American Legion to Congress: ‘Pass a Clean GI Bill’

[cal04]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20080509/pl_usnw/american_legion_to_congress_____pass_a_clean_gi_bill

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The leader of the nations preeminent veterans organization criticized Congress for delaying a needed GI Bill because of cost. Improvements to the current GI Bill, like its predecessors, will serve as the ultimate stimulus package for veterans, their families, and for the nation.

When The American Legion championed the original Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944, even some veterans groups complained that it would break the treasury,' National Commander Marty Conatser said. Instead, the GI Bill transformed the economy and has been widely hailed as the greatest domestic legislation Congress ever passed. The critics were wrong then and they are wrong now.

Conatser pointed out that while the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill, S-22, would cost $51.8 billion over 10 years, it is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the sacrifices made by Americas servicemembers and their families.

(snip)

Concerns that the new GI Bill, proposed by Sen. James Webb, D-Va., would hurt military retention are unfounded, according to The American Legion. This bill would encourage young men and women to join the military, Conatser said. As far as retention goes, the CBO estimates that a simple $8,000 bonus to personnel at their first enlistment point would increase reenlistments by 2 percentage points. Another way to encourage mid-level servicemembers to stay in the military is to transfer GI Bill benefits to family members so the servicemember can remain in the military and still benefit from the program.

Conatser had a suggestion to critics who believe the GI Bill is too expensive. Visit Walter Reed. War is expensive indeed and the bulk of that cost is paid for by the men and women who wear the uniform. Benefits are just a small, small cost of war.

[Postman]

1. Tell it to your Republican allies, asshole.

National Commander Marty Conatser, that is, not you, cal04

[Breeze54]

2. It's about time those assholes did something FOR

the nation's enlisted besides promoting the Iraq occupation, the escalation and shrubs policies! :grr: