Wednesday, June 18, 2008
I think all military members deserve education benefits war or peace. Here's why...
Reason 1:
I served from 1978-1984 in the navy on submarines. This was for all practical purposes an era of peace. Except I was on submarines and I am a life member of the VFW for certain missions my submarine was involved in. I wear the expeditionary medal for "having been on hostile/enemy land for more than 30 days consecutively" due to missions(s) my boat was involved.
Reason 2:
My brother, a Navy Lt and aviator, served from 1981 to 1985 when he was killed. These were years of peace too. I'm telling you this because service men and women risk their lives every day preparing to defend our country. My brother's jet crashed and he died. Certainly that servicemen and women risk their lives in peace for war deserve education benefits.
I hope you will agree with me that all members of the military deserve education benefits. We risked our lives.
Reason 3:
The final reason has to do with cost. The GI Bill from 1945 has returned six-fold in increased payroll taxes to the US government. The cost of education for the military as Kennedy and Eisenhower suggest, should not be a consideration because it is actually a revenue positive measure. We need to look long-term and not short-term for funding solutions. Politicians only see to the next election cycle which is no different than Wall Street but that is another post.
We all know the social reasons why education matters. MIlitary members deserve education benefits whether it is peace or war. And you know what? if you want to keep military spouses happy, and have GIs reenlisting, you will give education benefits to spouses too!
Paul
Reason 1:
I served from 1978-1984 in the navy on submarines. This was for all practical purposes an era of peace. Except I was on submarines and I am a life member of the VFW for certain missions my submarine was involved in. I wear the expeditionary medal for "having been on hostile/enemy land for more than 30 days consecutively" due to missions(s) my boat was involved.
Reason 2:
My brother, a Navy Lt and aviator, served from 1981 to 1985 when he was killed. These were years of peace too. I'm telling you this because service men and women risk their lives every day preparing to defend our country. My brother's jet crashed and he died. Certainly that servicemen and women risk their lives in peace for war deserve education benefits.
I hope you will agree with me that all members of the military deserve education benefits. We risked our lives.
Reason 3:
The final reason has to do with cost. The GI Bill from 1945 has returned six-fold in increased payroll taxes to the US government. The cost of education for the military as Kennedy and Eisenhower suggest, should not be a consideration because it is actually a revenue positive measure. We need to look long-term and not short-term for funding solutions. Politicians only see to the next election cycle which is no different than Wall Street but that is another post.
We all know the social reasons why education matters. MIlitary members deserve education benefits whether it is peace or war. And you know what? if you want to keep military spouses happy, and have GIs reenlisting, you will give education benefits to spouses too!
Paul
Labels: Education Benefits for the Military
# posted by Dr. Paul Rutter @ 9:41 AM 
