The GI Bill Planning Act streamlines veterans’ educational benefits, gives military enlistees much-needed time to have a clearer understanding of their choices, and allows them to better plan for their futures.
June 1, 2020
The Honorable Jacky Rosen
Senator from Nevada
144 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Rosen,
On behalf of the 2.1 million members of AMAC – Association of Mature American Citizens, including over 22,000 residing in the state of Nevada, I write to offer our support for S. 2830, the GI Bill Planning Act.
As an organization comprised of many veterans of America’s armed services, AMAC is vested in ensuring that all who serve, past and present, receive the consideration they deserve for the commitment they make to defend and protect our country. Many military members choose to serve in order to take advantage of the educational benefits their service to America affords them.
S. 2830 streamlines veterans’ educational benefits for the future. The vast majority of student veterans use an updated version of the GI Bill, yet many still elect to also keep their eligibility for an older version of this benefit, the Montgomery GI Bill. This eligibility costs them a mandatory $1200 even though they will likely never use this benefit.
Your bill would give military enlistees six months, instead of the current two weeks, to decide to pay for this eligibility or choose to opt out of the Montgomery GI Bill. The six-month timeline is important as these enlistees currently make this decision while still dealing with the rigors of boot camp. These enlistees also often earn less than $20,000 annually, so the $1200 savings they would experience by opting out is significant.
Thank you, Senator Rosen, for sponsoring bipartisan legislation that supports veterans who pursue higher education. Your bill gives military enlistees time to have a clearer understanding of their educational choices and allows them to better plan for their futures. AMAC is pleased to join other veterans’ groups in offering our organization’s support for S. 2830, the GI Bill Planning Act.
Sincerely,
Bob Carlstrom
President, AMAC Action
Copyright © 2024 AMAC, Inc. / AMAC Senior Resources Network. All rights reserved.
At one time the GI Bills educational benefits could easily be shared with the military members family. With serious kids getting out there and getting their AD with “running start” while still in high school, the GI Bill can polish off a kid or two’s Bachelors Degree with little out-of-pocket money from mom or dad or a divorce couple. Unfortunately this was made incredibly difficult to use with new regulations and limitations recently put on it linking it as a recruiting tool.
I was able to use it before it got shut down and my daughter graduated from her Washington State BSN program at 20 yo and is working for the VA as a surgical nurse. Returning this to the way it was might be worth the effort…
At one time the GI Bills educational benefits could easily be shared with the military members family. With serious kids getting out there and getting their AD with “running start” while still in high school, the GI Bill can polish off a kid or two’s Bachelors Degree with little out-of-pocket money from mom or dad or a divorce couple. Unfortunately this was made incredibly difficult to use with new regulations and limitations recently put on it linking it as a recruiting tool.
I was able to use it before it got shut down and my daughter graduated from her Washington State BSN program at 20 yo and is working for the VA as a surgical nurse. Returning this to the way it was might be worth the effort…