Petition to reenstate Military tuition Assistance

[c.a.willard]

For those not in the loop one of the methods the DOD has chosen to cut spending to bring them in line with sequestration is to cut all tuition assistance to all branches of the military.  Yes i know tuition assistance is a privledge and not a contractual obligation of the military so the DOD has every right to cut this from thier budget.   However TA serves to improve the military and better prepare them to tansition to civilian life.  The main reason it is benificial for those whio may not have an understanding of the sytem is that all though service members can draw their GI bill while serving it is extreamly wastefull to do so.  The GI bill limits payouts by the number of months that you can draw it making it truely most benificial if you are a full time student.  TA allows service members to slowly work towards their degree taking only a few classes at a time.

 

 

http://wh.gov/7ZGk

 

I know the likelyhood of this petition doing anygood at all is slim to none however i believe that this is worth at least trying for.  

 

There are plenty of wastefull spending programs in the DOD that could be done away with TA is not one of those.  Service members must pass the course with the equivilant of a 2.0 or pay the funds back.  Soldiers who drop out of the course for military related reasons are not subject to this payback.  It really is one of the few things probably administered correctly and with minimal waste.  College education is also an integral part of the enlisted promotion system

 

[Guest 6.8 AR]

The military didn't choose this, the administration did. They want as much pain to be felt by regular folks

as possible. It probably didn't have to happen, either. There are no cuts due to sequestration. This is pure

hogwash being perpetuated by a fool who only wants to spend us into oblivion. I don't sign petitions, but

this will be back soon. Just a temporary political move to piss off as many as possible.

[wjh2657]

"The military didn't choose this, the administration did."

 

According to my military newletter ( 30 year USMC Retired), it was the individual branches that elected to cut back TA. It has always been the individual branches authority to administer their own TA programs, as funds come out of individual service budgets. I can remember when the USAF had it and the USMC didn't (Late 50's and early 60's) The Corps wasn't being mean, we were going through some tough budget cuts (like now!) and we had to cut back the TA to fully fund Unit Training (more important to enable  staying alive!) TA came back as soon as the "Green Money" started flowing again. In my 30 year career I was either Air Delivery (Airborne) or flight crew and I never had the duty hours that would allow me the time for school. My off duty time was spent learning my job as I was re-evaluted every year.

 

I had to wait, like a lot of other "Front Line " types to retire before I could get advanced schooling. I have since obtained a Master's Degree in Education through the GI Bill and employer funding.

 

Budget cuts like this are not "program" specific. The Service branch is told what they will get and they have to figure out what they can and will cut in specific programs. Hardware is another story as all the hardware contracst  go through Congressional approval and that depends on how much money the specified Defense contractor has slipped under the table  to their favorite legislator.  Again. not really the administration. We have a lot of government officials screwing with us but don't let the "Obama Fog" hide the fact that both Democrat and Republicans in Congress are also  leading us astray. They will be staying around and stiffing us long after we change Presidents.

Edited March 10, 2013 by wjh2657