Today, John McCain is still pressing on about how his weak GI Bill is better than the one passed overwhelmingly by the Senate.
McCain said today to the AP:
"I am running for the office of commander in chief. That is the highest privilege in this country, and it imposes the greatest responsibilities. And this is why I am committed to our bill, despite the support Senator Webb's bill has received."
McCain then does something that is a common trick of the right wing. He introduces a solution to a problem that has never existed.
Liz Sidoti of the Associated Press explains his reasoning why he objects to Webb's bill:
However, McCain said he opposed Webb's measure because it would give the same benefit to everyone regardless of how many times he or she has enlisted. He said he feared that would depress reenlistments by those wanting to attend college after only a few years in uniform. Rather, McCain said the bill he favored would have increased scholarships based on length of service.
Never in the history of the GI Bill has it ever been apportioned according to how many times a service member has reenlisted. Instances of enlistment have never factored into the dollar amount allowed, or the length of time a student receives payment. Once the service member is discharged he/she is eligible for the benefits.
The following is from the Veterans Affairs website explaining the eligibility for the Montgomery GI Bill as it currently stands:
Who is Eligible?
You may be an eligible veteran if you have an Honorable Discharge, AND you have a High School Diploma or GED or in some cases 12 hours of college credit, AND you meet the requirements of one of the categories below:
CATEGORY I
• Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985
• Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for first 12 months
• Continuously served for 3 years, OR 2 years if that is what you first enlisted for, OR 2 years if you entered the Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty and served 4 years ("2 by 4" Program)
Two years is the absolute minimum enlistment of any branch of service. There is no reenlistment criteria, there never has been. Everyone receives the GI Bill "only after a few years in uniform".