Enlisting Should Not Guarantee College Tuition
By: Madison Farnsworth
Opinion Editor
The involvement of the military paying for college tuition for those who cannot otherwise afford to go to college is helpful; however it does show a problem this country has when it comes to paying for college education for young Americans.
The reason the military is even allowed to help pay for college is through the GI bill. There are also two separate versions of this bill. The post 9/11 GI bill and the Montgomery GI bill. Both bills have two different sets of benefits and requirements separating them from each other.
The GI bill allows college benefits to either in-service members of the military or veterans up to four years. The benefits allow them to attend college, training programs, vocational schools, or trade schools.
The post 9/11 GI bill is used by soldiers or veterans who have served at least ninety days of active service after 9/11. It allows them the same type of benefits the regular GI bill allows, along with paying for needed books and housing.
The Montgomery GI bill is used by soldiers or veterans who served at least two years in the military and allows soldiers or veterans up to 36 months of basically the same type of education benefits the regular GI bill.
It is important that the government has these types of bills in place for struggling Americans. However it is pretty ridiculous that GI bills are necessary in the first place. If the government knew how to spend money more accordingly, then there would be no such need for any of the GI bills.
It is a shame that a lot of enrollment into the military is because they will personally pay for student’s college tuition. With the rise of tuition costs, it has become harder for students to afford college. Some see joining the military as the only option in order to be able to attend college.
There are still plenty of people who see joining the military as a way to honor their county and carry on family traditions, but that number has dropped low.
It is sad that people enlist in the military just so they can get enough financial support to afford college. Lowering college tuition by raising taxes and organizing how they are distributed could allow students of low socioeconomic status the ability to afford a higher education without forcing themselves to enlist even if they do not want to.
Many young people who want to be educated look to the U.S. military to pay for their overpriced education. It is great that the military is willing to do this, but it sheds light on the many problems that exist within the economy and education system.
In the meantime, it is still important to note that there are still other ways besides joining the military that can help any student get what they need to gain a degree. Grants, academic scholarships, and financial aid are just a few of these methods.
The main problem is that the U.S. gives way to much money to the military. The 2020 defense budget was $738 billion. While a part of this money rightfully goes to the men and women who serve our country, another part of it goes to unnecessary things like Trump’s proposed border wall.
If this money was better budgeted and put towards education it could make a difference for young Americans looking to go to college. Education, especially higher education, for Americans should always come first. The military does not need the type of budget that it has now.
Some people do see the significance of enlisting just to get a degree and think it is important that it stays that way, however there has to be a more sound way to fix the tuition issue this country has gotten itself into in the past decades.
The country should be more worried about the rising college tuition and how that affects young Americans than how much money the military has. That unfortunately says something about how the American government prioritizes its funding for certain things.
The military should not have to provide tuition money in order for Americans to get a decent education. And likewise Americans should not feel like they need to enlist in the military in order to get said decent education. It should not be that hard to understand.
Photo Cred: army.mil
