Should Congress start charging troops for their GI Bill benefits?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

No,

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

This is why congress has such a low approval.

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.

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 .