After World War II, our country offered education assistance to returning veterans. In the 1940s, the GI Bill was created to pay for veterans' tuition, books, fees, a monthly stipend and other training costs.
More than half of the 15 million WWII veteran population used some form of these benefits. Unfortunately, the GI benefit has not kept pace with the rising cost of higher education.
Today, education benefits are administered under the Montgomery GI Bill, which was last updated in 1984. At that time, the average public college tuition cost about $1,250 per year, and our country was in an extended period of peace. A lot has changed since 1984. Tuition averages $5,800 per school year today, and we are also asking more from our military now than any other time in history.
Clearly, it is time to modernize the GI Bill.
Since 9/11, many of our troops have served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and are currently serving at an unsustainable rate. The president recently announced that we will reduce deployments from 15 months to 12 months in Iraq. This moves us closer to the ultimate and sustainable goal of a 12-month tour in theater and 36 months at home.
Benefits to match sacrifice
The U.S. Defense Department has announced that it intends to increase the end strength of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps to meet the president's goal. To continue to recruit and retain a quality, all-volunteer force, we must offer benefits that coincide with the times and the sacrifices we ask of our service members. The GI Bill is a key recruiting tool that encourages many bright young men and women to join the military.
When these veterans return from active duty, they need to know that we honor their service and sacrifice by offering them the resources to continue their education. But education is just one way we can keep our promise to our military men and women. Through my role on the U.S. House Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs subcommittee, I am also working to increase the quality of life for our service members and their families by providing critical funding to modernize military housing, build child-care centers and enhance veteran health centers.
There are currently a number of proposals pending before Congress to update the education benefit. We will examine additional proposals for increased veteran benefits as we debate the upcoming Iraq and Afghanistan supplemental and the fiscal year 2009 budget.
I will look to the leadership of my colleagues who have served in the military, like U.S. Sen. John McCain and U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson, to help perfect these proposals. But one thing is clear: Our current veterans, including those that served in active duty, the Guard and the Reserve, need benefit increases to keep up with the changing times and better match their extraordinary sacrifice to a grateful nation.
U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp represents Tennessee's Third Congressional District and is ranking member of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.