Veterans play a critical role in the U.S. economy. For many returning veterans, education is the first step to successfully reentering civilian life and the workforce. Since the inception of the first GI Bill (Servicemen’s Readjustment Act) in 1944, higher education has been responding to the needs of military students. There were over 555,000 veteran and active duty beneficiaries of the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2011, up from nearly 35,000 in 2009, according to the Veterans Benefits Administration. When combined with the veterans and active duty service members receiving other forms of educational support, this number jumps to 925,000 for 2011, totaling more than $10 billion. The Veterans Benefits Administration states that, “educational benefits are meant to enhance the nation’s competitiveness through the development of a more highly educated and productive workforce.”

Veterans are dedicated employees and entrepreneurs with invaluable skill sets, excellent teamwork and leadership skills, and commendable devotion to their employers or businesses. Without the assistance of higher education, it’s probable that the current 12% jobless rate among post-2001 veterans would increase. Higher education must do more to meet and exceed the educational needs of military students by maximizing Post 9/11-GI Bill benefits, providing supplemental programs, offering practical degrees and assisting in career placement.

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) explains that “the Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.” Benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill include up to 100% tuition and fee coverage, a monthly living (housing) stipend, up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies, a one-time relocation allowance, and the option to transfer benefits to family members.

Challenges of the Post-9/11 GI Bill

The implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill created many challenges for colleges. The administrative burden of monitoring GI benefits has caused college administrators to report a workload increase of 50% to 200% since the bill was implemented, according to a 2011 report by the RAND Corporation and the Lumina Foundation for Education on behalf of the American Council on Education.

Reasons for increased workload were cited as: 1) managing a 35% to 100% increase in total GI Bill enrollments; 2) familiarizing staff with new benefit details and a new certification software system; 3) working with the student accounts office to ensure that the institution received the correct tuition payments and to troubleshoot payment errors with the VA; 4) resubmitting enrollment verifications to the VA each time a student added or dropped a course; and 5) assisting students in understanding their benefit options.

To manage the increased workload, colleges have added staff and rely on VA work-study students when possible. Some colleges have also applied for grant money to fund additional veteran-related staff positions.

Supplemental programs

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a main reason military students begin or continue their postsecondary education. For military students to obtain the maximum benefits from the Post-9/11 GI Bill, they must select a college that recognizes the challenges presented by this version of the GI Bill and is experienced in managing the benefits it offers.

A qualified college should also be able to help military students use supplemental programs like the Yellow Ribbon Program. A provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Yellow Ribbon Program is designed to help students avoid up to 100% of the out-of-pocket tuition and fees that may exceed GI Bill tuition benefits. Military-friendly colleges will help military students receive additional funds through GI Bill provisions like the Yellow Ribbon Program without additional charges to the student’s entitlement.

Besides helping students leverage military student assistance, military-friendly colleges should provide additional accommodations for veterans and active service members. Military-friendly colleges will accept College Level Examination Programs or DANTES Subject Standardized Test exams for credit, and most will accept military training and experience for credit through the American Council on Education. Additionally, military-friendly colleges offer military student benefits such as: tuition discounts; in-state tuition without residency requirements; fee-waived applications; flexible schedules through evening, weekend, and online courses; and reenrollment without penalty for military students who are called to active duty.

Most military-friendly colleges will offer programs that further assist military students, their spouses and family members in achieving their education goals. Colleges will often partner with organizations like the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Degree Network System, an organization that works to provide educational opportunities to military students who, because of frequent relocation, have difficulty completing their college degrees. Furthermore, military-friendly colleges may offer programs like the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts, a program that provides up to $4,000 (over two years) of financial assistance for military spouses pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials that lead to employment in portable career fields. A military-friendly college’s commitment to military students is demonstrated by its ability to leverage benefits and supplemental programs.

Degree options

Veteran and active service members demand degree options that will serve them in today’s challenging economy. Colleges looking to appeal to the military student should offer two- and four-year degree options in areas such as management, leadership and public administration. Furthermore, military students typically require flexible degree schedules through day, night, and online courses. Military-friendly colleges must take note of these unique needs and respond accordingly.

In addition to flexible degree options, colleges must focus on career placement to ensure that military students are supported during their transition into the workplace. Colleges that offer support through internship opportunities, access to career counselors, and a network of military-friendly employers are able to provide the most essential support. Military-friendly colleges that have experienced veteran advisors and counselors on staff are able to connect military students with local VET REPS for career placement and guide students through upcoming transitions. Colleges should also leverage their business and community connections in order to guide military students from the classroom to the workforce in a systematic manner that generates career readiness and success.

With an estimated one million servicemembers, military spouses and family members expected to reenter the civilian workforce over the next five years, colleges’ roles have become more important than ever in the effort to decrease the unemployment rate among these individuals. By supporting veterans through their transition from the military to the workforce, colleges can make a significant impact on the individual success of each servicemember and the economy as a whole.

Thomas M. McGovern is president of Fisher College and a U.S. Army veteran. Email: tmcgovern@fisher.edu.

Related Posts:

Support the Troops ... with Education

The U.S. Education Department is going ahead with its proposed "gainful employment" rules for for-profit colleges, despite industry advocates calling on Congress and the courts to intervene. Originally scheduled to be issued last September, Education Secretary Arne Duncan delayed the regulations after receiving about 90,000 letters on the issue, most of them in opposition. The most recent version of the regulations, which would make federal funding to for-profit institutions conditional on their meeting several metrics based on academic quality and graduates' ability to repay student loans, was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on May 2 for review. The Department of Education is already planning to form another negotiated rulemaking committee, although it has not indicated a possible subject for the proposed rulemaking. Roundtable discussions and hearings this month will address teacher preparation, improving college completion, and student loans.

The U.S. Department of Justice is joining a whistle-blower lawsuit against Education Management Corp. for alleged illegal student recruitment practices at its for-profit colleges. The suit, brought in federal court in Pittsburgh, PA, alleges that Education Management paid incentives to its college recruiters based on how many students they enrolled. Education Management is the second-largest operator of for-profit colleges, covering more than 148,000 students around the country. The Education Department has been pursuing stricter regulations on for-profit colleges since 2009, and new rules are scheduled to go into effect in July. These rules would, among other measures, remove 12 exceptions to the prohibition against incentive payment to college recruiters.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on Thursday detailing problems with the implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Department of Veterans Affairs was charged with implementing the program which was expanded significantly in its last authorization, and the GAO report concluded that it could have worked more closely with the Education Department and other parties. College officials have noted several of the issues address in the GAO report, including the long delays often involved in processing a veteran's benefits.

A survey of correctional facilities in 43 states found that only 6% of prisoners were enrolled in vocational or postsecondary academic programs during the 2009-10 school year, and 86% of those enrolled were concentrated in 13 states. The survey, conducted by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, argued that increasing prison access to educational programs could reduce recidivism and in turn reduce the country's prison costs—around $52 billion per year for 2.3 million prisoners, according to the survey. It also recommends that "federal and state statutes should be amended to make specific categories of incarcerated persons eligible for financial aid." Prisoner enrollment in continuing education dropped off sharply following a 1994 law making federal and state prisoners ineligible for Pell Grants.

In a proposal for a new national security and prosperity strategy, Captain Wayne Porter of the U.S. Navy and Colonel Mark Mykleby of the U.S. Marine Corps argued that supporting education is critical to maintaining our national security. They contend that investment in education, workforce development, and economic competitiveness is tantamount to investment in future international influence. "Our first investment priority, then, is intellectual capital and a sustainable infrastructure of education, health, and social services."

From the New England Council's Weekly Washington Report Higher Education Update, May 9, 2011. NEBHE is a member of the Council and will publish this column each week.

Founded in 1925, the New England Council is a non-partisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The Council's mission is to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. For more information, please visit www.newenglandcouncil.com.