John Fout
When did encouraging education become a controversy?
Almost incredibly, controversy has erupted over a proposal by Sen. Jim Webb's (D., Va.) and Sen. Chuck Hagel's (R., Neb.) plan to enact an update to the GI bill, which would expand opportunities to educate members of the U.S. armed forces. President Bush has vowed to veto the new veterans bill, and Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) -- the probable Republican nominee -- stands by the veto. In a press release, McCain cited retention as a reason for being against the bill:"At a time when the United States military is fighting in two wars, and as we finally are beginning the long overdue and very urgent necessity of increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps, one study estimates that Senator Webb's bill will reduce retention rates by 16%."Sen. Barack Obama (D., Ill.) said of McCain's stance: "I can't understand why he would line up behind the president in his opposition to this GI bill. I can't believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans." There are many who argue that a new GI bill could spur military recruitment, but this debate spurs the need for a larger discussion on the issue of education. The military has struggled to meet recruitment goals, consistently loosening requirements to include high-school dropouts, among others. Not only would adding incentives to join make a difference in recruiting, but it also would improve the average recruit's education level. The Congressional Budget Office concurred in a recent assessment. Education levels hit a 25-year low, according to one study. Allowing high-school dropouts to join the military sets a poor precedent. Furthermore, high-school dropouts present a growing problem for America. A new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) finds the declining high-school graduation rate alarming. Why? NBER suggests the graduation rate measures the strength of preparedness of the American worker.
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