Over the break, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation S.3447, a landmark overhaul of Montgomery GI Bill benefits for veterans seeking higher education. However, its passage has garnered some mixed feelings among student veterans at Portland State.
Among the most impressive changes to the bill in the eyes of veterans is the revamped stipend policy.
“It really is a great program,” said Cpl. Jonathon Anderson, a U.S. Marine and PSU student. “If you’ve got your paperwork lined up, you can definitely benefit from it.”
The stipend, which in the past calculated the amount due to student veterans based on the average cost of attendance in their respective states, will now be standardized into a nationwide average.
By August 2011, the stipend will be expanded to completely cover public school tuition and fees, including graduate school and vocational training.
However, some veterans are unhappy with the new stipend policy.
“It will put a lot of veterans in unfortunate situations,” said Cody Noren, Vice President of PSU’s Student Veterans Association.
According to Noren, a Petty Officer 3rd Class in the U.S. Navy Reserve, the bill is unable to provide for student veterans during periods of school recess. During extended holidays, such as spring or winter breaks, stipends will not be distributed. This can be detrimental to veterans that rely on stipends as their only source of income, according to Noren.
“That’s 45 days you’re looking at without a paycheck coming through,” he said. “The Majority [of SVA members] are saying they’re glad to be graduating before the changes come into effect.”
The previous GI Bill provided financial support to eligible student veterans for both education and housing. However, those original benefits were expanded after the Post-9/11 GI Bill was first introduced in 2008. Its benefits are available to individuals with at least 90 days of service on or after Sept. 11, 2001.
This most recent adjustment to the Post-9/11 further expands these benefits, for the first time bringing eligibility to National Guard members, and providing housing allowance to student veterans who participate in online classes.
The history of the GI Bill goes back to the Second World War. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 into law on June 22 of that year. This is commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights. The original piece of legislation has gone through a variety of overhauls since its inception.
For more information, students are encouraged to stop by the SVA office, located in M114 Smith Memorial Student Union, or email the organization at psuvet@pdx.edu. The SVA meets on the first Wednesday of every month from 5 to 6 p.m. ?