Post-9/11 GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011

Have you been adversely affected by Post 9/11 GI Bill legislation designed to restore fairness to the GI Bill for all veterans?

RESTORING THE GI BILL FAIRNESS ACT of 2011

Just before a GI Bill tuition change was set to take effect in August 2011, the House voted on a compromise bill, HR 1383, which became Public Law No: 112-26.

The Restoring the GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011 had a wonderful name and a lofty goal: to preserve the higher reimbursement rate for veteran students enrolled in a private college or university by Jan. 4, 2011. The GI Bill tuition rate reimbursement for private colleges had faced the threat of reduction prior to this legislative move.

However, while the new legislation offers some real tuition benefits, it also delays the application process and excludes certain other veterans from extended GI Bill education benefits, reports the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America).

THE AUGUST 2011 POST-9/11 GI BILL CHANGE

Without passage of the Restoring the GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011, military students would have seen their Post-9/11 GI Bill reimbursements capped at $17,500 a year, resulting in extra tuition costs for students in Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. Some private schools took steps to protect veteran students by expanding coverage under the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Passage of the new congressional tuition protection eliminated that tuition reduction, but it also means that GI BILL private-school enrollments are to be processed separately, complicating Post-9/11 GI Bill claims starting with the Fall 2011 school term. The Veterans Affairs Department officials will separate private school enrollments only in the seven states affected by the protection, thus reducing the delay for most Post-9/11 GI Bill applicants, but complicating it for others.

IAVA AGAINST THE REVISION TO PROTECT VETERANS EDUCATION

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), which aims to support all veteran students, including those attending private colleges and universities, from GI Bill reimbursement cuts, has voiced concerns that the new legislation will do more financial harm than good to veteran students in the long run. The IAVA argues that the legislation excludes hundreds of veterans - those enrolled after a certain date - from receiving the extended military education benefits they deserve.

Contact the IAVA and voice your concerns about how the new legislation may affect your GI Bill benefits.