{"id":17217,"date":"2019-06-25T20:08:30","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T20:08:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/06\/25\/dont-implement-controversial-gi-bill-transfer-rule-yet-or-at-all-lawmakers-tell-pentagon\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:51:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:51:07","slug":"dont-implement-controversial-gi-bill-transfer-rule-yet-or-at-all-lawmakers-tell-pentagon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/education-transition\/2019\/06\/25\/dont-implement-controversial-gi-bill-transfer-rule-yet-or-at-all-lawmakers-tell-pentagon\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t implement controversial GI Bill transfer rule yet, or at all, lawmakers tell Pentagon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lawmakers are asking the Defense Department to hold off on a controversial education benefits change while they try and force a legislative fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The change, scheduled to roll out July 12, will bar long-serving troops from transferring<\/a> the Post-9\/11 GI Bill to their dependents \u2014 a move the Pentagon has said<\/a> is necessary to preserve the benefit as a recruitment and retention tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet members of the House of Representatives Armed Service Committee voted unanimously in mid-June to throw out the new policy as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, with one member calling it \u201ca truly lousy decision<\/a>” by DoD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But because the NDAA is unlikely to pass through Congress before the July 12 start date, 29 members of the committee have signed a letter to Acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, asking him to delay implementing the new policy \u2014 or do away with it entirely \u2014 to avoid \u201cwhiplash of a potential reversal” if the NDAA as it currently stands becomes law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon did not respond to request for comment by press time.<\/p>\n\n\n\t