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The Great Depression
When the Great Depression hit the country in 1929, many World War I veterans found themselves struggling to make ends meet. The provide some much-needed aid, Congress decided to pass the World War Adjusted Compensation Act of 1924. This allowed for a bonus for the veterans based on the amount of time that they served, but unfortunately, most veterans would not receive a pennty for 20 years. -
First Draft of the GI Bill
Harry W. Colmery, a former Republican National Chairman and national commander of the American Legion, drew up the first draft of the GI Bill. After it was introduced, both the House of Representatives and the Senate created their own versions of the bill to debate together. -
The Servicemen's Readjustment Act
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act into law after it was finally approved by Congress. The law, commonly referred to as the GI Bill of Rights, only narrowly passed after members of Congress endlessly fought over provisions of the bill. -
The Veteran's Readjustment Act of 1952
The Veteran's Readjustment Act of 1952 was signed into law on July 16, 1952. The law provided benefits to veterans of the Korean War that served for more than 90 days and received an honorable discharge. One upgrade that Korean War veterans saw over World War II veterans was that they could receive both state and federal benefits. -
"Montgomery GI Bill"
In 1984, former Mississippi Congressman Gillespie V. Montgomery took park in an overhaul of the GI Bill. In the new bill, known as the "Montgomery GI Bill," veterans would now receive money to pay for college. Montgomery believed that the country should provide educational benefits to its veterans because a college degree woud make service members more valuable to the country. -
Post-9/11 GI Bill
In 2008, the GI Bill was updated again to include service members who served on or after September 11, 2001. The revisions, know as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, were proposed by Senator Jim Webb. The expanded benefits included the full cost of any public college in their state, a housing allowance and $1,000 a year stipend for books.
