The New GI Bill

Lot's of references to this subject in connection with the Memorial Day Weekend; Well, unfortunately, no one has analyzed the real problem. Yes, I agree, VA Education benefits should be more generous. BUT, at one point in the 1980's the eminent sociologist Charles Moskos pointed out that our society has created the GI Bill without the GI. How often do you hear a local politicians promise that every one is entitled to a college eduction?

NOT a good idea (Letting everyone go to college). One problem veterans have NOW, too many of the good jobs that don't require a degree have been destroyed over the past generation. I personally know National Guard and Reserve members people who volunteered to return to Iraq because they could not find a decent job that would support their families.

One of my problems with the "Greatest Generation," they all have nice retirements but when they were middle managers, the current corporate trends of shedding the pension plans, shipping the factory to China, or at best, a two tier wage structure, developed and flourished.

Sure, some of our new veterans will benefit from the opportunity for a University Education. But too many of the corporate first line managers and supervisors are the children (or grandchildren) of people who DID NOT SERVE. They haven't got a clue. And are often (actively) disinterested in learning. They graduated HS, went straight to College, and have continued to march up their career ladder.

I speak from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I well remember a job interview in 1980 where I was asked why I had not avoided Vietnam by going to college. (Obviously, that was not a successful job interview). It's more subtle, but just as pervasive as the anti-military bias in the Liberal Arts faculties in academia. Find me the Vietnam era equivalent of E. B. Sledge. And the people with that corporate attitude have set the tone and made the majority of corporate hiring decision since then.

Military Service is seen as a separate (and inferior) choice from the Middle Class career path.

There is a growing literature on BOTH these points. Not everyone is capable of college level work, our society needs to work on creating an economy that provides careers (Not just jobs) for people who don't earn degrees. And make sure this job market is open to veterans, a subject for another post.

The really talented and well prepared working class students are already well provided for by our eduction system. It's the middle tier of potential students, for whom Army Reserve or National Guard service was already part of the college process.