It looks like a big win for veterans who want to further their education on their own terms. Senators Thom Tillis and Ruben Gallego are reaching across the aisle with a new bill aimed at helping those who've served adapt to a changing job market. The Veterans Education and Technical Skills (VETS) Opportunity Act, announced in a joint press release, would allow veterans to use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits towards partially online skilled trade programs.
"This commonsense legislation modernizes the Post-9/11 GI Bill to expand veterans' access to high-quality skilled trade and vocational programs for in-demand career pathways like welding and HVAC, ensuring they have the tools and resources they need to succeed in today's workforce," Senator Tillis expressed on his website in support of the flexibility hybrid learning opportunities provide. "By supporting hybrid learning opportunities, we’re providing veterans with the flexibility to gain critical skills, find gainful employment, and contribute to our economy after their service." Senator Gallego mirrored this sentiment, underscoring the importance of preparing veterans for the modern economy within a hybrid learning structure.
Backing the bipartisan effort is a group of senators from both sides of the aisle, including Ted Budd (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Gary Peters (D-MI), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). Their support signals a shared commitment to veterans' post-service opportunities and just might signal a warming in congressional relations when it comes to supporting our troops at home.
"Our veterans deserve access to training programs that prepare them for the modern economy, and increasingly, those programs are happening in a hybrid format," Senator Gallego highlighted the changing education landscape. In "increasingly, those programs are happening in a hybrid format," he emphasized on his website the necessity of evolving veterans' education benefits to align with these shifts, chalking it up to common sense for a community that's all about adaptability and grit.
