G.I. Bill

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A G.I. Bill is a colloquial name given to several pieces of legislation that have provided a range of benefits for American military veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s), particularly education benefits. The first G.I. Bill, 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. John H. Stelle, a former Democratic governor of Illinois, served as the Chairman of the Legion's Executive Committee, which drafted and mobilized public opinion to get the G.I. Bill to President Roosevelt's desk on June 22, 1944. He is commonly referred to as the "Father of the G.I. Bill." It provided immediate financial rewards for practically all World War II veterans, thereby avoiding the highly disputed postponed life insurance policy payout for World War I veterans that had caused political turmoil in the 1920s and 1930s. Benefits included low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans to start a business or farm, one year of unemployment compensation, and dedicated payments of tuition and living expenses to attend high school, college, or vocational school. These benefits were available to all veterans who had been on active duty during the war years for at least 90 days and had not been dishonorably discharged. The original G.I. Bill ended in 1956, but subsequent bills have provided similar benefits for veterans since. The most recent iteration, 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. Other benefits, including medical coverage and home loans, are covered under separate legislation.