Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, penned an op-ed in the Washington Examiner in honor of the 75th anniversary of the enactment of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, more commonly known as the GI Bill.
Read the article here and below:
How the GI Bill has changed lives for 75 years
Washington Examiner
By: Dr. Phil Roe
6/21/2019
Forty-five years ago, as the Vietnam War was ending, a young soldier returned home to Tennessee from the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Veterans at that time were not treated well, so he was told not to wear his uniform on the plane back to America. He had been studying to become a doctor but had not yet finished his training when he was drafted into the Army. Waiting for him back in Tennessee was his wife and young son. They were counting on him to take care of them, though all he had to his name at the time was three figures in his bank account and a used Dodge Colt with a straight stick shift.
Luckily, he did have one thing going for him, and that one thing made all the difference.
That young soldier was me, and that one thing was the GI Bill, which was signed into law 75 years ago Saturday. The GI Bill provides financial support and other benefits to servicemembers, veterans, and, in some cases, their dependents and survivors who are seeking higher education. When I finally made it home to Memphis in 1974, one of the first things I did was apply for the GI Bill to help me support my family while I finished my medical training. It did not take long for a $300 check to arrive in my mailbox, and that check kept arriving every month for the two years it took to complete my residency. Thanks to the GI Bill, I was able to feed my family, finish my residency, and acquire the skills, confidence, and foundation I needed to lead a successful private medical practice and pursue a career in public service as mayor and then as a member of Congress.
I continue to feel an immense sense of gratitude to this country for the investment it made in me after the Army, but I am far from unique. Millions of veterans, survivors, and dependents have similar stories about the GI Bill and how it helped them build a successful civilian life following their service.
Even if you aren’t a veteran, the GI Bill has made a positive impact on your life.
When it was created in 1944, it led to the greatest expansion of the American middle class in history, creating economic opportunity for veterans and for all Americans. Over time, the GI Bill has contributed hundreds of thousands of engineers, accountants, teachers, scientists, doctors, dentists, writers, and other professionals to the workforce. I can only imagine how proud Harry Colmery, past National Commander of The American Legion and the original author of the GI Bill, would be to see how his work has blossomed and how powerfully it continues to help the country he fought for.
To ensure new generations continue to benefit from the GI Bill, Congress has acted again and again to improve the benefits. In 2017, when I was chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, President Trump signed the Forever GI Bill into law. The Forever GI Bill allows student veterans, for the first time in history, to use their GI Bill benefits whenever they choose. I know that it will help veterans pursue their version of the American dream and create a stronger workforce and more prosperous economy long after I am gone.
Too often when we talk about veterans, we focus on their struggles. However, the GI Bill’s 75-year history shows us the tremendous potential that veterans possess in their post-service lives and just how much we all benefit by investing in them. That is why I, along with Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., recently introduced a resolution to recognize this week (June 16 - 23, 2019) as National GI Bill Commemoration Week. Now is the time to recognize the immense impact the GI Bill has had on our country for the past 75 years and all the good that is still to come as this life-changing benefit continues to adapt to meet the needs of our nation’s heroes.
