Key senator says no to GI Bill transfer rights

Key senator says no to GI Bill transfer rights
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Monday May 19, 2008 21:45:22 EDT

A Pentagon initiative that would allow career service members to share GI Bill education benefits with a spouse or children was opposed Monday by the chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, a World War II veteran who used the GI Bill to go to college, said he does not believe giving veterans benefits to family members is a good idea.

“I believe that those who would rely on transferability as an incentive to longer service would be disappointed,” Akaka said on the Senate floor at start of a week of debate that could end with a decision about whether to press ahead with immediate improvements in GI Bill benefits as part of a 2008 war funding bill.

Akaka said a limited test program in the Army resulted in fewer than 2 percent of soldiers showing interest in giving GI Bill benefits to their family, which indicates that further testing and review is needed “before anyone can positively say that this benefit would have the desired impact on retention,” he said.

Akaka is one of the co-sponsors of the 21st Century GI Bill, a measure pushed by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., that includes dramatic increases in basic GI Bill benefits — but not transfer rights.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/military_akaka_gibill_051908w/

In the event of a servicemember's death, I could see this as a real benefit to the family but not in retention necessarily as Akaka says. However, if it turns out to be a win-win for everybody I don't take issue with it.

was able to use his GI Bill and train to support herself. It was very useful.