The History of the GI Bill®
Educational Benefits for Veterans
The number of veterans and families who have had their lives drastically changed because of the GI Bill increases every day.
The GI Bill® is one of the most commonly known benefits available to military veterans, and some of their family members. When it was established as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, it was created to help World War II veterans, because the assimilation of World War I's veterans was anything but seamless.
The act served 9 million veterans with almost $4 billion from the unemployment compensation program part of the bill. Education and training provisions were around until 1956 and the VA also offered insured loans until 1962. The Readjustment Benefits Act in 1966 made the benefits available to all veterans, including those serving in peacetime.
The original compensation included up to $500 free college education and a monthly stipend and almost half of those admitted to colleges in 1947 were veterans. There was also weekly unemployment available for up to one year and job counseling available for veterans.
On top of the educational benefits and unemployment compensation, veterans were also able to get a home or business loan. By 1955, 20% of the new homes built after the war were by veterans who used this loan, helping to stave off negative economic impacts like the Great Depression after World War I.
Montgomery GI Bill
In 1984, to make sure that Vietnam veterans could also receive higher education, a representative from Mississippi, G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery proposed to make the GI Bill permanent. Service members can opt-in to this bill with two years of active duty service.
Post-9/11 GI Bill
Established in 2008, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act gives veterans who served on active duty anytime on or after September 11, 2001, educational benefits. Those who serve for a specific period of time, can also transfer their unused benefits to their spouses or children.
Forever GI Bill
The latest addition to veteran educational assistance came in 2017 when the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act was signed into law. Referred to as the Forever GI Bill, it expands benefits in a few ways, such as eliminating the 15-year limitation on Post-9/11 benefits, authorizing some work-study programs and offering Reservists credits towards the Post-9/11 GI Bill program.
The number of veterans and families who have had their lives drastically changed because of the GI Bill. Over 10 million veterans received educational benefits after the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Since 2009, over 800,000 veterans and their families have received more than $12 million in benefits.
