DOCUMENT RESUME ' ED 206,848 CB 029 933, TITLE' H.R. 1400Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 1981. Hearings before the Subcommittee on Education, Training And Employment of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of. Representatives, Ninety-Seventh Congress, First SeAsion.(Norfcqk, Virginia, April 6, 1981). Vol. III. INSTITUTION Congress of the U.S., Washington, D.C. House Committee on Veterans+ Affairs.- l REPORT NO House-Ser -97 -9 PUB DATE , . 8.1 NOTE , 117p.; For a'related'document see CE 029 932. EDRS PRICE -MF01/PC05 PIUS Postage. ,.. DESCRIPTORS Armed Forces; Alisted'Personnel;-Financial Support; Hearings; Higher Education; Labor Turnover; *Military Personnel;,*Military-Service; Officer Personnel; POstsecondary Education; Recruitment; *Student Financial Aid; Tuition Grants; Veterans; *Veterans , Education 'IDENTIFIERS *Congress 97th; *Veteran EdUcational Assistance Act 1981c - N ABSTRACT This document is the third volume of a transcript of hearings before a U.S. House of Repkesentatives Subcommittee of the Committee on Veteran's Affairs Concerning prOpoied H.R.." 1100- -the Veterans' Educational Assistance Act of 1981. The proposed Educational Assistance Act, an updated GI Bill, would.provide the following educational -benefits:, 80 percent of college tuition' up to $2500 plus a $250' living allowancepfor 36 months for three years' ' military service or two.yearse,mtlitary'Service plus,our years in the Active Reserve or Nationalcpuard (and additional money for longer service) ; a two-for-one savings plan for-educational benefits for -. career militiry personnel; an educational leave-of-absence program; and ansferAbilityofeducational Venefitstoa spouse or children * forer military personnelca with a certaine1 number of :years' service.. The benefits.are structured with- the goal'of-increasing military'setvion enlistments of high school graduates and retention of experienced middle -level personnel. In thiS'round of hearings, .. held in Norfolk, Virginia, com"missioned officers, noncommissioned ` officers, and, enlisted personnel in.tlie field fam the, Air Forcer_ Navy, and Army' voiced.their.opinions of 'the bill, and interpreted' it as they Sam its effects on recruiting,* retention, and day -to -day Concerniof military personnel. Most" of the persons interviewed viewed the bill favorably-as*.a whole, but had' ,reservations about . various proVisions, and' concerns about whether 'the lure of . educational benefits mould prompt 'more mid-career dropouts from the services. Others expressed concern about the 1989 expiration date for use*of benefits' from the Vietnai-era GI bill, military pay, and' living and. working 'conditions: (KC) 1. 0 H.R. 14O VETERANS' EDUCATIONAL. ASSISTANCE ACT OF1981 HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION,TRAINING ANDEMPLOYMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ONVETERANS' AFFAIRS_ HOUSE OFREPRESENTATIVES'A NINETY-SEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION APRIL 6 AND APRIL 23, 1981 Printed for the use of the Committeeon Veterans' Affairs Serial No. 97-9 Vol. III U.S. DEPARTMENT OFEDUCATION NATIONAL INSTITUTEOF EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC/ he document has been reproducedas received from theperson or organization originating it 1 Mpfor changes havebeen made to improve IsProduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this docu ment do not necessarily represerli offlolal NIE position or policy, V.13, GOVERNMENT PRINTING,FFICE 80-338 0 WASHINGToti : 1981 2 COMMITTEE ON VETERANS'AFFAIRS G. V (SONNY1-MONTGOMERY,Mississippi, Chairman JOHN PAUL HAMMERSCHMIDT, Arkansas DON EDWARDS, California . GEORGE-EDANIELSON,- California - --MARGARET- M. HECKLER, Massachusetts - CHALMERS P WYLIE, Ohio JACK BRINKLEY, Georgia RONALD M. mom, Ohio ELWOOD HILLIS, Indiana ROBERT W EDGAR, Pennsylvania TENNYSON GUYER,Ohio HAROLD S SAWYER, Michigan SAM B HALL. Jx.,__Ttsas GERALD B SOLOMON, New York DOUGLAS APpLEGATE, Ohio MARVIN LEATH, Texas JIM JEFFRIES, Kansas WILLIAM HILL BONER, Tennessee BOB McEWEN, Ohio JIM DUNN, Michigan - RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alibama CHRIS SMITH, New Jersey DAN MICA, Florida ALBERT LEE SMITH, Alabama THOMAS A. DASCHLE, South Dako,ta Kb STUMP, Arizona DENN, SMITH, Oregon PHIL GRAMM, Texas AUSTIN J. MURPHY, Pennsylvania BYRON L DORGAN, Noi-th Dakota MAC% 0 FLEM/NG, Chief Counsel andStaff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, TRAINING ANDEMPLO1MENT ROBERT W. EDGAR,Pennsylvania, Chairman MARGARET M. HECKLER, Massachusetts DON kDWARDS, California CHALMERS P. WYLIE, Ohio MARVIN LEATH, Texas WILLIAM HILL BONER, Teimessee HAROLD S. SAWYER, Michigan THOMAS A. DASCHLE, South Dakota JIM JEFFRIES, Kansas PHIL GRAMM, Texas DENNY SMITH, Oregon V A L CO.NTENTS /APRIL 6, 1981 . H.R 1400The Veterans' Eduational Assistance Page Act of 1981.. 1 STATEMEI.ITS BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS Chairman Edgar A n Representative Margaret M. Heckler N " ' WITNESSES U'S Navy Junior EnlistedPersonne1=A_paneLconsisting--of-Petty-Officer- Whitmill, Petty Office ,k,Aiman Heideman, Seaman Burchtorf,Petty Officer Jakubowski, and Petty 'Officer Kane - 2 U.S Navy Senior Enlisted PersonnglA panel consistingof Petty Officer Lowe, Petty Officer Huffman, Petty Officer Dinochowski,Chief Grant, Chief Bauer, and Chief Stewart 15 U S. Navy Commissioned Offic6r f'orsonnelA panelconsisting, of Lt. Comdr. Jack Smith, Lt. Kevin Stone, Le; Comdr Terry Etnyre,Ens. Robert Pletl, Jr., and Lt. Comdr, Robert Kissingel U S Air Force Commissioned Officsl PersonhelApanel consisting of Mai; Mike Evans, Capt. Steve Andersen, Capt. DaleHill, Lt. Harold Hancock, and Capt. Joe Facenda U S Air Force Enlisted Personnel, Pap 34 vei1, Airman,Taylor,Airman Graham, Sgt. Gary Perdew, and Sgt. Stan Aldrich.. 41 U S Air Force Enlisted Personnel, Panel BApanel consisting of M. Sgt ' Robert L Harris, Airman Deborah A Bates,Airman Earnestine Gilbert, Sgt. James Franey, and Sgt. Robroy e?man 48 APRIL 23, 1981 ' H.R. 1400The Veterans' EducationalAssistance Act of 1981 -53 STATEMENT BY commn hE MEMBERS Chairman Edgar 53 Representative Margaret M. Heckler 54 4 WITNESSES Frank, Hon. Barney, a Representative in chusetts Congress from the state of Massa- U.S. Army Enlisted Personne1,4Panel AA" 65 panel consisting of Private Bogan, Corporal MacNeil, Sergeant Shaffer Specialist - Hicks Rutherford, and Private 57 U.S. Army 'Enlisted;t2ersonnel, Panel BApanel consisting bf Specialist Homes, Staff Sergeant Borges-Bonilla, SergeantFerguson, SFC Richard Reiman, and CWO John Vargas 67 U.Siirmy Commissioned Officer PersonnelApanel consisting of Lieuten- aColonel Miller, Maj. Linda Kiefer, Lt. KatherineSarvary, Capt. Gabriel Acosta, and Capt. t eliat Blinn 76 10 t IV }age U S Air Force PersonnelA parte! consisting of A1C Michael J Cook, A1C William K' Murphy, A 1,C Gerald St Laurent, A1C Dean' 12Brady, Capt Ronald D Yoho, Capt Maitin Lopez, J'r, ,1st Lt Bobby J McGuire. Airman Lou Ann Wesolowski, S Sgt Mane Ashmore. Sgt. Anne Y Loudermilk, Sgt Greg Pusateri, A1C Stephen R Hines, 2d Lt Mananhe Owens, Senior Air an Donald W Robbins, S Sgt James M Connell, and 1st LL Brenda Ho W II' 89 U S MilitaryecruitersA panel consisting of Master Setgeant Pouliot,. U S' An' Force, Sgt Legrant Smith, U S Army, Sgt Val Atkinson, U S AI'my, .5ergeant Hyche, US Army, Capt Tom Hawley, U S Army, Sgt .Gary Adams, U S Army . .. , 98 Wells, Richard, department commander, Disabled American Veterans 105 Prepared statement of Mi Wells . , ,. 109 &erre, Joseph, State adjutant. Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Department of Massachusetts 106 Reagan,Jetn. national service officer, Disabled American Veterans . 107 5 H.R. 1400THEVETERANS' EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT OF1981 MONDAY, APRIL 6, 1981 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EMPLOYMENT, COMMITTEE -O ETWvs'AFFAIRS, Norfolk, Va.. The subcommittee met,pursuant to adjournment, at in- Marianas Hall, 10:15 a.m., commissioned officersmess, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va., Hon.Robert W. Edger (chairman subcommittee) presiding. of the Present: Reprgsentatives Edgarand Heckler. OPENING STATEMENT OFCHAIRMAN EDGAR Mr. EDGA 11,,/ Lad:-.4 t. ing or t e Subcem- on, Mucation, Training, and , order. Employment will.come-lr-to, I'd like to begin by welcoming all of you here. Wehave held four hearings in Washingtonon H,.R. 1400 and related ing with education for legislation deal- benefits designed to .recruitand retain per- sonnel within the All-VolunteerForce. 1/4., The Washington hearingswere very comprehensive with, witnesses testifying. We heard over 50' from people from all branchesof the Federal Govermhent and thepublic and private this issue. sector dealing with The purpose of H.R. 1400is, to providean education and training program to assist in the readjustmentof veteransupon their sepa- ration from the Armed Forces,to enhance the recruitment ity of the Armed Forces,and to, facilitate the capabil- 'personnel in critical positions. retention of key In that regard, H.R. 1400prdvides a basic educational payment of $250 per month assistance far 3 years of active dutyservice, and -$550 per month after 6years of active duty service for high graduates. school The bill also provides that service personnel inthe Reserves and National Guardcan also qualify when that service with'active duty service. is -combined I have made availablea copy together with its major air-sketch of H.R. 1400, provisions, whicharvailable to the press and public. The subcomMittee,as I indicated, has held fourhearings 1400 in Washington. Witnesses on H.R. the Army and other have included the Chiefof Staff df representatives of the Joint Chiefs;the