what is the gi bill 
the gi bill also known as the serviceman s readjustment act of 1944 was enacted by congress and signed into law by former president franklin d roosevelt to provide various benefits to world war ii veterans 1 today the gi bill refers to any u s department of veterans affairs education benefit such as education grants and stipends earned by active duty service members veterans and their families 2understanding the gi billalthough the gi bill was purposed for wwii veterans benefits are currently available to honorably discharged veterans and their dependents under certain circumstances 4 many types of training are covered under gi bill benefits college programs include associate bachelor and advanced degrees vocational and technical training including non college degree programs also are covered on the job training and apprenticeships as well as licensing and certification reimbursement are included flight training correspondence training work study programs tuition and tutorial assistance also are covered survivors and dependents assistance provides education and job training for spouses and children of veterans 5the yellow ribbon program can pay tuition costs not covered in the post 9 11 gi bill 3 tuition assistance top up provides additional assistance with education costs 6 the 600 buy up program provides more money for monthly gi bill payments 7 tutorial assistance will help pay for a tutor for those using va educational benefits 8history of the gi billthe gi bill in its original form the servicemen s readjustment act of 1944 was designed to provide benefits including small business loans mortgages and education grants to veterans following wwii however it has since been updated 1 the gi bill is considered one of the most significant pieces of 20th century legislation passed by the u s congress much of the impetus for the bill s passage stemmed from the experience of veterans after wwi when returning service members were not aided in re entering civilian life and the workforce the lack of support and the advent of the great depression led to public protests including the bonus army marchers in 1932 the gi bill increased the number of college educated americans following the war as many veterans who would have rejoined the workforce instead opted for degrees in 1947 considered the peak of the gi bill s use roughly 49 of college admissions were for veterans 9the original gi bill ended in 1956 at which point more than half of veterans had opted to receive technical training or attend college 9 the g i bill has been updated several times since 1944 including the montgomery gi bill of 1984 the post 9 11 g i bill of 2008 and the vocational rehabilitation and education program the montgomery gi bill active duty mgib ad provides benefits for veterans who served at least two years on active duty the montgomery gi bill selected reserve mgib sr covers benefits for members of the army navy air force marine corps or coast guard reserve army national guard or air national guard 10 the post 9 11 gi bill helps pay for school or job training for those who served on active duty after sept 10 2001 11