One of the major social and economic stimulus programs that were
implemented after the Second World War was the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of
1944, better known as the G.I. Bill. It was the country’s way of saying thank
you to veterans returning from the war by giving them access to academic and
vocational education (through tuition payments and living expense allowances), low-cost
mortgages and low-interest business loans.
The G.I. Bill (although not without its inequities) was one of the
true wonders of the post-war world. For many vets, it was their ticket into the
middle class for themselves and their children.
In 2008, Congress passed another bill, the Post-9/11 Veterans
Education Assistance Act, which was meant to update the G.I. Bill for the 21st
Century, with a focus on college education. But perhaps that bill should have
had some provision for also updating the Veterans Administration computer
system, because monies that should have been paid to veterans pursuing higher
education are not getting to them.
Because the 50-year-old
computer system…broke. The VA rejigged the formulas for payment
calculations, and the system couldn’t deal. There’s a lot of congressional and
VA hand-flapping going on. But no solutions.
Great way to close out the week of Veterans Day, eh?
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