| This study began with a review of the evolution of the G.I. Bill, went on to discuss the impact of current education benefits on recruiting and retention efforts of the armed forces, and ended with an examination of pending legislation.;The study focused specifically on the education and training component of the legislation. The original law, the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, was enacted in 1944 and was followed by five more iterations. The growing demand for a college education gave the military an important resource with which to recruit new enlistees into the All-Volunteer Force (Collins, 2005). Researchers at the RAND Corporation found that offering education benefits proved to be a very effective recruiting tool but could actually hurt retention if made too generous (Asch, Fair, & Kilburn, 2000).;Veterans were queried on their experience with education benefits. The survey examined four dimensions of veterans' experiences: (1) their knowledge of the benefits offered under the G.I. Bill, (2) use of the benefits for which they were eligible, (3) effect of the G.I. Bill on encouraging personnel to enlist in the military, and (4) effect of the G.I. Bill on encouraging servicemen and women to stay in military service.;The survey results showed that World War II veterans had the least knowledge of the G.I. Bill when they entered service but made the greatest use of the benefit after leaving the armed forces. The All-Volunteer Force had the greatest knowledge but the lowest use of the G.I. Bill. Considering the fact that education benefits were one of the military's biggest lures in 2008, this anomaly requires closer examination. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 should prove an interesting dimension in the recruitment and retention of military personnel when it becomes effective. |
