Military Education Benefits: Bridging the Gap Between Service and Success

Big picture:

Military education benefits have stagnated while costs soar – creating a growing gap between service and educational opportunity. The recently passed reconciliation legislation allocates $100 million for military tuition assistance – a positive step, but comprehensive reform is still needed.

Why it matters:

Despite their sacrifice, service members face outdated support:

• Tuition assistance has remained fixed at $250 per credit hour since 2002
• College costs have increased by over 180% during this same period
• The annual cap of $4,500 falls far short of actual educational expenses
• Online students receive only half the standard housing allowance

What’s needed:

The Presidents Forum advocates for three critical changes:

• Increasing per-credit-hour rates to match current costs
• Raising the annual assistance cap
• Eliminating the housing allowance penalty for online students

The bottom line:

Those who protect our freedom deserve the freedom to pursue education without financial barriers.