VCMC.edu

Earlier this month, the Senate approved an expansion of the historic Post 9/11 “G.I. Bill” that has helped thousands of veterans pay for a quality education. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 was designed to ease the transition from the military to the civilian workforce for veterans and their families.

“The legislation we passed today would allow over 130,000 additional servicemen and women to become eligible for the GI benefits that help them further their educations. It additionally expands opportunities by including on-the-job and vocational training, and provides an annual book allowance. This bill will also result in a more streamlined, more equitable program for all post-9/11 veterans, all without adding to the deficit,” said Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD). Vocational training is gaining in popularity – especially in the health-care sector, as employers are seeking to fill thousands of newly created jobs. Pharmacy technicians, medical assistants, medical billing experts and vocational nurses are educational programs that provide a fast track to in-demand careers and are now covered by the newly expanded G.I. Bill.

The new bill provides book allowances for active-duty members, living stipends for distance-learning students and coverage for vocational and apprenticeship classes. The measure will also make an estimated 130,000 additional service members eligible for education benefits by covering National Guard members who respond to natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill.

“Educating our nation's veterans is an investment in our troops, our economy, and our future; it is also a cost of war," said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "We are expanding opportunities for job training and vocational education, arming our troops with the tools to contribute as workers and entrepreneurs, and taking another step to strengthen our economy.