How the Post 9/11 GI Bill May Have Saved a Generation of War Vets

It wasn’t that long ago that the news media, along with forecasters from a variety of industries, reported that we were going to face an unprecedented jobs shortage for our nation’s returning servicemen and women. Indeed, an economic tailspin put 2011 unemployment into the 9% range for all job seekers. However, new vets had it the worst that year, with a jobless rate of 11.2%. The situation looked dire. The president challenged employers to hire 100,000 veterans or their spouses by 2013. The sad truth is that there are a variety of obstacles vets must overcome when re-entering the workforce. Thankfully, the Post 9/11 GI Bill eased the transition to higher education and gainful employment for many of these brave men and women who have already given so much to our country.

Find out how Upper Limit Aviation (1-855-HELIEDU) can help veterans and non-vets alike find success as a professional pilot.

The Post 9/11 Bill and the Rights Guaranteed to Vets Came Under Attack by Politicians

The bill, sometimes known as Chapter 33, was designed to benefit servicemen as much as the military as a whole. When Senator Jim Webb introduced the legislation that would eventually grant these brave men and women the opportunity to earn an education, it became a political firebrand. During the 2008 presidential election, some politicians argued that the bill was too generous, that it would discourage retention in service. But proponents argued, and have since been proven right that the losses in retention would more than be made up for by a pickup in recruitment rates. Additionally, the option to sign up for an extension of service in order to attain the right to pass on your benefits to a family member have led many to serve a longer term of duty.

There are a number of factors that have led us to where we are today. In previous conflicts, the simple truth of the matter is that we lost a lot of brave souls in battle. But in each successive war, medical technology has given us the ability to save many lives that would previously have been lost. A lot of amputees have come home that would never have left the battlefield in generations past. These soldiers come home, sometimes requiring special care, and sometimes they are differently abled, and cannot perform the same tasks that they would have been able to before. Lives are shattered when dreams change because men and women gave large sacrifices of themselves in the service of our country.

The Rights of Veterans Guarantee Them A Certain Amount of Choice, and Choice Equals Freedom

There was a time when these men and women wouldn’t have had much choice about what to do upon returning home. However, in the first four years of its existence, the Post 9/11 GI Bill has paid out 30 billion dollars in educational assistance. The benefits offered are double those of the Montgomery GI Bill. And while critics still maintain that we need to be able to track graduation rates and find other metrics to determine the success of the program, we feel that the proof is in the pudding. The unemployment rate for veterans was 6.4% in July of 2013, a full point below the 7.4% rate of non-veterans. Something is clearly working.

It is important for veterans to seek out a program that meets their needs. There are some schools out there that are merely seeking to cash the government’s check. As a public relations issue, no schools want to be seen as unfriendly to veterans, so many educational institutions have opened veteran outreach programs. Too often, this is just a PR stunt, and schools show little commitment or follow through to these important students.

Upper Limit Aviation strives to help veterans and non-veterans alike transform their lives by learning the skills that will directly lead to a rewarding, lifelong career as a professional pilot. Helicopter and fixed-wing aviation both offer the possibility to find ongoing career opportunities. Our admissions counselors can provide detailed information and resources on how you can get the most out of your VA benefits.

Many students who have transitioned from a military background have said that the atmosphere at our campuses feels very compatible with the service way of life that they have become accustomed to. Aviation jobs are a natural fit for men and women in the service. Pursuing a job as a professional pilot is not easy. It takes time, patience and determination. But these are all traits that come naturally to the disciplined men and women who have served our country in military service.

Call 1-855-HELIEDU to find out how we can help you use your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to join the thriving veteran workforce that has led to this employment situation that so favors your success.