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GI Bill Timeline

(June 22, 1944 – Present)

The GI Bill is a landmark piece of U.S. legislation first signed into law in 1944 that provides educational, housing, and other benefits to military veterans. Formally known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, it has been expanded and updated over the decades to help millions of returning service members transition to civilian life through college tuition coverage, home loans, and job training. Less

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Original GI Bill

Design and drafting of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act

Jan 1, 1944

The G.I. Bill, formally the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was largely designed and passed through Congress in 1944 in a bipartisan effort led by the American Legion, which wanted to reward practically all wartime veterans with education, housing, and employment benefits.

Image source: G.I. Bill

Design and drafting of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act

Signing of the original G.I. Bill by President Roosevelt

Jun 22, 1944

On June 22, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, into law. The landmark legislation provided returning World War II veterans with funding for college tuition, low-cost home loans, and unemployment compensation.

Original G.I. Bill program ends

Jan 1, 1956

The original G.I. Bill program ended in 1956, having helped millions of World War II veterans attend college and purchase homes. Subsequent bills have provided similar benefits for veterans ever since.

Korean War and Cold War Era Bills

Push to extend G.I. Bill benefits to Korean War veterans

Jun 25, 1950

At the start of the Korean War, advocates pushed to extend the 1944 Servicemen's Readjustment Act to cover Korean War veterans, sparking a lengthy debate over how best to serve a new generation of servicemembers.

New veterans legislation passed under President Truman

Jan 1, 1952

After two years of debate, an entirely new piece of legislation was passed and signed by President Harry Truman in 1952, extending educational and readjustment benefits to Korean War veterans.

Post-Korean War era educational assistance for active duty members

Jan 31, 1955 - Jan 1, 1977

A version of the G.I. Bill provided educational assistance for service members serving on Active Duty for more than 180 days with any portion of that time falling between January 31, 1955, and January 1, 1977.

Montgomery and VEAP Programs

Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) established

Jan 1, 1977

The Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) was available for those who first entered active duty between January 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985, and elected to make contributions from their military pay to participate in this education benefit program.

Congressman Gillespie V. Montgomery authors new G.I. Bill

Jan 1, 1984

In 1984, former Mississippi Democratic Congressman Gillespie V. Montgomery sponsored legislation creating a new version of the G.I. Bill that would become known as the Montgomery G.I. Bill.

Montgomery G.I. Bill era begins

Jan 1, 1985

From 1984 until 2008, this version of the law was called 'The Montgomery G.I. Bill,' providing educational benefits to veterans who contributed toward their own education during their service.

VEAP program sunset

Dec 31, 1989

The Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP), which had covered service members who entered active duty between January 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985, was sunset on December 31, 1989.

Montgomery G.I. Bill contribution and payment structure

Jan 1, 1990

Under the Montgomery G.I. Bill — Active Duty (MGIB), active duty members had to forfeit $100 per month for 12 months; if they used the benefits, they received as of 2012 $1,564 monthly as a full-time student (tiered at lower rates for less-than-full-time) for a maximum of 36 months of education benefits.

Post-9/11 Era

REAP established for reservists after September 11 attacks

Sep 11, 2001

The Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) was available to all reservists who, after September 11, 2001, completed 90 days or more of active duty service 'in support of contingency operations.' This benefit provided reservists returning from active duty with up to 80% of the active duty (Chapter 30) G.I. Bill rate.

Chapter 1607 benefits for reservists

Sep 11, 2001

Chapter 1607 provided educational benefits to reservists called to active duty after September 11, 2001, but could not be extended beyond 36 months if combined with other G.I. Bill programs.

Congress approves expansion of G.I. Bill benefits

Jun 1, 2008 - Aug 31, 2008

In the summer of 2008, Congress approved an expansion of benefits beyond the current G.I. Bill, passing the current iteration of the program into law in recognition of the fact that 'service on active duty in the Armed Forces [had] been especially arduous for the members of the Armed Forces since September 11, 2001,' and with the goal of reducing high levels of unemployment among veterans.

Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act signed into law

Jun 30, 2008

The most recent major iteration of the G.I. Bill, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, provides veterans with funding for the full cost of any public college in their state, dramatically expanding education benefits.

VA announces it will manage the new benefit itself

Sep 1, 2008

The VA announced in September 2008 that it would manage the new benefit itself instead of hiring an outside contractor, following protests by veteran's organizations and the American Federation of Government Employees.

Expanded Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits take effect

Aug 1, 2009

Beginning in August 2009, recipients became eligible for greatly expanded benefits, or the full cost of any public college in their state. This iteration of the program, signed into law in 2008 and put into effect in 2009, dramatically expanded education benefits.

VA election process via Form 22–1990

Jan 1, 2010

The VA considers a service member to have elected a GI Bill upon submission of VA Form 22–1990 and VA approval, which issues a Certificate of Eligibility to the applicant.

Additional $600 buy-up contribution option

Jan 1, 2010

Those who forfeit the maximum ($600) will receive, upon approval, an additional $150 per month for 36 months, or a total of $5,400. This allows the veteran to receive $4,800 in additional funds ($5,400 total minus the $600 contribution), but not until after leaving active duty unless a term's tuition exceeds the monthly MGIB rate.

Congress passes Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Improvements Act

Dec 1, 2010 - Dec 31, 2010

In December 2010 Congress passed the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2010, refining and expanding the benefits created under the original 2008 law.

Enrollment period provisions added to G.I. Bill law

Dec 1, 2010

The 2010 law also includes enrollment periods, changing how housing allowances are calculated when a veteran's enrollment spans multiple terms or academic periods.

Bar to Duplication of Eligibility added to Title 38

Jan 4, 2011

The Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–377, January 4, 2011), Section 111, amended Title 38, U.S. Code, by adding section 3322(h), 'Bar to Duplication of Eligibility Based on a Single Event or Period of Service,' which does not allow the VA to establish eligibility for a Service Member under more than one education benefit.

Prorated break-pay calculation for multi-term enrollments

Aug 1, 2011

Under the new rules, if a veteran is full-time with a maximum BAH rate of $1,500 per month, they receive (13/30)x$1,500 = $650 for the end of the first enrollment period, then (10/30)x$1,500 = $500 for the beginning of the second period.

Change in break-pay reduces monthly housing allowance

Aug 1, 2011

Effectively, the change in break-pay means a veteran will receive $1,150 per month for August instead of $1,500 per month, reflecting the proration of Basic Allowance for Housing during breaks between enrollment periods.

New conversion rules for service members entering after Aug 1, 2011

Aug 1, 2011

If a service member applies for Montgomery GI Bill benefits (such as the Top-up option to augment Tuition Assistance) and entered service on or after August 1, 2011, then they must incur a subsequent period of service to convert to the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

President Obama issues Executive Order 13607

Apr 27, 2012

In 2012, President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13607 to ensure that military service members, veterans, and their families would not be aggressively targeted by sub-prime colleges, establishing principles of excellence for educational institutions serving veterans.

Image source: G.I. Bill

President Obama issues Executive Order 13607

Chapter 1607 sunset to make way for Post 9/11 G.I. Bill

Nov 25, 2019

Chapter 1607, which had provided educational benefits to reservists serving on active duty in support of contingency operations, was sunset on November 25, 2019, to make way for the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill.

Supreme Court rules in Rudisill v. McDonough

Apr 1, 2024

In 2024, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Rudisill v. McDonough, deciding a case concerning how veterans may use and convert their G.I. Bill education benefits earned through multiple periods of service.

Image source: Rudisill v. McDonough

Supreme Court rules in Rudisill v. McDonough

Key Facts

  1. The original GI Bill, officially the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1944.
  2. It provided World War II veterans with funding for college tuition, low-interest home loans, and unemployment compensation, helping educate over 7 million veterans by 1956.
  3. The Montgomery GI Bill of 1985 introduced a voluntary contribution system where service members could pay into the program during active duty to receive future education benefits.
  4. The Post-9/11 GI Bill, enacted in 2008, significantly expanded benefits by covering full in-state tuition at public universities, a monthly housing allowance, and a books stipend.
  5. The GI Bill is widely credited with expanding the American middle class by making higher education and homeownership accessible to millions of veterans.

Source

This GI Bill timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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