Opinion: Bush Does Something I Like, Signs New G.I. Bill Into Law

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Bush recently signed into law a new G.I. Bill package that makes it easier for veterans to actually go to college and pay nothing out-of-pocket. For years, veterans and Congressmen agreed that servicemen weren't getting enough money out of the previous Bill that often left people owing instead of earning and learning. What did they expect for a bill that was last tinkered with after World War II?

Regardless, I am happy that Bush did the right thing. Yeah, yeah, who cares if he initially opposed it?Who cares that it was a 92-6 vote in the U.S. Senate and a 256-166 H of R vote, both sections of Congress doing it bipartisan style? Does it really matter that he largely thanked the Republicans involved with the bill even though it was driven by both houses and one Republican didn't want it for fear of people leaving the military early to pursue it? What was that guy's name...oh, yeah. John McCain!

Granted, McCain's reasoning for opposing the bill almost makes sense. He wanted a sliding scale bill to benefit people who stayed in longer for additional enlistments. But the part that bugs me is that he felt it would be "too generous" to give the same Bill benefits for people who enlisted for one term.

I think it is important to do that because, otherwise, we will encourage more people to leave the military after they have completed one enlistment. At a time when the United States military is fighting in two wars, and as we finally are beginning the long overdue and very urgent necessity of increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps, one study estimates that Senator Webb's bill will reduce retention rates by 16%.

Let me tell you, not everyone will take advantage of this bill. People will still be here to fight the fight, Senator McCain.

I joined the military 10 years ago as a member of the enlisted Air Force. I had already earned my Bachelors Degree in Psychology but the Air Force wasn't taking any officers in that field at the time. So instead I chose to be a jet engine mechanic that would sometimes try to convince the engines that they needed to work better at communicating with the rest of the aircraft. I didn't care; I just wanted to see the world for four years and have my GI Bill pay for grad school. My other friends went to grad school but they worked three jobs to pay for it.

Ten years later I finally have the opportunity to use it. But you know what? I learned that with my Bachelors Degree I was more educated than about 95% of the enlisted force, to include people who have served 25 years! It wasn't because the GI Bill wasn't enough. The Air Force offers Tuition Assistance so that they pay whatever your GI Bill doesn't cover as long as you are active.

It's because the military lifestyle offers little time to complete your degree, regardless of rank or term of enlistment. It's because people who enlist enjoy the fact that they can get an educational opportunity without paying full price for it if they want but would rather fight the good fight. It's because job experience counts almost as much as a degree and they stay in. It's because they actually LIKE their jobs. The one sad fact about this is that only 30% of those who signed up for the G.I. Bill actually use it.

Anyone who joined or reenlisted after September 11 knew what they were getting into. They knew that there were possibilities of long deployments and going to war zones. They got in under the guise that they were going to do the right thing for America and defend freedom. Regardless of how, that is what they are doing. The G.I. Bill is there for when they feel it is time. Getting in for that advancement of education, just like I did, isn't as simple as it was.
And I think Bush finally realized that. For this, I give him props. He probably saw a veto coming and instead of trying to nickel and dime and extend this long-awaited reform, he signed it into law.

For me, I got out at the right time. The new Bill says that I can transfer any unused funds to my spouse, who clearly deserves a shot at finishing her education since she married me while I was in the military. As an aside, anyone who does that clearly loves you because you don't make a lot of money as a soldier! I proudly served 10 years but decided it was time to move on and do other things I was meant to do. Now I can and now my wife can do what many other military spouses cannot: pursue higher education.

So thanks, Mr. President, for finally doing the right thing. Hopefully those guys in their first term who spent more time in the dirt than others who did for 30 years will have another option thanks to their service. At least now if someone decides to not reenlist, they have a real shot at education instead of a half-loaded one.