The recent implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, expanded educational benefits for the nearly 2 million men and women who have served in the armed forces since September 11, 2011. Countless service members and veterans have learned about and taken full advantage of their GI Bill benefits. Now, it’s your turn to build a better and more secure future for yourself and your family. Reading these stories will help to ease your concerns and increase your confidence and motivation to pursue higher education. Be sure to note their advice and practice it along the way.
I wanted to get through my undergraduate degree with the highest GPA possible, in order to be accepted to law school. I also wanted to immerse myself in different perspectives and opinions, in order to become a more well-rounded person.
My experiences in the military forced me to grow up and take responsibility for my choices. It was this maturity that made fitting in with my peers difficult, at times. But, at the same time, I attribute much of my college success to this maturity.
Find something that truly interests you. Use the benefits you have earned to do something meaningful. If it helps, and if you like what you did in the military, get a degree in that subject or field. Experience plus knowledge goes a long way.
The biggest payoff is the pride and satisfaction I have in my accomplishments. I know I am doing the right thing and making my future brighter. I am also honoring the lives of my brothers and sisters who didn’t make it home by living my life to its fullest potential.
As a disabled veteran with a traumatic brain injury, I have found that education is an extremely effective form of mental therapy. If you push yourself, your mind will respond. I refuse to be that injured veteran who has little to offer society.
