The way America goes to war is changing — and so are the educational benefits for its returning veterans

By Lester W. Paquin

The moral contract between this country and its defenders in uniform has always been based on a somewhat sacred, symbiotic relationship — men and women in the military offer their service and sacrifice to the nation in exchange for their government honoring those commitments by taking care of them and their families in return. This care comes in many forms, from our collective remembrance and respectful celebration of their service to more practical expressions of our gratitude — like medical care, housing and educational benefits.

While it can be successfully argued that this delicate and essential relationship is presently out of balance — witness the ongoing debate concerning the scope and quality of medical and mental health services for our returning veterans — there are indications that long-overdue improvements are on the way. Among these is an increasing awareness of the importance of providing educational benefits to our nation’s protectors as they come home and exchange battle gear for laptops.

Members of the generation that came home and re-established themselves after World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts knew these government assistance programs collectively as the G.I. Bill. That federal assistance program, which provided physical, housing and educational benefits to veterans, is still in place today — with updates both established and proposed to help keep it current with our changing times.

When it comes to educational opportunities for returning Massachusetts servicemen and -women, there are a few highlights.

• Tuition waivers for all Massachusetts veterans to all state colleges and universities.

Bay State veterans may be eligible for any state-supported course in an undergraduate degree program or certificate program offered by a public college or university. To be eligible, a veteran must also be a legal resident of Massachusetts and s/he must not be in default of any federal student loans.

• National Guard tuition and fee waiver.

Effective July 1, 2006, members of the National Guard are eligible for a waiver of both fees and tuition at all state colleges and universities.

• Public service scholarship programs.

Scholarships will be awarded to children of prisoners of war or military or service persons missing in action in Southeast Asia whose service was between February 1, 1955 and the termination of the Vietnam campaign; and children of veterans whose service was credited to the Commonwealth and who were killed in action or otherwise died as a result of such service.

The above-captioned benefits are some among many that are already in place for Massachusetts veterans and their families. In a changing society, however, with the increasing demands military service, protracted deployments and a faltering economy place on its personnel, these benefits are simply not enough.

A new bill

While Congress and the Bush Administration have been slow to address these vital concerns, some light does show through. One such ray of hope is the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, a bipartisan bill now before Congress designed to expand the educational benefits the country offers men and women who have served in the military since Sept. 11, 2001. Patterned after the original G.I. Bill, this proposed legislation picks up where its predecessor leaves off, bringing hard-earned and well-deserved educational opportunities into the 21st century.

In terms of background, the former G.I. Bill paid for veterans’ tuition, books, fees, a monthly stipend and other training costs. Approximately 7.8 million veterans took advantage of these benefits at that time, out of a wartime veteran population of 15 million. Over the last several decades Congress has passed a number of other measures that also gave educational benefits to veterans, though none have had the broad measure and scope of the original legislation — until now.

Major provisions of the proposed PVEAA include:

• Increased educational benefits for all members of the military who have served in active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, including activated reservists and the National Guard.

• The bill provides for educational benefits to be paid in amounts linked to the amount of active duty served in the military after Sept. 11, 2001. Generally, veterans would receive some amount of assistance proportional to their service for 36 months, which equals four academic years.

• Benefits provided under the bill would allow veterans pursuing an approved program of education to receive payments covering the established charges of their program, up to the cost of the most expensive in-state public school, plus a monthly stipend equivalent to housing costs in the area. Additional monies would also be available for tutorial assistance, as well as licensure and certification tests.

• The bill would create a new program in which the government would agree to match, dollar for dollar, any voluntary additional contributions to veterans from institutions whose tuition is more expensive than the maximum educational assistance provided under the PVEAA.

• Veterans would have up to 15 years (compared to 10 years under the current G.I. Bill) after they leave active duty to use their educational assistance entitlement.

Powerful arguments can be made in support of the PVEAA. Among them:

• Currently, veterans’ educational benefits are administered under the existing G.I. Bill — a program designed primarily for peacetime (not wartime) service. With many of our troops having served two, three or four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, the current system gives these men and women a short window of time to take advantage of their educational benefits after serving their country.

Becker’s better idea

While the proposed provisions of the PVEAA are laudable, appropriate and horrendously overdue, they remain concepts pending enactment as the law of the land. Until that day comes, veterans are forced to rely on the antiquated provisions of the existing G.I. Bill and its amendments for much-needed educational, housing and medical assistance.

That is, unless you’re a student at Becker College in Worcester and Leicester.

Not content to wait until the PVEAA becomes law, officials at Becker have developed their own educational assistance program for returning veterans.

Many veterans are ending tours of duty to find their higher education choices are limited because they cannot pay rising tuitions with the current G.I. Bill’s $1,100 monthly pay-out. College-bound veterans are calling for increased services and funds and a renewal of the intent and spirit of the G.I. Bill.

In response to these needs, Becker College has adopted the Patriots College Access Program (PCAP), which will provide the following benefits to servicemen and -women who enroll at the institution.

“The sacrifices and dedication of our military veterans warrants our highest respect and utmost appreciation from all Americans. For Becker College, this is simply the right thing to do,” says Zirkle. “Our veterans should be free to choose the college experience that is right for them and not be limited to a choice based solely on what [G.I. Bill] benefits will cover. As the number of veterans enrolled at Becker grows, we will explore additional services that will enhance the experience and success of these individuals.”

Another element of PCAP that is expected to be extremely valuable to veterans is the opportunity to receive additional college credits for applicable military and life experience. Veterans are eligible for the “Portfolio” program, a system that evaluates professional and life experience for potential college credit. Previously, Portfolio was only available as a bridge for working adults enrolled in accelerated degree programs.

In commenting on the new program, U.S. Rep. James McGovern says “I’m so proud that Becker College is taking such a leadership role in providing educational opportunities to our returning veterans. I hope that the PCAP program will serve as a model for other colleges and universities — not just in Massachusetts, but around the country. The men and women serving in our armed forces deserve more than just our gratitude — they deserve every opportunity to achieve the American Dream.”

The strongest endorsement for PCAP will come from veterans like Becker nursing student Elisha Early. “It’s nice to see a private school, such as Becker College, take it upon themselves to offer assistance to veterans,” Early says. “We are not always able to transfer our military careers to the civilian sector and are often left with having to either prolong our education, or as in my situation, find a new career and pursue the education required. This is made difficult since most of us have families, financial obligations, and many other responsibilities by the time we’ve completed our military service and are facing life as a civilian.”

Becker student Gary Clark concurs. “As a veteran, I am pleased to see a program like this set up,” he says. “The Becker staff has been very helpful with any problems I have had, whether it be in admissions or financial aid, and this program just shows how Becker is committed to helping veterans and going that extra mile.”

To offer your support for the PVEAA bill now pending before Congress, contact your member of Congress or U.S. Senators. To find our more about Becker’s PCAP, contact the college’s Communications Director, Sandy Lashin-Curewitz, at 508-373-9529 or via www.becker.edu. o