Should Congress start charging troops for their GI Bill benefits?

MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 04:35:51 -0400

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 20 at 2017 4:51 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 04:51:26 -0400

Nope.
Our enlisted services members do not earn enough now.
The higher ranks where you can earn a wage above poverty then sure.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 20 at 2017 5:18 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 05:18:01 -0400

It would be financially difficult, however many single lower-enlisted soldiers do qualify for PELL and SEOG grants through FAFSA.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Apr 20 at 2017 5:21 AM

SFC Stephen King — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 05:21:29 -0400

No,

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Apr 20 at 2017 5:50 AM

SCPO Jason McLaughlin — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 05:50:33 -0400

Ive posted this in several other threads,

"In all honesty, we as active duty, veterans and retirees need to stop having the knee jerk reaction of disagreeing with any proposal that impacts servicemembers no matter how reasonable. There is precedent for this in the Montgomery GI Bill. The benefits that are reaped are much higher than the Montgomery GI Bill. They allow tranfer to family members.

When you have an all volunteer force (even in wartime) sometimes you offer incentives to reach desired recruiting goals. When the need for recruiting diminishes you remove or lessen the incentive. The Post 9/11 GI Bill is a fantastic deal/opportunity, at $2400 it is a fantastic deal/opportunity. Let's save our silver bullets for the important fights."

When I entered the service in 1990, I was required to pay $100 a month for 12 months for the GI Bill. I made less than half what an E-1 makes today. Additionally, if a new member maximizes their (6%) TSP contribution, they will get most of that contribution bake in their longterm savings.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Apr 20 at 2017 7:00 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 07:00:21 -0400

Honestly, no. Let those that elect to go to college after the service have the money taken out.

Response by SGT David T. made Apr 20 at 2017 7:48 AM

SGT David T. — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 07:48:16 -0400

When I joined, we had to pay in $100 per month for a year to get $36K (at the time I got out). I think this goes to help making the system sustainable. Even as an E-1 I never missed that money because I never saw it. For those who say it will create a burden, I and many other are living proof that it does not.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Apr 20 at 2017 8:04 AM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 08:04:53 -0400

We're already charged for the Montgomery GI Bill, so I don't see how it would be much of an issue to charge for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Maybe extend the opt in time beyond BCT inprocessing.

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Apr 20 at 2017 8:17 AM

Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 08:17:27 -0400

Seems to be in line with all other charging troops for things that they were promised. Does medical care come to mind? Do I agree with it, no, but seems to be reality these days.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Apr 20 at 2017 10:05 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:05:30 -0400

The GI Bill benefits are great for the service members. Taking them away or decreasing their value will be perceived as a decrease in the valuation of the service members' contribution to the nation and sacrifice. It's doubtful that Pres Trump would sign on to any plan that decreases benefits for veterans. Also, the GI bill education benefit indirectly gives federal funds to post-secondary education institutions. VA home loans help more veterans buy houses, subsidizing the home building industry. And then, there's the VA medical system, an altogether different discussion.

Response by PO2 Dave Cutsinger made Apr 20 at 2017 10:26 AM

PO2 Dave Cutsinger — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:26:29 -0400

No. I too paid my 1,200 for the MGIB, which was a no-brainer at the time, but I see no valid reason to roll back any benefits our troops are now receiving. In fact, I'd love it if Congress would include in their budget a provision requiring that pay is raised across the board every time military spending is increased. I find it sickening that we have no problem shovelling increasingly larger stacks of cash towards defense contractors while keeping our service members one step above the poverty line.

Response by GySgt Bill Smith made Apr 20 at 2017 10:46 AM

GySgt Bill Smith — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:46:37 -0400

I was told they are toying with this idea to get what most military members want. And that is to get paid between breaks in semesters. Would you not want to chip in a little to get back a lot later. I think that would be a wise investment. Nothing is free

Response by LT Brad McInnis made Apr 20 at 2017 10:54 AM

LT Brad McInnis — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:54:24 -0400

Why is it that when the government wants to cut back on defense spending, they go after the smallest wedge in the pie? They cut service members pay, benefits and commissary/exchange benefits. If you want to save big money, go after the waste, fraud and abuse in the military contracting world. It's like trying to save $1000 with pennies, when you have $20 bills lying around.

Response by MSgt Michael Bischoff made Apr 20 at 2017 12:20 PM

MSgt Michael Bischoff — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 12:20:49 -0400

No, you pay for it everyday you are in the service, you know, "your life is on the line 24/7" bit.

Response by SPC Todd Hanson made Apr 20 at 2017 12:22 PM

SPC Todd Hanson — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 12:22:01 -0400

No. So much is asked of our military these days. Our military members deserve everything they receive. Everyone pays into the GI during basic any way.

Response by SFC Andrew Miller made Apr 20 at 2017 12:44 PM

SFC Andrew Miller — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 12:44:38 -0400

This is not something new. Service members were paying in for both Chapter 30, Montgomery GI Bill and Chapter 34, VEAP. The return on investment for $2,400 is huge, and it gives you a vested interest in actually using the benefits by paying into them. By starting it as soon as you enlist or are commissioned, you barely notice it because you never see it until it is paid off.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Apr 20 at 2017 4:45 PM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:45:41 -0400

No, they shouldn't be charged for their GI benefits for 2 reasons. First, there is already a time limit on them. Why charge for benefits that not everyone uses and they expire to boot. Second, despite what people think, no you can't just transfer these benefits to your family. If I recall correctly, you still need 2 years of Active Duty time on your contract in order to transfer your benefits, and most people don't find that out until they start their retirement package or their separations package. I knew a couple of SNCOs who learned that before getting out.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2017 1:50 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 13:50:14 -0400

MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy only if it starts for future servicemembers. Not to be "oh I got mine". It is a matter of if you made the promise to those currently serving them you fulfill that. If you change put it like the new retirement so it is a new agreement with the incoming servicemembers so they know what to expect and are agreeing to.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2017 5:13 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 05:13:45 -0400

As an active duty Service member enlisted in 2016 we still pay $100 a month for 12 months for our GI Bill

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Apr 26 at 2017 11:53 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 23:53:51 -0400

I had the old Montgomery bill and I figured my contribution was the Savings bonds I purchased.. yes, I gained interest but that was for loaning the government $ to operate. I figure part of the return I got was my G.I. Bill. I was injured in a military accident (a civilian worker's fault) and was on a disability leave, retired as a SSG. I went to school, VOC-Rehab. The way it came out with both checks it was like getting my whole base pay . My text books, Pens, test booklets, test cards..
and Chef uniforms, scarves(a different color for ea. Semester,4). Some clown not in our program tried to buffalo me and tell me i had to claim all that stuff on my income tax the next year. He was partially
Correct, I had a Statement from VA/Voc-Rehab that explained why expense was picked up. In the end of it all I earned an
Assoc.Applied Sci. In Culinary, Restaurant Mgt. what helped me in getting done quicker was my Comm.Col.AF credits that I accrued from CDCs(incl. apprentice ting:hat went with ea. Set) PROFMILED courses including NCO LDRSHP SCH., NCO Academy, I had very few academic
Classes to do aside from what was related to Culinary, Rest. Mgt.
When I returned to A.D. I applied my Culinary skills and Rest. Mgt. Skills to assisting in transforming our Base Food Svc into a 1st class operation. I'm not grabbing all the credit... we had a few others that had advanced commercial schooling and that made it easier to do a first class operation .

Response by CMSgt Dennis Heath made Apr 27 at 2017 12:25 PM

CMSgt Dennis Heath — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 12:25:07 -0400

This was VEAP when I enlisted in 1978. Couldn't (or wouldn't) afford the monthly amount. Therefore, after 25 years in uniform, I retired with no education benefit.

Response by PFC Stephen Eric Serati made Apr 28 at 2017 2:45 PM

PFC Stephen Eric Serati — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 14:45:25 -0400

This is why congress has such a low approval.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 12 at 2017 7:17 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Fri, 12 May 2017 19:17:26 -0400

Restart.... it wasn't long ago we paid into the MGIB...