More help for veterans: VA Yellow Ribbon program expands (increased funding for college tuition)

[quiet.american]

WaPo: 1,100 colleges join Veterans Affairs' reduced-tuition program for students

A year after the Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect, about 1,100 private and public colleges and universities have signed on with the Department of Veterans Affairs to reduce tuition for student veterans in the coming school year, the agency said Wednesday.

The colleges range from Harvard University to Texas A&M University, and the pledges for subsidies vary widely.

Harvard will contribute a maximum of $3,000 each for 50 undergraduates and $20,000 each for 20 law school enrollees, whereas Texas A&M will pay $12,000 each for 25 undergraduates, according to a VA Web site. American University in the District will pay up to $13,800 each for 24 undergraduates. Many schools have multiple programs that have agreed to participate, bringing the total to 3,200, the VA said.

The "Yellow Ribbon" program took effect on Aug. 1, 2009, part of an ambitious new GI Bill that covers the cost of in-state tuition at state universities and shares the cost of more-expensive private colleges and some state schools -- if the colleges choose to fund subsidies to close that gap. The government matches dollar-for-dollar any additional tuition aid provided by the private school. The bill applies to community colleges and four-year institutions. Veterans also receive a monthly housing allowance and a stipend for books and supplies.

Love this part of it, too:

And for the first time, service members can transfer the tuition benefit to spouses or children. A spouse, for example, can use the benefit for up to 15 years after the service member leaves active duty.

[Cha]

1. I absolutely am appreciative of this..

"And for the first time, service members can transfer the tuition benefit to spouses or children. A spouse, for example, can use the benefit for up to 15 years after the service member leaves active duty."

Thanks for posting it here. q.american~

[quiet.american]

2. Cheers, Cha - am with you, love the "transferable tuition" part.

That's a very material way of saying "thank you" to military families in deed as well as word.

[Cha]

3. Yes, it is and it should have done before but

this Admin got it done.

[quiet.american]

4. Exactly -- sounds progressive to me! nt

[Cha]

5. Oh, they're way beyond Progressive..

The last 8 years of the pillagers and marauders left us in the abyss & then along came Obama and his Admin..leading us away from the landmines left by bushcheney.