Education benefits for National Guard troops, reservists to increase under Heller bill

National Guard troops and other service members who log fewer than 12 months of active duty service would receive greater education benefits under legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) on Thursday.

Service members who spend less than 36 months on active duty are currently eligible for a portion of education and training benefits offered through the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Guard and Reservists Education Improvement Act would modify the tier structure to make the education benefit more equitable for those who served fewer than 12 months of active duty service.

“Many Nevada veterans and service members have relied on the G.I. bill as a critical tool in furthering their education and improving their skills to access good-paying jobs,’ Heller, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said. “Our National Guard and Reserve members are no exception, and nearly one million of these heroes have been mobilized since the Post-9/11 G.I. bill was enacted. This legislation recognizes their contributions to protecting America and provides an increase in educational benefits to ensure they have opportunities to improve and advance their careers after returning from service.”

The bill, which U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) introduced in the House in May, would increase the education benefit from 40 percent to 50 percent for troops who spend 90 days to six months of active duty, and from 50 percent to 60 percent for those who serve six months to 12 months of active duty.

“As a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee representing 300,000 veterans living in Nevada, I will work to see that the VA does everything it can to empower veterans with the education and skills they need to compete and succeed in the workforce,” Heller added.

Wenstrup, the chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, said GI Bill education benefits are a valuable tool for service members, including the National Guard troops and reservists that he served with.

“Increasing accessibility to the educational opportunities that the G.I. Bill provides helps to ensure the men and women who have worn this nation’s uniform receive the benefits they have earned and are equipped with the education they need to be successful,” Wenstrup said.