This hasn't happened yet, but I think it is likely to pass.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-...house-bill/476
The most important part to trainees is this:
"Prohibits VA from including flight training fees in the in-state tuition and fees at public institutions of higher education (IHEs) that are covered by post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance. Requires post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance for flight training programs at public IHEs to be determined in the same manner as such assistance for education programs pursued at non-public or foreign IHEs is determined."
As of right now the VA, through the Post 9/11 GI Bill pays 100% of tuition and flight training fees at public institutions and a maximum of $20,000 at private schools. I think (and someone correct me if I am wrong) that this is saying that the max allowed for all schools, public or private will be whatever the national max is for a given academic year. The Montgomery GI bill 60/40 plan and the Post 9/11 GI Bill's vocational amount of $10,000 per academic year will remain unchanged.
I intend to write a letter to my congressman, Adam Smith, in an attempt to stop or change this bill. It will look a little some thing like this:
Greetings Mr. Smith,
My name is Brett Williams. I am currently in the US Army, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and I live in Tacoma. I am writing to you to bring you attention to a Bill sponsored by your colleague Representative Brad R. Wenstrup of Ohio's 2nd District. He has introduced Bill H.R.476. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-...house-bill/476). This bill seeks to change the way the VA, through the Post 9/11 GI Bill, pays for flight training at public Colleges and Universities. Here is an excerpt of the summary:
"Prohibits VA from including flight training fees in the in-state tuition and fees at public institutions of higher education (IHEs) that are covered by post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance. Requires post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance for flight training programs at public IHEs to be determined in the same manner as such assistance for education programs pursued at non-public or foreign IHEs is determined."
As of right now the VA, through the Post 9/11 GI Bill, pays 100% of tuition and flight training fees at public institutions and a maximum of $20,000 per academic year at private schools. This Bill will make it so that public institutions would be limited to the same maximum benefit that could be used at a private school.
The purpose of this Bill is to stop the abuse of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. A few charlatans have found a way to bilk the VA for hundreds of thousands of dollars per student. This article in the LA Times explains what some people have been doing.
U.S. taxpayers stuck with the tab as helicopter flight schools exploit GI Bill loophole - LA Times
To summarize, some schools and their students have been using the GI Bill to pay for more than flight training. They have been using it to pay for “time building”.
The businesses that employ pilots usually require a minimum number of flight hours in order for a pilot to qualify for a job. Traditionally pilots accumulate the needed hours by becoming a Certified Flight Instructor and teaching new pilots how to fly. Many others take on jobs such as banner towing or become sky dive pilots. In order to become an airline pilot, pilots must accumulate 1500 hours to qualify as Airline Transport Pilots or ATP's. The accumulation of the needed hours are the responsibility of the pilot and should not paid for by the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
I agree with Mr. Wenstrup that something needs to be done to prevent the abuse of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. But what he proposes is too arbitrary and has the potential to discourage veterans from using this benefit. America now faces a pilot shortage that has the potential to cripple our country's airline industry. I believe the shortage is due, in part, to the high cost of training. Pilots pay upwards of $100,000 to become pilots, and then face low wages at regional airlines. That reality has caused many people to turn away from what could be a highly rewarding career. I believe we should be encouraging people to become pilots. I think the Post 9/11 GI Bill goes a long way in that regard. It is a good recruiting tool for the Armed Services and could become a good recruiting tool for the aviation industry as well.
As I have mentioned earlier, I agree with Mr. Wenstrup that something needs to be done to prevent the abuse of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. If I may be so bold, I would like to propose a change that would be more reasonable than an arbitrary limit of $20,000 per academic year.
I propose that the Post 9/11 GI Bill, when used at a public institution for flight training, to be limited to the following:
1. The certificates necessary to gain employment which are: Private Pilot, Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) pilot, Single-Engine and Multi-Engine Commercial pilot, Certified Flight Instructor, Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument, and Multi-Engine Instructor.
2. Limited to the minimum hours plus 30% required by FAA CFR part 141 for the above listed certificates. For example: FAA CFR part 141 Appendix B requires a minimum of 35 hours of flight training to earn a Private Pilots Certificate. Add 30% more time, if needed, for the student to complete the course. That’s a total of 45.5 hours, roughly the amount of hours the average pilot needs to earn their Private Pilots Certificate.
Another potential change could be to the way the Post 9/11 GI Bill handles vocational training. Vocational training is limited to $10,000 per academic year. Considering the expense of flight training, I feel flight training should be treated differently. I think removing the monetary limit and imposing the limits set in the previous paragraph, specifically for flight training, would go a long way in encouraging veterans to use the Post GI Bill benefit responsibly and discourage abuse.
I want Representative Wenstrup to help prevent abuse of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. I just think a well reasoned approach, that takes in to consideration the costs of flight training, is the way to go.
Before I fire off this letter to my congressman would any of you like to chime in on this subject?