Student veterans discuss GI Bill with senator 
August 10, 2009 by Tessie Perkins
Veterans applaud efforts of legislation, raise concerns over unaddressed issues
President of the UNLV Student Veterans Organization, Antonio Montenegro III. Photo by Mike Kelly
Vice President of Student Veterans of America Michael Dakduk and President of the UNLV Student Veterans Organization Antonio Montenegro III spoke with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on July 28 regarding the new GI Bill, to express their feelings on what student veterans need most.
The new GI Bill, which is also referred to as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, may assist the 500 veterans already receiving benefits on the UNLV campus. It may also bring other veterans to the campus.
“[The bill] provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001 or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days,” Montenegro said. “You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.”
The amount of monetary assistance each veteran receives is dependant upon where they live and what degree they are pursuing.
As with any new legislation, there are advantages and disadvantages that face the veterans with the new bill.
The new GI Bill will provide the students with the cost of fees and tuition.
At UNLV, this would equal $136 per credit, $1,329 per month in housing credit and a yearly allowance for books and supplies of up to $1,000.
There are also some disadvantages to the new bill.
“If I had to cite one specific issue with the new GI Bill that needs revision, I would point to the issue of irrevocability,” Dakduk stated in an SVO press release.
Stuart Greenfield, president of the University of Nevada, Reno Wolfpack Veterans, also participated in the conversation with Reid. Greenfield raised the issue of student veterans only being able to receive funding for one major.
“Student veterans can use a total of 48 combined months of education benefits, but there is an exception to this; those of us who are using the Montgomery GI Bill have to first exhaust all 36 months before they are eligible for an extra 12 months under the new GI Bill.
Now we have an issue of whether a student veteran makes that irrevocable change to the new GI Bill, or does she or he plan for the long term in exhausting all 36 months in order to get an extra 12 months?”
As the bill is written, if a veteran is pursuing a double major with a twelve-credit course load, six credits for each major, they will not receive a living allowance.
The student veterans left the engagement encouraged by Reid’s participation.
“Senate Majority Leader Reid knows this is a great chance for veterans to obtain a degree with much earned assistance from the government,” Montenegro said. “He wants all eligible veterans to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Choose the Post 9/11 GI Bill when it first came out before I found out that one can exhaust the entire 36 months and apply for another 12 months..Now I converted with only 7 months left on the new gi bill and no way to go back. There should be a period that you can swtich back or something, why is it irrevocable?
Attention Veterans: Senator Akaka of Hawaii has introduced legislation (S.3447) to “improve” the Post 9-11 GI Bill. These changes will not improve the Post 9-11 GI Bill. Instead, they are designed to chip away at it. The new legislation would prorate the housing stipend so that students get less if they’re enrolled less than full time. This would be fine if classes were always available. But if you’re close to completing your degree or if your state is budget-cut happy, you might not be able to get the classes you need to enroll full-time. A prorated stipend means that every semester you’ll face the prospect of financial upheaval, depending on how many units you can get. Senator Akaka’s changes amount to a reduction in benefits. They’re trying to dismantle it. Just like they did with the Montgomery GI Bill. Call/write your senator and congress-person to let them know you don’t support Senator Akaka’s changes to the Post 9-11 GI Bill.