Very few veterans are using benefits added to the GI Bill in 2011 that offer living stipends to nonstudents who seek on-the-job training or apprenticeships, according to a new government report.
Only about 27,000 veterans, or about 2 percent of those who have received Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits since 2011, have tapped the offer that provides a full or partial housing allowance to working veterans, according to the report by the Government Accountability Office.
That’s partly because outreach efforts by the Veterans Affairs Department tend to emphasize the educational components of the GI Bill while offering few details on how to access the on-the-job training and apprenticeship benefits, the GAO found.
For example, of the 77 pages of information provided by the VA-run Transition Assistance Program targeting service members who are separating from the military, the GAO found only one reference to the OJT and apprenticeship programs.
Many veterans interviewed by the GAO who did take advantage of the benefit said the supplemental income helped them offset losses they experienced when leaving the military.
One 32-year-old Army veteran who used the apprenticeship money to become an electrician told the GAO that the benefit “allowed my family to survive while I learned a new trade so that I could again provide for them.”
A 41-year-old Army veteran used the money to go to a police academy and become a deputy sheriff.
“The hardest thing I ever had to do in my life was make the transition from military to civilian life,” the former soldier told the GAO. “It eased the pressure in an already stressful situation. In addition, it gave me the tools to succeed. I am not sure if I would have been as successful without the help.”
Congress approved the generous Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2008 that offered to pay tuition and living expenses for veterans who wanted to attend college. Three years later, Congress added the OJT and apprenticeship benefit to provide transition support for veterans who sought alternatives to education.
Another key problem in widening use of the OJT and apprenticeship aspects of the GI Bill is the administrative burdens that make some employers reluctant to participate, the report said. Employers must fill out forms and submit them to the VA before the veterans begin receiving checks.
Employers also must agree to incrementally raise the veteran employees’ wages in accordance with the VA plan.
In response to the GAO report, VA officials promised to improve education and outreach efforts on the program to veterans. The VA also agreed to develop a guide for employers and apprenticeship sponsors about Post-9/11 GI Bill OJT and apprenticeship benefits.
Veterans using those benefits may receive:
- For the first six months, a full housing allowance along with a small stipend for books or supplies.
- For the second six months, 80 percent of the housing allowance tied to their location.
- For the third six-month period, 60 percent of the housing allowance.
- For the fourth six-month period, 40 percent of the housing allowance.
- For any time beyond 24 months, 20 percent of the housing allowance.
