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INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 7, 2008)
The American Legion has launched an informative new Web site to help veterans
and their families understand the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which takes effect Aug.
1, 2009, and how it compares with other federal education benefits for veterans.
The
site www.mygibill.org
includes clear explanations of the different GI Bill benefits, news alerts
and updates, frequently asked questions, state-by-state benefits and
online application opportunities. The site also includes information
about The American Legions historical and ongoing role in the evolution
of veterans education benefits. The site will continue to evolve with
new features and updated material every week.
"This new
Web site comes in response to quite a bit of confusion from veterans
since the passage of the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act
of 2008 last summer," American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein
said. "There are some major differences between the Post 9/11 GI Bill
and the Montgomery GI Bill that veterans need to understand. Foremost,
they need to understand that they have choices and should review all
of the different education benefits to see which one best meets their
needs."
Rehbein
said The American Legion has a time-honored obligation to play a lead
role in providing information and outreach on the GI Bill.
"The
Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 the original GI Bill was
the brainchild of American Legion members, most notably Past National
Commander Harry Colmery, who drafted it in longhand from a room inside
the Mayflower Hotel in Washington," Rehbein said. "He and his fellow
Legionnaires worked diligently in
Washington and around the nation to get it passed. The rest is history
a half-century of economic prosperity, a 7-to-1 return on investment
for the federal government and, really, the creation of the American
middle class."
The Legion
was actively involved, as well, in the creation of the Post 9/11 GI
Bill last spring, which aimed to improve portability of the benefit,
especially for members of the National Guard and Reserve, and to make
it transferable to spouses and dependents. The American Legion worked
closely with the bills primary author, Sen. James Webb, D-Va., during
its creation.
"While
there are still some issues to be worked out, the new GI Bill fills
in a lot of gaps the Montgomery GI Bill did not cover," Rehbein said.
"Likewise, there are some benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill that may
outweigh those of the Post 9/11 bill. Veterans
need simple, clear answers that are sometimes hard to find in government-run
media and documents. Thats what we are doing with www.mygibill.org."
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