More generous education benefits offered to veterans

Military veterans who served America in active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, now have the right to greatly expanded education benefits.

McLeod County Veterans Services Director Jim Lauer said the new Post-9/11 GI Bill is more robust than what’s been offered to veterans in recent years.

“The post-World War II GI Bill was very unique,” Lauer said. “Over the years, that benefit became less and less.” The new GI Bill, he said, “has really reinvigorated educational benefits and the potential for younger veterans.”

Two standout provisions in the bill, which provides payments for training pursued on or after Aug. 1 of this year, are that veterans have a longer window of time after their active service to apply for benefits — and those benefits are now transferable.

Previously, Lauer said, veterans had eight years after their discharge to apply for benefits. The new bill gives veterans 15 years. Benefits can also be transferred to a veteran’s spouse or children. “That’s something that’s very unique,” Lauer said. “That didn’t exist before.”

A wealth of information on the new GI Bill is available online at www.gibill.va.gov. Veterans can call Lauer at (320) 864-1268 for help in applying for this or any other veterans’ benefits.

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)