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In 1944, the GI Bill of Rights made sure that World War Two veterans got enough money to pay for college educations anywhere they wanted to go. But the law, which is still on the books, hasn't kept up with the rising costs of education. Today, Former Secretary of State Colin Powell and a philanthropist spoke this morning at the City College of New York in favor of a new GI Bill.
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Jerome Kohlberg served in World War Two, came home, and went to college at Swarthmore, and business school at Harvard. The government paid for as much education as he wanted, at the schools he wanted, thanks to the GI Bill. Kohlberg is now in his early eighties, and that education has payed off; he's estimated to be worth over a billion dollars. Today, at CCNY, he said that the United States has an obligation to its soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.
(0:20) Veterans that come back to school have given a number of years of their lives. And we have sat here on our duffs and really done nothing. So it's something that we owe the people that come back from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Powell, himself a CCNY alumnus, said the original GI Bill made an investment in the generation who fought World War Two.
(0:21) They went on to positions of incredible influence, authority, and responsibility throughout America. America got that money back in spades. It was great educational program, a great social program, and an investment that has repaid itself many many times over the intervening years.
The Department of Defense now says that 90 percent of currently enlisted soldiers don't have college degrees. Powell says that's unacceptable given what other countries are doing.
(0:11) Nations that used to be our enemies are now our partners in one way or another, and they're all doing the same thing - they're investing in education. So their people can move up. America has to do the same thing.
The benefit which comes from the original GI Bill today is barely enough to cover the tuition at state schools, let alone the expensive private colleges Jerome Kohlberg attended.
There are two bills before Congress, now, which aim to increase the education funding available to veterans. The more generous of the two bills is estimated to cost about two billion dollars a year. To put that in context, the country has spent around 100 billion each year for the war in Iraq.
The Department of Defense has expressed concern that generous education benefits could encourage soldiers to serve their enlistments and leave the service.
Matthew Boulay served in Iraq, and he's the director for the Fund for Veterans' Education. He thinks that more money for veterans' education could actually /help/ the military's recruiting.
(0:19) A new GI Bill will be a strong incentive for new recruitment. Folks will sign up… The little brothers/sisters of today's soldiers and veterans will see that their older brothers/sisters were taken care of, and were able to go to college, and will have a reason to sign up.
Boulay says that this may be the best time to try and get the new benefit passed.
(0:32) Our sense that support for veterans is at its highest level now, and that it's only going to decline in future years as war grinds on, continues to lose popular supportThis really is pressing; we need a new GI bill passed as soon as possible while the country is focused on taking care of veterans.
The new GI Bill is scheduled to be voted on next week.
Adam Hirsch, Columbia Radio news.