Chairman Buyer Seeks Improved GI Benefit Bill for Guard & Reserve, Full Committee Hearing Held 

Washington, D.C. — With the goal to modernize the GI Bill, Chairman Buyer heard testimony today from representatives of the National Guard and Reserves on education benefits for the total military force.  Committee members were questioning whether the current GI Bill education and training programs are meeting the needs of servicemembers and veterans transitioning back to civilian life and the workforce, as well as maintaining the recruiting and retention goals of both active duty and reserve forces. 

“My vision of a modernized GI Bill is one that would address both national competitiveness and personal success issues by significantly increasing the number of veterans who use their benefits and that includes members of the National Guard and Reserves,” said Chairman Steve Buyer. 

Buyer announced his interest in modernizing the GI Bill at a hearing last month, where Secretary Nicholson presented the President’s Fiscal Year 2007 Budget.  This is the first in a series of anticipated Committee hearings on the issue. 

Buyer said his efforts to enact change must “meet two primary goals:  first, make the GI Bill more flexible in the types of education and training available to all eligible veterans; second, to adjust the program to make it more useable for members of the National Guard and Reserves while maintaining its value as a recruiting and retention tool.” 

"Our Airmen deserve a benefit commensurate with their service in war," said Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, Chief of Air Force Reserve. 

"We must work to ensure that returning servicemembers, both active-duty and Reservists, receive educational and training benefits that reflect and correspond to the new realities which have transformed our nation’s military commitments since September 11, 2001," said Rep. Stephanie Herseth (D-S.D.). 

“They should not lose their education benefits following honorable service,” concluded Chairman Buyer. 

Noting that the testimony of several senior officials declined to endorse a proposal put forward by the Partnership for Veterans Education, Buyer questioned the consistency of their testimony.  “I don’t see their logic.  On one hand, they oppose the Partnership’s proposal to retain education benefits after discharge on the ground that it would hurt retention.  On the other hand, their own survey data shows that education benefits have little influence on a decision to reenlist,” said Buyer.   

“We’re going to continue working with the stakeholders, but in the end, we need a better GI Bill that meets the needs of all those who wear the uniform and the needs of America’s economy,” concluded Buyer. 

Testimony was provided by:

Honorable T. F. Hall, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs
Mr. Bill Carr, Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Military Personnel Policy
Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, United States Army Reserve
Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, United States Air Force Reserve
Lt. Gen. John W. Bergman, United States Marine Corps Reserve
Maj. Gen. Ronald Young (ARNG), Acting Director, National Guard Bureau Joint Staff
Rear Adm. Craig McDonald, United States Navy Reserve
Rear Adm. Sally Brice-O’Hara, United States Coast Guard Reserve