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They Don't Always Fit The GI Bill
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USA Today
July 11, 2007
Pg. 6D
They Don't Always Fit The GI Bill
Guardsmen, Reservists often denied benefits related to education
By Mary Beth Marklein, USA Today
To U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., the inequity is unconscionable.
As a Marine, he served 13 months in Vietnam during that war. After he got out, the federal government paid for his last two years of college, plus three years of medical school.
Fast-forward to today. One of Snyder's Washington-based staffers, Jamaal Lampkin, 28, served 13 months in Iraq. He worked with civilians to rebuild schools, establish a well-water system and otherwise develop local infrastructure. He even took a bullet in the shoulder from an AK-47 assault rifle, for which he received a Purple Heart.
Yet when his term of service with the U.S. Army Reserves ended, so did the government's offer of tuition assistance.
The GI Bill, the landmark federal law that has put millions of returning veterans through college or other training programs since 1944, still is available to the majority of today's veterans.
The education benefit has grown more complicated over the years, and it does not cover as much as it once did. Even so, for Lampkin and potentially tens of thousands of other veterans honorably discharged after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is no such benefit at all.
As part-time troops, or so-called "Citizen Soldiers," members of the National Guard or Reserves do not receive the same GI Bill benefits as full-time members of the military. Education assistance lasts only as long as they remain in the Guard or Reserve. Full-time servicemembers earn education benefits that they can use for up to 10 years after they leave the military.
The disparity is not new, but for years it remained a non-issue. When the latest version of the law was enacted in 1985, the argument was that the regular armed forces sacrifice more for their country, often being assigned to far-flung parts of the globe for months at a time.
National Guardsmen and Reservists, in contrast, have typically given up just a weekend a month and a couple of weeks each summer for drills. Service can be limited to drilling with their hometown units and brief periods of active duty. That's how things went for Lampkin when he joined the Army Reserves in 1998 while a sophomore at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. He still had plenty of time to pursue his degree.
But that changed after 9/11. Since then, nearly 600,000 National Guard and Reserve troops have been called to full-time duty for periods up to more than a year, with more than 425,000 deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or nearby areas. About 133,000 have served more than one tour of duty, Department of Defense numbers show.
Some re-enlist when their term is up, usually after six or eight years. Others, like Lampkin, want to pick up where they left off. He had just graduated and was planning to pursue a master's in business when he was deployed.
But by the time he came home in 2004, it was too late to cash in on the tuition benefit. He would have had to re-enlist - and risk another deployment - to keep it.
"I had the opportunity to serve my country in Iraq, and I just wanted to move on," says Lampkin, who has put his grad-school plans on hold. "I was wounded just like a large number of soldiers. It's only fair that I receive the same benefits."
Snyder thinks so, too. "How is it fair when two members serve side by side in combat, they return home together, both leave the service, but one will have education benefits . and the other will not have any?"
Congress addressed some inequities in the GI Bill in 2005, when it increased benefits for Guardsmen and Reservists who have been mobilized for more than 90 days since 9/11. Still, many say that's not enough. And the benefits still end when the recipient leaves the military.
That could change. The Senate this month is scheduled to consider two proposals that together would enable Guardsmen and Reservists to receive benefits commensurate with their increased service and to carry it with them when their commitment ends. Snyder helped shepherd a similar bill through the House.
While at least two dozen proposals related to GI Bill education benefits have been introduced this year, a coalition of military, veterans and education-related groups is urging lawmakers to make Snyder's bill their top priority.
Funding is a primary obstacle. But Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., sponsor of the Senate bills, says the change, estimated to cost $205 million over five years, is worth the investment.
"The point is to give hope, dignity, training and skills to these folks coming back so they can reintegrate and become more productive than they were before (they were called up)," she says. "These men and women have earned it."
The Defense Department has argued against the proposed changes, saying the current arrangement does what it is supposed to do - help recruit and retain members. "We need an incentive that encourages them to stay, not to leave," deputy assistant secretary Craig Duehring told members of a House committee in March.
At an earlier hearing, another Pentagon official also argued that recruits know what they signed up for when they enlisted. "If people agree to that service, under those conditions, I think that needs to be honored," deputy undersecretary Michael Dominguez testified.
That doesn't seem right to Tiffany Jenkins, 26, who had to take out $11,000 in student loans to cover her final semester of college. Had she not been called up, Jenkins says she could easily have completed her bachelor's. But her year working in a hospital in Iraq as part of her six-year term with the Iowa Army National Guard ate up three semesters of her schooling. She says the Guard should have at least extended her benefits for the amount of time that she was away.
"I'd done my National Guard and enjoyed my service overseas as much as one could," says Jenkins, who earned a bachelor's in computer science last December from the University of Iowa.
But instead of being thanked, "I'm actually being penalized."
How far do GI benefits go?
What soldiers get
$37,500 ($9,675 a year) -- The amount full-time service members (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) receive in academic assistance, (not including $1,200 they must pay in); benefits can be used within 10 years after they leave the military.
$11,124 ($2,781 a year) -- What National Guard and Reserve members get for education assistance - it can be used only while they remain in the Guard or Reserve. Last year, Congress increased benefits in various increments for those serving consecutive stints of 90 days or more.
Average college costs (2006-07)
$12,796 a year -- Public university tuition, room and board.
$30,367 a year -- Private-college tuition, room and board.
$12,294 a year -- Community college total expenses for commuters living off campus but not with parents. The number includes room and board, books, supplies, transportation and "other expenses."
Actual costs at some colleges
At some state institutions last year, the GI Bill would not have covered tuition and fees:
University of Michigan -- $9,723
University of New Hampshire -- $10,401
Rutgers -- $9,958
Pennsylvania State University -- $12,164
University of Vermont -- $11,324
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, College Board, USA TODAY research
States all over the map on tuition aid
The landmark federal GI Bill has provided education benefits to veterans since 1944. Today, every state offers some sort of tuition benefit for members of its National Guard units. But with more Guard members deployed to combat zones since 9/11, many state legislators are looking for ways to help them and other recent veterans. State benefits typically are available only to those attending state-supported institutions and who meet certain academic requirements. Highlights of recent developments:
Alabama -- No tuition breaks for veterans, but since 2003, tuition has been waived for spouses and children of National Guard members called to active duty in Iraq.
Alaska -- A bill enacted this year is designed to ensure that a tuition waiver program for Guard members is fully funded.
Arizona -- A tuition waiver for widows and children under 30 of U.S. soldiers killed in the line of duty goes into effect Sept. 9. A tuition proposal this year that would have benefited current or former Guard members who have received a Purple Heart since 9/11 did not pass.
Arkansas -- A 2005 resolution encourages state schools to participate in a partial tuition waiver for Guard members. Under federal law, state Guard members can have 75% of their tuition waived at a state-sponsored institution. Schools that choose to participate cover the remaining 25%.
California -- California doesn't reduce or eliminate tuition or fees for veterans in state-supported colleges. A pending bill would waive resident fees for Californians after they leave active duty and exhaust federal GI Bill benefits. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratically controlled Legislature currently are at odds over his proposal for a $1.7 million college-fees assistance program for National Guard members to aid recruitment and retention.
Colorado -- A law this month makes members of the armed forces and their dependents eligible for in-state tuition if the member gets stationed in Colorado. A proposal that did not pass would have allowed schools to seek reimbursement from the state for refunds given to activated military personnel.
Connecticut -- The state has waived tuition for veterans since 1974; legislation did not pass this year that would have expanded the benefits to include fees.
Delaware -- No legislation has been introduced or passed that would waive or reduce tuition for recent veterans enrolled in state-supported colleges or universities.
Florida -- Proposals this year that would have required state universities and community colleges to waive a percentage of the in-state tuition rate for veterans did not pass. Last year, Purple Heart veterans became eligible for tuition waivers.
Georgia -- In 2005, the state passed the HERO (Helping Educate Reservists and their Offspring) Scholarship for Guard and Reservists who, as of May 3, 2003, served in a combat zone.
Hawaii -- Bills to waive tuition for Hawaii National Guard members to attend state schools have been introduced nearly every year for the last few years, but none have passed.
Idaho -- A 2004 law says Guard members called up for duty beyond training for 30 days or more will have lost tuition refunded.
Illinois -- Veterans have generally been given a free ride at state schools since 1920, but state funding in recent years has come up short. A proposal this year would ensure colleges that absorb the cost get reimbursed by the state.
Indiana -- Legislation this year that would have provided free tuition to state universities for Indiana National Guard members called to active duty since Sept. 10, 2001, died.
Iowa -- The state last year expanded a longstanding War Orphans Fund to include dependents of soldiers killed in action in a combat zone after 9/11.
Kansas -- The state Legislature this year for the first time appropriated $250,000 for scholarships for Kansans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan for at least 90 days after 9/11. The Kansas Board of Regents plans to distribute the funds on a first-come, first-served basis.
Kentucky -- Tuition waivers for children and spouses of disabled and deceased National Guard and armed forces members were changed this year to increase the age of eligible children from 23 to 26 and to extend waivers from 36 to 45 months.
Louisiana -- No new tuition legislation was introduced in 2007. A 2005 law exempts some Guard members from all or part of tuition imposed by certain Louisiana public institutions.
Maine -- A bill introduced in the 2007 session that would have established a tuition waiver for veterans did not pass.
Maryland -- The Legislature created a scholarship for veterans who fought in Iraq or Afghanistan since 9/11, and funded it this year at $500,000. Available to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis, it has been offered to at least 67 veterans and 41 dependents.
Massachusetts -- The state waives tuition, but not fees, for all veterans. Fees were waived for the first time last year for Guard members. A fee waiver for all veterans was reintroduced this year. Fees can represent up to 75% of college costs.
Michigan -- A pending proposal would waive tuition for recent veterans and the families of soldiers killed in action. Since 2005, Michigan has had tuition grants for the children of veterans who are killed, missing in action or are permanently disabled.
Minnesota -- Veterans attending public or private colleges in the state who served in the armed forces on or after 9/11, and who have exhausted other federal and state benefits, can be reimbursed $1,000 per semester up to $10,000 under a law that took effect this month.
Also receiving the benefit: Minnesota National Guard members with five years or more of service, and surviving spouses and children of those who died serving in the military on or after 9/11. Also, the state allocated $52,000 to extend education benefits to spouses, as well as children, of soldiers killed in action.
Mississippi -- A handful of bills were introduced this past session, which ended in the spring. One passed; it expands tuition assistance for National Guard members to include room and board. No new funds were appropriated.
Missouri -- In April, lawmakers debated but ultimately failed to approve a bill that would give combat veterans a 75% reduction in credit-hour costs. The bill may have failed because of high revenue losses that state universities likely would see. The University of Missouri, for example, projected a $1.3 million tuition shortfall if the bill had passed. The second-largest public university, Missouri State University, projected an $850,000 tuition shortfall, with no state money earmarked to make up the difference.
Montana -- The state since 1989 allows state colleges and universities to waive tuition for veterans. That program was expanded in 1997 to include waivers for National Guard members.
Nebraska -- No new legislation regarding tuition assistance for veterans or Guard members was introduced this year. In 2005, a bill was enacted that changed the tuition waiver for Guard members from 50% to 100%. Tuition has long been waived for dependents of veterans killed in combat.
Nevada -- Lawmakers in 2005 made permanent 2003 legislation guaranteeing free tuition at state universities and colleges for Nevada National Guard members, including recruits. Lawmakers also approved legislation to reimburse Guard members for textbook expenses.
New Hampshire -- A bill effective July 1 establishes a tuition voucher program for Guard members and changes the source of funding of Guard tuition assistance from schools to the state.
New Jersey -- In January, a law passed that extended eligibility for tuition to former members of the New Jersey National Guard and increased the number of tuition-free credits available to Guard members and dependents. It extends the eligibility to 16 credits per semester and allows Guard members whose education was interrupted by their duty to continue to receive the free tuition benefit following discharge for one semester or a period of time equal to their length of deployment, whichever is longer.
In the event of medical discharge as a result of illness or combat injury, a Guard member who was enrolled in a degree program can continue to receive the free tuition benefit through completion or for five years. Last year, New Jersey prohibited public colleges and universities from imposing non-resident tuition fees on members of the state Guard and their surviving children or spouses if the member was killed in the line of duty.
New Mexico -- Legislation that was introduced this year but did not pass would have extended a scholarship for Vietnam veterans to include recent veterans. Certain dependents of combat veterans are eligible for full tuition waivers.
New York -- Several bills that would have increased tuition awards for veterans died in the New York Legislature. Currently, veterans are eligible for awards of $1,000 per semester for full-time study or $500 per semester for part-time study.
North Carolina -- Lawmakers this year proposed helping National Guard members pay off their student loans. It would be another expansion of the state's tuition assistance program for the Guard, following changes in 2005 that raised the maximum tuition payment and provided money for buying textbooks. The tuition breaks, funded out of the state budget, help students at public and private colleges.
Another recent change in tuition laws has allowed active-duty military personnel stationed in North Carolina, and their dependents, to take advantage of in-state tuition rates at public universities. Lawmakers this year have proposed expanding that benefit to all Defense Department employees, which would mean universities would lose revenue.
North Dakota -- A 2005 law waives tuition for dependents of deceased veterans. A bill passed this year extends Guard tuition assistance to include all accredited post-secondary schools.
Ohio -- No tuition-related laws passed recently to benefit recent veterans; a 2004 law requires public and private colleges to grant leave to students called to active duty and either refund or offer credit for tuition paid. Also in 2004, legislators expanded eligibility for a 25-year-old Ohio War Orphans Scholarship Program to include Iraq veterans' families.
Oklahoma -- No tuition assistance is offered to combat veterans. A bill currently pending would require the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to provide a tuition grant program for National Guard members taking graduate or professional courses.
Oregon -- Under a proposal passed this year and expected to take effect this fall, resident student-veterans would receive up to $150 a month for up to 36 months. The aid could be used only after the student had exhausted federal GI Bill benefits.
Pennsylvania -- A state agency extended the eligibility period for the Armed Forces Loan Forgiveness Program to the end of this year. The program forgives loans of up to $2,500 for veterans who haven't defaulted and who were on active duty between 9/11 and Dec. 31, 2007.
Rhode Island -- While colleges are given state-appropriated money for Guard members, there has been little legislative action for combat veterans or their dependents. In 2005, a bill failed that would have given military Reserve members the same tuition assistance that is now offered to Guard members.
South Carolina -- In South Carolina, Gov. Mark Sanford last month signed into law a bill that will offer members of the National Guard free tuition at state-supported colleges and universities and some private institutions. Another bill that would provide tuition assistance for full-time military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was introduced and is expected to go forward next year.
The state also offers free tuition to the children of veterans who were killed, wounded or are missing in action. The new National Guard tuition program pays all tuition and fees up to $18,000. The Legislature appropriated $1.3 million for tuition grants for that program and another $1.7 million for a program that pays student loans for Guard members.
South Dakota -- No legislation was introduced in 2007 pertaining to special tuition rates for veterans. But there were several laws passed in 2006 and 2004 that improved educational access for military members and their families:
Tennessee -- The state this year will begin freezing college tuition for members of the Reserves or the National Guard if they are mobilized for at least six months of active duty. The law went into effect on June 25. Under this law, if a Reservist or Guard member is enrolled at a state school at the time their status changes to active duty, all school fees will be frozen at the rate when they departed school. The University of Tennessee system this August will increase tuition 6%.
Upon their return, fees would not increase for a time period equal to one year plus the amount of time served on active duty. The offer is good only for servicemembers who complete their military obligations under honorable conditions and who re-enroll in a state school within six months from release of active duty.
Texas -- Congress tweaked its 84-year-old tuition exemption so that veterans can use both the federal GI Bill and the state exemption in the same semester.
Utah -- A law this year waives undergraduate tuition at state institutions of higher education for surviving dependents of Utah resident military members killed while serving in federal active duty.
Vermont -- The 2004 Armed Services Scholarship expanded an existing benefit for children of National Guard members to also include Guard members, military veterans and spouses and children for both.
Virginia -- The state this year created an in-state tuition benefit for active-duty servicemembers and for activated members of the National Guard and Reserve who are stationed in Virginia but are not Virginia residents.
Washington -- Colleges are not required to waive tuition, but because waivers are available, legislation enacted last year directs state colleges and universities to take steps that would help them identify and assist veterans who need financial aid. Beginning this month, tuition and fees will be waived for dependents of combat veterans who are totally disabled, reported missing or killed in combat.
West Virginia -- Beginning this month, tuition is waived for honorably discharged veterans who earned a Purple Heart. Legislators also passed a bill that covers tuition costs for active-duty National Guard members pursuing a master's degree.
Wisconsin -- In 2006, Wisconsin passed legislation that waived 100% of tuition for veterans, up from a 50% waiver, enacted in 2005. But as the program's costs balloon, some lawmakers want to stop funding graduate school tuition and create a 10-year limit for claiming benefits.
Wyoming -- Since 2006, Wyoming has had free tution for overseas combat veterans, as well as widows, and orphans of deceased veterans. The state reimburses the schools for waiving tuition.
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures; Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; USA TODAY research. Contributing: Heather Collura, Marissa DeCuir, Clair Lorell, Mary Beth Marklein, USA TODAY; Marty Roney, The Montgomery Advertiser; Dennis Wagner, The Arizona Republic; Joanne Bratton, The Baxter Bulletin, Mountain Home, Ark.; Jake Henshaw, Gannett News Service/Sacramento; Maureen Milford, The News Journal, Wilmington, Del.; Dan Nakaso, The Honolulu Advertiser; Tim Evans, The Indianapolis Star; Jessie Halladay, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky.; Joseph Gidjunis, The Daily Times, Salisbury, Md.; Lawrence Schumacher and Dave Unze, The St. Cloud (Minn.) Times; Julie Goodman, The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss.; Wes Johnson, Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader; Jeff DeLong, Reno Gazette-Journal; Laura Bruno, Daily Record, Morristown, N.J.; Gary Stern, The Journal News, Westchester County, N.Y.; Jordan Schrader, Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times; Lori Kurtzman, The Cincinnati Enquirer; Tracy Loew, Statesman Journal, Salem, Ore.; Ron Barnett, The Greenville (S.C.) News; Stu Whitney, Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Leon Alligood, The Tennessean, Nashville; Jennie Coughlin, The Daily News Leader, Staunton, Va.; Ben Jones, The Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wis.
July 11, 2007
Pg. 6D
They Don't Always Fit The GI Bill
Guardsmen, Reservists often denied benefits related to education
By Mary Beth Marklein, USA Today
To U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., the inequity is unconscionable.
As a Marine, he served 13 months in Vietnam during that war. After he got out, the federal government paid for his last two years of college, plus three years of medical school.
Fast-forward to today. One of Snyder's Washington-based staffers, Jamaal Lampkin, 28, served 13 months in Iraq. He worked with civilians to rebuild schools, establish a well-water system and otherwise develop local infrastructure. He even took a bullet in the shoulder from an AK-47 assault rifle, for which he received a Purple Heart.
Yet when his term of service with the U.S. Army Reserves ended, so did the government's offer of tuition assistance.
The GI Bill, the landmark federal law that has put millions of returning veterans through college or other training programs since 1944, still is available to the majority of today's veterans.
The education benefit has grown more complicated over the years, and it does not cover as much as it once did. Even so, for Lampkin and potentially tens of thousands of other veterans honorably discharged after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is no such benefit at all.
As part-time troops, or so-called "Citizen Soldiers," members of the National Guard or Reserves do not receive the same GI Bill benefits as full-time members of the military. Education assistance lasts only as long as they remain in the Guard or Reserve. Full-time servicemembers earn education benefits that they can use for up to 10 years after they leave the military.
The disparity is not new, but for years it remained a non-issue. When the latest version of the law was enacted in 1985, the argument was that the regular armed forces sacrifice more for their country, often being assigned to far-flung parts of the globe for months at a time.
National Guardsmen and Reservists, in contrast, have typically given up just a weekend a month and a couple of weeks each summer for drills. Service can be limited to drilling with their hometown units and brief periods of active duty. That's how things went for Lampkin when he joined the Army Reserves in 1998 while a sophomore at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. He still had plenty of time to pursue his degree.
But that changed after 9/11. Since then, nearly 600,000 National Guard and Reserve troops have been called to full-time duty for periods up to more than a year, with more than 425,000 deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or nearby areas. About 133,000 have served more than one tour of duty, Department of Defense numbers show.
Some re-enlist when their term is up, usually after six or eight years. Others, like Lampkin, want to pick up where they left off. He had just graduated and was planning to pursue a master's in business when he was deployed.
But by the time he came home in 2004, it was too late to cash in on the tuition benefit. He would have had to re-enlist - and risk another deployment - to keep it.
"I had the opportunity to serve my country in Iraq, and I just wanted to move on," says Lampkin, who has put his grad-school plans on hold. "I was wounded just like a large number of soldiers. It's only fair that I receive the same benefits."
Snyder thinks so, too. "How is it fair when two members serve side by side in combat, they return home together, both leave the service, but one will have education benefits . and the other will not have any?"
Congress addressed some inequities in the GI Bill in 2005, when it increased benefits for Guardsmen and Reservists who have been mobilized for more than 90 days since 9/11. Still, many say that's not enough. And the benefits still end when the recipient leaves the military.
That could change. The Senate this month is scheduled to consider two proposals that together would enable Guardsmen and Reservists to receive benefits commensurate with their increased service and to carry it with them when their commitment ends. Snyder helped shepherd a similar bill through the House.
While at least two dozen proposals related to GI Bill education benefits have been introduced this year, a coalition of military, veterans and education-related groups is urging lawmakers to make Snyder's bill their top priority.
Funding is a primary obstacle. But Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., sponsor of the Senate bills, says the change, estimated to cost $205 million over five years, is worth the investment.
"The point is to give hope, dignity, training and skills to these folks coming back so they can reintegrate and become more productive than they were before (they were called up)," she says. "These men and women have earned it."
The Defense Department has argued against the proposed changes, saying the current arrangement does what it is supposed to do - help recruit and retain members. "We need an incentive that encourages them to stay, not to leave," deputy assistant secretary Craig Duehring told members of a House committee in March.
At an earlier hearing, another Pentagon official also argued that recruits know what they signed up for when they enlisted. "If people agree to that service, under those conditions, I think that needs to be honored," deputy undersecretary Michael Dominguez testified.
That doesn't seem right to Tiffany Jenkins, 26, who had to take out $11,000 in student loans to cover her final semester of college. Had she not been called up, Jenkins says she could easily have completed her bachelor's. But her year working in a hospital in Iraq as part of her six-year term with the Iowa Army National Guard ate up three semesters of her schooling. She says the Guard should have at least extended her benefits for the amount of time that she was away.
"I'd done my National Guard and enjoyed my service overseas as much as one could," says Jenkins, who earned a bachelor's in computer science last December from the University of Iowa.
But instead of being thanked, "I'm actually being penalized."
How far do GI benefits go?
What soldiers get
$37,500 ($9,675 a year) -- The amount full-time service members (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) receive in academic assistance, (not including $1,200 they must pay in); benefits can be used within 10 years after they leave the military.
$11,124 ($2,781 a year) -- What National Guard and Reserve members get for education assistance - it can be used only while they remain in the Guard or Reserve. Last year, Congress increased benefits in various increments for those serving consecutive stints of 90 days or more.
Average college costs (2006-07)
$12,796 a year -- Public university tuition, room and board.
$30,367 a year -- Private-college tuition, room and board.
$12,294 a year -- Community college total expenses for commuters living off campus but not with parents. The number includes room and board, books, supplies, transportation and "other expenses."
Actual costs at some colleges
At some state institutions last year, the GI Bill would not have covered tuition and fees:
University of Michigan -- $9,723
University of New Hampshire -- $10,401
Rutgers -- $9,958
Pennsylvania State University -- $12,164
University of Vermont -- $11,324
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs, College Board, USA TODAY research
States all over the map on tuition aid
The landmark federal GI Bill has provided education benefits to veterans since 1944. Today, every state offers some sort of tuition benefit for members of its National Guard units. But with more Guard members deployed to combat zones since 9/11, many state legislators are looking for ways to help them and other recent veterans. State benefits typically are available only to those attending state-supported institutions and who meet certain academic requirements. Highlights of recent developments:
Alabama -- No tuition breaks for veterans, but since 2003, tuition has been waived for spouses and children of National Guard members called to active duty in Iraq.
Alaska -- A bill enacted this year is designed to ensure that a tuition waiver program for Guard members is fully funded.
Arizona -- A tuition waiver for widows and children under 30 of U.S. soldiers killed in the line of duty goes into effect Sept. 9. A tuition proposal this year that would have benefited current or former Guard members who have received a Purple Heart since 9/11 did not pass.
Arkansas -- A 2005 resolution encourages state schools to participate in a partial tuition waiver for Guard members. Under federal law, state Guard members can have 75% of their tuition waived at a state-sponsored institution. Schools that choose to participate cover the remaining 25%.
California -- California doesn't reduce or eliminate tuition or fees for veterans in state-supported colleges. A pending bill would waive resident fees for Californians after they leave active duty and exhaust federal GI Bill benefits. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratically controlled Legislature currently are at odds over his proposal for a $1.7 million college-fees assistance program for National Guard members to aid recruitment and retention.
Colorado -- A law this month makes members of the armed forces and their dependents eligible for in-state tuition if the member gets stationed in Colorado. A proposal that did not pass would have allowed schools to seek reimbursement from the state for refunds given to activated military personnel.
Connecticut -- The state has waived tuition for veterans since 1974; legislation did not pass this year that would have expanded the benefits to include fees.
Delaware -- No legislation has been introduced or passed that would waive or reduce tuition for recent veterans enrolled in state-supported colleges or universities.
Florida -- Proposals this year that would have required state universities and community colleges to waive a percentage of the in-state tuition rate for veterans did not pass. Last year, Purple Heart veterans became eligible for tuition waivers.
Georgia -- In 2005, the state passed the HERO (Helping Educate Reservists and their Offspring) Scholarship for Guard and Reservists who, as of May 3, 2003, served in a combat zone.
Hawaii -- Bills to waive tuition for Hawaii National Guard members to attend state schools have been introduced nearly every year for the last few years, but none have passed.
Idaho -- A 2004 law says Guard members called up for duty beyond training for 30 days or more will have lost tuition refunded.
Illinois -- Veterans have generally been given a free ride at state schools since 1920, but state funding in recent years has come up short. A proposal this year would ensure colleges that absorb the cost get reimbursed by the state.
Indiana -- Legislation this year that would have provided free tuition to state universities for Indiana National Guard members called to active duty since Sept. 10, 2001, died.
Iowa -- The state last year expanded a longstanding War Orphans Fund to include dependents of soldiers killed in action in a combat zone after 9/11.
Kansas -- The state Legislature this year for the first time appropriated $250,000 for scholarships for Kansans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan for at least 90 days after 9/11. The Kansas Board of Regents plans to distribute the funds on a first-come, first-served basis.
Kentucky -- Tuition waivers for children and spouses of disabled and deceased National Guard and armed forces members were changed this year to increase the age of eligible children from 23 to 26 and to extend waivers from 36 to 45 months.
Louisiana -- No new tuition legislation was introduced in 2007. A 2005 law exempts some Guard members from all or part of tuition imposed by certain Louisiana public institutions.
Maine -- A bill introduced in the 2007 session that would have established a tuition waiver for veterans did not pass.
Maryland -- The Legislature created a scholarship for veterans who fought in Iraq or Afghanistan since 9/11, and funded it this year at $500,000. Available to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis, it has been offered to at least 67 veterans and 41 dependents.
Massachusetts -- The state waives tuition, but not fees, for all veterans. Fees were waived for the first time last year for Guard members. A fee waiver for all veterans was reintroduced this year. Fees can represent up to 75% of college costs.
Michigan -- A pending proposal would waive tuition for recent veterans and the families of soldiers killed in action. Since 2005, Michigan has had tuition grants for the children of veterans who are killed, missing in action or are permanently disabled.
Minnesota -- Veterans attending public or private colleges in the state who served in the armed forces on or after 9/11, and who have exhausted other federal and state benefits, can be reimbursed $1,000 per semester up to $10,000 under a law that took effect this month.
Also receiving the benefit: Minnesota National Guard members with five years or more of service, and surviving spouses and children of those who died serving in the military on or after 9/11. Also, the state allocated $52,000 to extend education benefits to spouses, as well as children, of soldiers killed in action.
Mississippi -- A handful of bills were introduced this past session, which ended in the spring. One passed; it expands tuition assistance for National Guard members to include room and board. No new funds were appropriated.
Missouri -- In April, lawmakers debated but ultimately failed to approve a bill that would give combat veterans a 75% reduction in credit-hour costs. The bill may have failed because of high revenue losses that state universities likely would see. The University of Missouri, for example, projected a $1.3 million tuition shortfall if the bill had passed. The second-largest public university, Missouri State University, projected an $850,000 tuition shortfall, with no state money earmarked to make up the difference.
Montana -- The state since 1989 allows state colleges and universities to waive tuition for veterans. That program was expanded in 1997 to include waivers for National Guard members.
Nebraska -- No new legislation regarding tuition assistance for veterans or Guard members was introduced this year. In 2005, a bill was enacted that changed the tuition waiver for Guard members from 50% to 100%. Tuition has long been waived for dependents of veterans killed in combat.
Nevada -- Lawmakers in 2005 made permanent 2003 legislation guaranteeing free tuition at state universities and colleges for Nevada National Guard members, including recruits. Lawmakers also approved legislation to reimburse Guard members for textbook expenses.
New Hampshire -- A bill effective July 1 establishes a tuition voucher program for Guard members and changes the source of funding of Guard tuition assistance from schools to the state.
New Jersey -- In January, a law passed that extended eligibility for tuition to former members of the New Jersey National Guard and increased the number of tuition-free credits available to Guard members and dependents. It extends the eligibility to 16 credits per semester and allows Guard members whose education was interrupted by their duty to continue to receive the free tuition benefit following discharge for one semester or a period of time equal to their length of deployment, whichever is longer.
In the event of medical discharge as a result of illness or combat injury, a Guard member who was enrolled in a degree program can continue to receive the free tuition benefit through completion or for five years. Last year, New Jersey prohibited public colleges and universities from imposing non-resident tuition fees on members of the state Guard and their surviving children or spouses if the member was killed in the line of duty.
New Mexico -- Legislation that was introduced this year but did not pass would have extended a scholarship for Vietnam veterans to include recent veterans. Certain dependents of combat veterans are eligible for full tuition waivers.
New York -- Several bills that would have increased tuition awards for veterans died in the New York Legislature. Currently, veterans are eligible for awards of $1,000 per semester for full-time study or $500 per semester for part-time study.
North Carolina -- Lawmakers this year proposed helping National Guard members pay off their student loans. It would be another expansion of the state's tuition assistance program for the Guard, following changes in 2005 that raised the maximum tuition payment and provided money for buying textbooks. The tuition breaks, funded out of the state budget, help students at public and private colleges.
Another recent change in tuition laws has allowed active-duty military personnel stationed in North Carolina, and their dependents, to take advantage of in-state tuition rates at public universities. Lawmakers this year have proposed expanding that benefit to all Defense Department employees, which would mean universities would lose revenue.
North Dakota -- A 2005 law waives tuition for dependents of deceased veterans. A bill passed this year extends Guard tuition assistance to include all accredited post-secondary schools.
Ohio -- No tuition-related laws passed recently to benefit recent veterans; a 2004 law requires public and private colleges to grant leave to students called to active duty and either refund or offer credit for tuition paid. Also in 2004, legislators expanded eligibility for a 25-year-old Ohio War Orphans Scholarship Program to include Iraq veterans' families.
Oklahoma -- No tuition assistance is offered to combat veterans. A bill currently pending would require the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to provide a tuition grant program for National Guard members taking graduate or professional courses.
Oregon -- Under a proposal passed this year and expected to take effect this fall, resident student-veterans would receive up to $150 a month for up to 36 months. The aid could be used only after the student had exhausted federal GI Bill benefits.
Pennsylvania -- A state agency extended the eligibility period for the Armed Forces Loan Forgiveness Program to the end of this year. The program forgives loans of up to $2,500 for veterans who haven't defaulted and who were on active duty between 9/11 and Dec. 31, 2007.
Rhode Island -- While colleges are given state-appropriated money for Guard members, there has been little legislative action for combat veterans or their dependents. In 2005, a bill failed that would have given military Reserve members the same tuition assistance that is now offered to Guard members.
South Carolina -- In South Carolina, Gov. Mark Sanford last month signed into law a bill that will offer members of the National Guard free tuition at state-supported colleges and universities and some private institutions. Another bill that would provide tuition assistance for full-time military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was introduced and is expected to go forward next year.
The state also offers free tuition to the children of veterans who were killed, wounded or are missing in action. The new National Guard tuition program pays all tuition and fees up to $18,000. The Legislature appropriated $1.3 million for tuition grants for that program and another $1.7 million for a program that pays student loans for Guard members.
South Dakota -- No legislation was introduced in 2007 pertaining to special tuition rates for veterans. But there were several laws passed in 2006 and 2004 that improved educational access for military members and their families:
Tennessee -- The state this year will begin freezing college tuition for members of the Reserves or the National Guard if they are mobilized for at least six months of active duty. The law went into effect on June 25. Under this law, if a Reservist or Guard member is enrolled at a state school at the time their status changes to active duty, all school fees will be frozen at the rate when they departed school. The University of Tennessee system this August will increase tuition 6%.
Upon their return, fees would not increase for a time period equal to one year plus the amount of time served on active duty. The offer is good only for servicemembers who complete their military obligations under honorable conditions and who re-enroll in a state school within six months from release of active duty.
Texas -- Congress tweaked its 84-year-old tuition exemption so that veterans can use both the federal GI Bill and the state exemption in the same semester.
Utah -- A law this year waives undergraduate tuition at state institutions of higher education for surviving dependents of Utah resident military members killed while serving in federal active duty.
Vermont -- The 2004 Armed Services Scholarship expanded an existing benefit for children of National Guard members to also include Guard members, military veterans and spouses and children for both.
Virginia -- The state this year created an in-state tuition benefit for active-duty servicemembers and for activated members of the National Guard and Reserve who are stationed in Virginia but are not Virginia residents.
Washington -- Colleges are not required to waive tuition, but because waivers are available, legislation enacted last year directs state colleges and universities to take steps that would help them identify and assist veterans who need financial aid. Beginning this month, tuition and fees will be waived for dependents of combat veterans who are totally disabled, reported missing or killed in combat.
West Virginia -- Beginning this month, tuition is waived for honorably discharged veterans who earned a Purple Heart. Legislators also passed a bill that covers tuition costs for active-duty National Guard members pursuing a master's degree.
Wisconsin -- In 2006, Wisconsin passed legislation that waived 100% of tuition for veterans, up from a 50% waiver, enacted in 2005. But as the program's costs balloon, some lawmakers want to stop funding graduate school tuition and create a 10-year limit for claiming benefits.
Wyoming -- Since 2006, Wyoming has had free tution for overseas combat veterans, as well as widows, and orphans of deceased veterans. The state reimburses the schools for waiving tuition.
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures; Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; USA TODAY research. Contributing: Heather Collura, Marissa DeCuir, Clair Lorell, Mary Beth Marklein, USA TODAY; Marty Roney, The Montgomery Advertiser; Dennis Wagner, The Arizona Republic; Joanne Bratton, The Baxter Bulletin, Mountain Home, Ark.; Jake Henshaw, Gannett News Service/Sacramento; Maureen Milford, The News Journal, Wilmington, Del.; Dan Nakaso, The Honolulu Advertiser; Tim Evans, The Indianapolis Star; Jessie Halladay, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky.; Joseph Gidjunis, The Daily Times, Salisbury, Md.; Lawrence Schumacher and Dave Unze, The St. Cloud (Minn.) Times; Julie Goodman, The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss.; Wes Johnson, Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader; Jeff DeLong, Reno Gazette-Journal; Laura Bruno, Daily Record, Morristown, N.J.; Gary Stern, The Journal News, Westchester County, N.Y.; Jordan Schrader, Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times; Lori Kurtzman, The Cincinnati Enquirer; Tracy Loew, Statesman Journal, Salem, Ore.; Ron Barnett, The Greenville (S.C.) News; Stu Whitney, Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Leon Alligood, The Tennessean, Nashville; Jennie Coughlin, The Daily News Leader, Staunton, Va.; Ben Jones, The Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wis.