Saw this on the news last night. I say it's about time. They've earned it. President Bush just signed into law the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. It allows for all guardsman & reservists who have served at least 90 days on active duty since 9/11, entitlement to better GI Bill tuition assistance. The more time served on active duty, the more tuition the government will pay.

For more info on this Act, you can check out the Fact Sheet HERE. And the extension to 15 years for them to complete their studies just hits home the fact that these troops are going to be continuing their deployments for many years to come. At least the government understands this and has planned accordingly. Hopefully every guardsman & reservist that has earned this will take full advantage of it. Story below.

~ josh ~ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GI Bill

Reported by: WMBD/WYZZ TV - Sarah Barwacz

Tuesday, Jul 1, 2008 @06:09pm CST

WMBD/WYZZ TV – PEORIA -- For the first time since the Revolutionary War, half of active duty service members are guardsman, or reservists. A new GI Bill will now pay for their college education. The bill is for any service member who served three years active duty since 9-11. If you put in less time, you'll still get some benefits. For example, serving two years, means two-thirds of your education will be paid for.

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin says, “When men and women serve our country and risk their lives they're entitled to a GI Bill when they return to give them a better life."

That better life will start will a full ride to any in state university, or technical school. It also includes a housing stipend.

Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director says, “Now it allows service members to go to private universities, something not available."

Veterans will have more time to use their money than they did under the Montgomery Bill. Now they'll have 15 years to get their classes in compared to just 10 years. Service members also have the option to pass their college education off to their spouse, or children once they turn 18.

The goal of the bill is to help reduce the number of veterans that are unemployed. This bill was a bi-partisan effort. Service members could start to see education benefits as early as August.