Last Thanksgiving Day, this newspaper published a column from one of our regular writers titled “Give thanks to the troops.” The gist of the column was that “giving thanks to our troops” meant anyone who opposed sending our troops to Iraq, for the privilege of getting killed or wounded, was accused of being a traitor.
Recently, our own Senator Jim Webb, introduced the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act” (S.22/ H.R. 5740).
A companion bill, H.R. 5740, has been introduced in the House by Rep. Harry Mitchell.
This bill is designed to offer our troops who have served honorably since September 11, 2001 a level of educational benefits on par with those provided to veterans of the World War II era. The bill’s provisions would apply to all members of the military who have served at least 36 months active duty since September 11, 2001, including reservists and members of the
National Guard.
In essence, under this bill any eligible veteran would be assured the funds needed to gain a four-year education at any college that they can academically qualify for. This is a level of educational benefit long since stripped from the WW II vintage “GI Bill” that was awarded to our previous “Greatest Generation.”
The bill currently has over 50 co-sponsors in the Senate, including Senators Clinton and Obama. In the house, the companion bill currently has 240 co-sponsors. At least 25 leading veterans’ and student organizations support these bills.
Yet, the bill has an uphill fight.
Although some Republicans have signed on as co-sponsors, Senator and Republican Presidential candidate John McCain has not.
The bill is being actively opposed by the Bush administration and many Republican officials on the basis that it’s “too generous.” I note that the many newspaper columnists and TV talking heads who routinely accuse Democrats of being “unpatriotic,” “anti-military,” or even “traitors,” (including the writer of our Thanksgiving Day column) by failing to support our troops, are notably silent on supporting this bill.
I have to wonder; Who is really supporting our troops?
RON CHAREST
Dale City
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