Want the GI Bill? You better sign up when you first join or regardless how unfair it is, you will never get this opportunity again.

BACKROUND INFO:

Members are given a one-time option to enroll in the Montgomery GI Bill, when they first join the service. Congress would have to change the laws to allow personnel to enroll at any other time during their career.

Justification:


REASON 1
The root of the one time enrollment portion of the MGIB is the investment period. The sooner service members sign up, the longer the investment period. Understanding that, If personnel can join the military, stay in 4 years, get out and use benefits, Why can’t sailors of 10 years sign-up and forfeit benefits until their 14 year mark?

REASON 2
Regardless of how strongly we recommend personnel to sign-up, some are not responsible or mature enough to make the right decision. They have had no training in long-term planning or career management yet they are expected to make a decision hundreds if not thousands of service members currently regret.

REASON 3
The program itself has evolved and changed dramatically since it’s inception in 1987. The benefits greatly exceed those that were offered originally. When some members declined enrollment it didn’t make sense give a large percentage of their pay for what was at the time a mediocre dividend.

These three reasons clearly illustrate the inequities of the enrollment procedures in the Montgomery GI Bill.

Certainly, there can be no doubt as to the value of allowing enrollment for those who previously declined. Clearly this is a fairly important step toward re-enforcing the importance of education to Service Members regardless of the branch of service.

Policies are meant to serve the customers, the profitability of the MGIB investment program and lack of use by enrolled members provide even greater justification to include ALL service members, regardless of their previous declination.



May be reprinted with attribution to Mark C. Carroll (c)2003