GI Bill, 12/2005

Key Lecture Points:

• 61 years after its passage, the GI Bill (Officially, the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944) is arguably the single most effective piece of Federal legislation in the history of the US. Covering the 16 million Americans returning from WWII, the GI Bill helped to fuel the explosion of American economy in the wake of the war.

• The early history of the relationship between the US Government and military veterans was not as it is today. Ongoing benefits (pensions) for war veterans were provided only for those who were injured in combat or for the dependents of those killed. Able-bodied veterans received relatively little beyond the payment for their active duty.

• The story began to change after WWI when a sizable and politically powerful veterans lobby formed under the American Legion and began to pressure the government to support veterans (able-bodied and otherwise).

• The 1944 GI Bill paid for the education of 50% of American WWII veterans, contributing to (if not establishing) the upward mobility ethic of the American middle class.

• Additionally, the GI Bill opened access to the middle class by providing low-interest loans for homes, farms and/or businesses. The impact was tremendous. Home ownership doubled between 1940 and 1950.

• While the original GI Bill expired in 1956, modified versions of the GI Bill have been maintained ever since (for Korean War era Vets and later for Vietnam War era Vets). Today, in the era of an all volunteer US Armed Forces, the Montgomery GI Bill (as it has been called since 1987) is a crucial tool in the recruitment for military service.

• Recently, US military branches (the Army and Marines, in particular) have been having difficulty meeting their recruiting goals. A sweetening of the GI Bill may be the only recourse to allow the military to maintain its numbers in an all-volunteer manner.

For More Information:
• Department of Veterans Affairs, History of GI Bill: http://www.gibill.va.gov/education/GI_Bill.htm
• PBS NOW Coverage of the History of Veterans Benefits: http://www.pbs.org/now/society/vetbenefits.html
• Coverage of Recent reports of military recruiting: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,77951,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl

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