have to purchase their uniforms and their meals. All personnel should have one set of rules.

[DragonflyDM]

In today''s economy, it is more important than ever to support this new G.I. Bill.
1) Globalization has shifted how our economy works and we need highly-educated citizens to compete.
2) The recession requires us to have dynamic innovators to stimulate the economy.
3) Veterans are proven performers who have earned our trust to be the citizens that will lead us into tomorrow.
4) Most military join for the promise of opportunity-- this G.I. Bill will deliver on that promise.

[oneworldusa]

Oh, by the way, I had a friend in college. Her father died in the Vietnam War before she was born. She had an older brother. BOTH their college educations were FULLY funded by the US government for the sacrifice their father made. And, by the time they went to college, they didn''t even LIVE in the US. So, even out of country tuition was fully taken care of.

What a great tribute to our fallen to help ensure the success of the families they may leave behind. I would bet many other countries don''t bother to offer anything similar in the way of support. We should be thankful we have programs and committments to assist our military families in need.

[oneworldusa]

Though some of us are living in tough economic times, (I''ve been laid off 4 times and each time have gone back to college to improve my credentials) we must all remember that while many of us want to complain about our current administration, one of the greatest freedoms we have in this country is the right and ability to leave. So, complain, complain, as many of us will, perhaps the grass is greener...If so, report back to us. Until then, I''m staying here. I''ve decided that 8 years of one man and his administration''s fallacies are not going to get me down or cause me to waste my energies on useless rhetoric. Americans are resiliant and we will get through this, for those of use who choose to stick together.

[oneworldusa]

I paid for all my own college, started working at age 15 to do so, no parental contributions, no grants, no student loans, you name it....Can''t tell you how many times I worked full time AND part time AND went to college classes to make it all happen, but it was a sacrifice I truly treasure because it didn''t come easy, I really had to work for it.

Our enlisted (out of high school) and drafted men and women deserve the opportunity for an education in return for their service to our country, once they serve their term. I think it is a GREAT idea to allow these benefits to transfer to a spouse or child should the veteran be unable to attend college, whether it be due to choice, disability, or death.

[dakotaclark]

I am unequivocally sorry to report a glaring typo in this article - "...senators (Daniuel Inouye, Bob..." should be Daniel Inouye.

Thanks to my Vietnam Era GI Bill, I learned how to spell and do fact checking before printing an article.

Although my GI Bill was not enough to live on, it was a big help. I completed an A.A., a B.S. and an M.A. degree, thanks in part to the GI Bill. I remain extremely grateful.

[demwatcher]

"I''''m a Disabled Vet and YOU are a LIAR!! The GI Bill BEFORE the Nazi''''s gutted it to give the Rich MORE tax cuts paid for a College Education... THOUSANDS of us from VIETNAM took advantage of it. Now stop defending these trashy things and stand up for the guys who have served the nation!! SIEG HEIL BUSH

Posted by MCVet at 08:02 PM : Jun 22, 2008"

Forgot to take your anti-rabies shots this week already, MikkyVet? Stop foaming at the mouth and have a benny, jerkwad.

[kesac4650]

MCVet is dishonest on several issues. He no longer has to go to VA hospital, like the old days. He can go to his own medical provider, paid for by VA, thanks to Bush.
Vets are not mad about McCain''s position on the new GI bill, unless they are awful ignorant what his position really is, because he wants to give benefits to their survivors that don''t exist now.
If I die befor my kids are grown it would be nice if they got a little more help from Uncle Sugar.

[kesac4650]

I got out of the USMC in 1972. I went to school on GI Bill, and bought my house with GI Bill help. GI bill is good , but not perfect. There are no survivors benefits, as things are. GIs and Veterans have asked for that. McCain''s Bill adds survivors benefits, so when a guy dies, his wife and kids get what he din''t use. Obama''s bill doesn''t contain that.
The Press doesn''t want to tell you that. My nephew came back from Iraq after being diagnosed with leukemia that he never survived. His wife deserves more than what she has gotten for his and her sacrifice.

[mcvet]

If they are worried about people leaving to take advantage of a new GI Bill then maybe they should look into a point system.
Points for:
Time in service
Combat service
Individual combat medals
*high level* medals
... there are probably more but you get the idea.
So if they pegged a free ride at an average state college to a 20yr non-combat vet then additional points could add to the max available (better college).

Posted by cyberus at 05:04 PM : Jun 22, 2008

That whole thing is rediculous and a Cop out!! People who wish to make the military a lifetime job do NOT want benefits until they qualify for a pension. This only helps those who find that it''s NOT what they want and wish to move to another area of work. It''s just more of the same tired old trash the Nazi''s have been handing the American People now for 30 years. They''ll sacrifice the budget to give their rich pals the chance to move American Jobs to other nations but not one cent to help a vet who wishes to educate himself. Sieg Heil Bush

[jelindley]

The author may have the semantics wrong (enlisted vs enrolled) but is right on about the imporance of the GI Bill and the need to bolster it.

[laura552]

In the 1960''s the GI bill did not pay for much. I got
a whopping 130. bucks per month. Even at the 60''s
prices it paid no where near the needed funds to attend a college. I had to drop out as I could not
afford to attend and could not find a part time job either to help with the funds. The GI''s are much better off than they were in my day.

[naucoming4u]

"...I''m not trying to bash private contractors..."

Posted by bvau15 at 05:49 PM : Jun 22, 2008
...........

Oh, please do!

The private contractors have partly given this country a bad name. Torture-for-hire, murder-for-hire companies that skate by all of the laws and "rules-of-engagement" (though questionable).

I don''t blame the soldiers who want to go where the money is. But it is sad that our government does not compensate our soldiers to the level they should, to keep them OUR soldiers rather than becoming lawless contractors!

[william0303]

Service men and women do not enroll as your reporter stated, but we enlist. having spent 22 years as an enlisted man, I enrolled into college, but remain proud to be an enlistedman!

[william0303]

Being a Viet Nam Vet and GI bill user, as well as an enlisted (22 years) the reporter is in error when she said we enroll - we enroll in school not to serve our country. PLEASE respect the military and since there has been enlisted med and women in the military for many years, reporters "REPORT'' the news correctly!!!

[bvau15]

Being a veteran of this current war pursuing a college degree I am very grateful of the new GI Bill. This argument over retention is quite ridiculous. What''s harming retention rates are private contractor companies such as Blackwater. When these companies were created many service members with upwards of 16-17 years of service chose to get out to pursue the money offered with private security contracts. As a veteran who thought long and hard about accepting a security contract, I''m not trying to bash private contractors, but what is more entising $110,000 in six months or better educational benefits. This is the greater threat to military retention rates.

[cyberus-2009]

If they are worried about people leaving to take advantage of a new GI Bill then maybe they should look into a point system.
Points for:
Time in service
Combat service
Individual combat medals
*high level* medals
... there are probably more but you get the idea.
So if they pegged a free ride at an average state college to a 20yr non-combat vet then additional points could add to the max available (better college).

[jn122736]

The original GI bill, signed by FDR, was designed to aid and support RETURNING veterans, both draftees and volunteers.
It was NEVER meant as an enlistment tool for an all-volunteer army.

The number of Americans who actually volunteered for service during WW2 was many times greater than the number now serving in the entire military combined.

After Pearl Harbor, the vast majority of Americans backed WW2 (Unlike Bush%u2019s Iraq fiasco) and they didn%u2019t need financial incentives, they volunteered before the GI bill was even proposed.

Without the incentives offered to servicemen and women, including the current GI bill and large enlistment bonuses, coupled with the Bush administration%u2019s double crossing so many troops with forced service extensions and multiple tours of duty, the Iraq fiasco would have been over at least 3 years ago or a draft would have been activated, in which case the general public would have demanded withdrawal, and bush would not have been elected in 2004

I believe today%u2019s all-volunteer army should also receive benefits from the GI bill of rights law, but I definitely DO NOT believe McCain should be allowed to use any proposed improvements to force longer enlistments, or re-enlistments, as he insists on.

BTW, In addition to the millions of volunteers for WW2 millions more were drafted.