G.I. Bill of Rights
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Stamp commemorating the G.I. Bill or Servicemen's Readjustment Act |
The
G. I. Bill of Rights or
Servicemen's Readjustment Act of
1944 provided for college or vocational education for returning
World War II veterans (commonly referred to as
GIs or G. I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. It also provided loans for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses.
The G. I. Bill is considered to be the last piece of
New Deal legislation. However, the bill which President
Franklin D. Roosevelt initially proposed was not as far reaching. The G. I. Bill was created to prevent a repeat of the
Bonus March of 1932 and a relapse into the
Great Depression after World War II ended. The
American Legion (a veterans group) is essentially responsible for many of the bill's provisions. The Legion managed to have the bill apply to all who served in the armed services, including African-Americans and women.
The fact that the G. I. Bill paid for a G. I.'s entire education had encouraged many universities across the country to expand enrollment. For example, the
University of Michigan had fewer than 10,000 students prior to the war. In 1948 their enrollment was well over 30,000. Syracuse University also embraced the spirit of the Bill and saw their enrollment skyrocket from approx. 6,000 before the war to 19,000 students in 1947.
Another provision was known as the 52–20 clause. This enabled all former servicemen to receive $20 once a week for 52 weeks a year while they were looking for work. Less than 20 percent of the money set aside for the 52–20 Club (as it was known) was distributed. Rather, most returning servicemen quickly found jobs or pursued higher education.
An important provision of the G. I. Bill was low interest home loans for servicemen. This enabled millions of American families to move out of urban apartments and into suburban homes. Prior to the war the
suburbs tended to be the homes of the wealthy and upper class. Although black servicemen were eligible for these loans they tended to remain in the inner cities or in rural areas because many suburban communities using
racial segregation did not sell homes to
African-Americans and other minorities.
As a whole the bill helped to democratize the "
American Dream." The G. I. Bill of Rights has since been modified but still remains on the books.
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ARNG/USAR SMP Financial Benefits*
Education Fact Sheet for Guard & Reserve Members| Type | Active Duty Chapter 30 | Active Duty Chapter 30Top-UP | Vocational Reabilitation Chapter 31 | VEAP Chapter 32 | DEA Chapter 35 | Selected Reserve Chapter 1606 | Selected Reserve (REAP) Chapter 1607 | Additional Benefits Tutition Assistance | Additional Benefits Student Loan Repayment Program | | Info Link | [1][2] | [3][4] | | [5][6] | [7][8] | [9][10] | [11] | [https://www.armyreserveeducation.com/] | [https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/reserve/soldierservices/pay/studentloanrepay.htm] |
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| Time Limit (Eligibility) | 10 yrs from discharge | | | Entered service for the first time between January 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985;Opened a contribution account before April 1, 1987;Voluntarily contributed from $25 to $2700 | | Prior to October 1, 1992 = 14 years,on or after October 1, 1992 = 10 years,or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve; this include voluntary entry into the IRR. | 10 Years from date of eligibility, or the day you leave the Selected Reserve; this include voluntary entry into the IRR. | On the day you leave the Selected Reserve; this include voluntary entry into the IRR. | On the day you leave the Selected Reserve; this include voluntary entry into the IRR. |
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| Months of Benefits (Full Time) | 36 Months Payment Rates | | | 1 to 36 months depending on the number of monthly contributions | up to 45 monthsPayment Rates | 36 MonthsPayment Rates | 36 MonthsPayment Rates | Contingent as long as you serve as an Active Reservist. | Contingent as long as you serve as an Active Reservist. |
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Criticism towards the GI bill has come from libertarians. Libertarians assert that the GI bill has been based on the assumption that in the absence of the bill, people would have done nothing, and that the GI bill only shifted educational training from direct programs such as apprenticeships to college programs. It is also asserted that such a subsudation of higher education has led to overproduction, in this case overproducing college degrees so that the supply of people with college degrees does not meet the demand of the market. [
12]
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African Americans and the G.I. Bill*
Official Web Site*
Guide to GI Bill and Education Benefits*
Comments by Bill Gates Sr. on societal obligations
