Veterans Applaud President's Commitment to Post-9/11 GI Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 3, 2009

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Veterans Applaud President's Commitment to Post-9/11 GI Bill

New Benefit will Send Millions to College, But up to 10% of Vets Could Be Left Out 

Washington, DC - Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, joined President Obama in celebrating the historic start to the Post-9/11 GI Bill at George Mason University. Chief Legislative Counsel Patrick Campbell, a nationally-recognized expert on the new benefit, and IAVA members were in attendance at the important event.

"Today, America begins building a new generation of leaders. After two years of working with a bi-partisan coalition to get this bill passed, IAVA is proud to mark this historic milestone as the new benefit takes effect," said IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff. "IAVA thanks the President for recognizing the significance of this day for our men and women in uniform.  It was a long road, but together we showed what can happen in Washington when people put patriotism ahead of politics and partisanship."

However, some problems do exist with the generous new benefit.  Up to 10% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans could see a reduction in their benefits under the new GI Bill.  IAVA is committed to ensuring that these issues are quickly addressed by Congress and the Administration. Some of the key complications IAVA has identified: 1) The VA separated tuition and fees when capping benefits. Vets in California, Massachusetts, and Florida will be especially impacted by this discrepancy, 2) The living allowance is denied to distance learners, 3) Title 32 Active Guard Reserve (AGR) service does not count toward the new GI Bill benefits, 4) Tuition and fees are capped at each state's public school charges, resulting in wide disparities, 5) On-the-job, apprenticeship, certificate and vocational programs are specifically excluded from benefits.

As a result of confusion over some of these complications, IAVA has already received thousands of emails and phone calls from member veterans trying to understand how to use the new benefit. In an effort to address these questions, IAVA has launched NewGiBill.Org, a one stop shop providing accurate and credible information and resources on the new benefit.

Rieckhoff added "Today is a huge victory, but we're not done yet.  We have already begun conversations with members of Congress and the Administration to address these technical problems, and we must ensure they are fully fixed.  No veteran should be left behind in pursuit of the education benefits they deserve."

Throughout 2007 and 2008, IAVA played a lead role in creating and passing the Post-9/11 GI Bill, working closing with the other veterans groups, Senators Jim Webb (D-VA), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), John Warner (R-VA) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Representatives Peter King (R-NY), Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), Harry Mitchell (D-AZ), and Bobby Scott (D-VA). The historic 18-month grassroots campaign included dozens of congressional testimonies, hundreds of media interviews, an in-depth issue report highlighting the need for a new GI Bill, targeted print and online advertising to give the bill national prominence, and extensive lobbying efforts by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans on Capitol Hill.

Visit IAVA's brand new one stop shop for navigating the Post-9/11 GI Bill here: NewGIBill.org.

See statement from The White House here.

To arrange an interview with Chief Legislative Counsel, Patrick Campbell, Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff or a member veteran going to school on the new GI Bill, contact Chrissy Stevens, 212-982-9699, Chrissy@iava.org.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 125,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide. Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.

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