The ability to gain an education while serving your nation is one of the greatest draws to joining the military. In the National Guard and Reserve components of the military, service members serve their communities in civilian and military capacities. From protecting our borders and state capitals, delivering pandemic aid, supporting local law enforcement, and serving in combat, National Guard and Reserve service members have been increasingly called upon to confront unique challenges. Often, they leave their families and civilian employers for lengthy periods of time, sometimes taking significant pay cuts. Yet, despite all we ask of them, they are often denied a cornerstone educational benefit of service: the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
Unlike active duty service, a day in the National Guard or reserve components does not always count as a day of service for benefits. Even with higher activations for military service for domestic operations throughout the nation and abroad, unless a national guardsman or reservist is deployed overseas, they do not receive Post 9/11 GI Bill eligibility. Guardsmen and reservists can be deployed to the border or across our nation for years and never receive Post 9/11 GI bill benefits.
Every day in uniform should count as a day of eligibility for this educational benefit. Guardsmen and Reservists who serve alongside their Active Duty counterparts deserve the same GI Bill eligibility. This is long overdue for Congress to provide.
As a constituent and a veteran, I urge you to support this legislation. Please act today to pass this bill!