Support Veterans' Education Benefits Today

Today, over one hundred Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans will converge on Capitol Hill in a call for immediate legislative action to pass the "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act," a bill that will expand the educational benefits for the men and women who serve in our military receive. Please join them virtually by signing a petition supporting the bill and take action online to help it pass

Dear YD,

As both a student and a veteran, I know first hand how important veterans' benefits, especially educational benefits, are to our service men and women coming home from overseas.
Educational support not only keeps our military strong, it also helps our nation fulfill the promise we make to always stand by every man and woman who puts on the uniform in service to our nation.

Unfortunately, the way we currently dispense educational benefits to veterans is based on a law designed for peace-time service - a law that insufficiently handles all the veterans currently serving in wartime - and does not provide adequate support to those who are lucky enough to receive it.

Please join me in supporting a new bill being offered by Congressman Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) and Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) to modernize the way our country provides educational assistance to our veterans: "The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act."
The education of our nation's veterans is a cost of war.

Sign the petition today to support a 21st Century GI Bill.

After World War II our nation began offering educational assistance to millions of returning veterans, helping their transition to private life through the "G.I. Bill." Returning veterans received assistance paying for their books, fees, tuition, training costs and other important expenses. This educational investment helped educate a generation of heroes, but that wasn't all it did. The WWII G.I. Bill sparked tremendous economic growth and expansion, provided opportunities to millions who otherwise may have not been afforded them, and strengthened our families, our communities, and our nation.

For less than the cost of fighting in Iraq for one week, this legislation significantly expands educational benefits to our veterans and has the potential to strengthen our economy when it is in desperate need of help.

The 21st Century GI Bill will:

• Make benefits available to all members of the military who have served on active duty since 9/11/2001, including activated reservists and National Guard.
• Provide benefits for tuition, housing, and books for up to 36 months of education for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
• Link amount of benefits to amount of time served on active duty.
• Increase amount of time after leaving active duty to collect educational assistance to fifteen years compared to ten.
• Allows additional payments for tutorial assistance as well as licensure and certification tests.
• Create a new program in which the government will agree to match, dollar for dollar, any voluntary additional contributions to veterans from institutions whose tuition is more expensive than the maximum assistance provided.

It is time that we start keeping the promises we give the men and women in uniform. Please support this legislation in any way you can.

Thank you for your support,

Cole Hickman

Chair, Young Democrats of America Veteran's & Military Affairs Caucus
President, Young Democrats of Arizona

Sign the petition today to support a 21st Century GI Bill.