US: New GI Bill becomes law

A much-expanded Post-9/11 GI Bill is newly law in America, writes Elizabeth Redden of Inside Higher Ed. Marking the milestone in a ceremony at George Mason University last week, President Barack Obama said: "This is not simply a debt that we are repaying to the remarkable men and women who have served - it is an investment in our own country."

"The first GI Bill paid for itself many times over through the increased revenue that came from a generation of men and women who received the skills and education that they needed to create their own wealth."

The new GI Bill provides for eligible veterans' tuition and fees, with the maximum benefit pegged to the highest undergraduate, resident tuition rate in a given state, plus a monthly housing allowance and an annual $1,000 stipend for books. In a bid to increase retention in the Armed Forces, the new bill also allows for transfer of benefits to spouses and children when those who have served six years commit to another four.
Full report on the Inside Higher Ed site