Readers of Tom Philpott's Military Update column sound off.

Will GI Bill Reimburse For Early Tuition Payments?

I am a soldier currently serving in Iraq. I have applied for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and am awaiting notification that I qualify. I am going to transfer the benefit to my son who will be attending a university this fall.

We have already started receiving tuition bills and other charges. Will the GI Bill cover these expenses? That is, will it reimburse us for our initial payments? I cannot find anyone who can answer this.

KEVIN CARRIGAN
Major, USA
Victory Base, Baghdad

By law, the Department of Veterans Affairs is required to make Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition payments directly to colleges on behalf of eligible veterans and dependents. So if you have to make payments early that the GI Bill then will covers, the school would be responsible for refunding those payments to you. – Tom Philpott

VEAP: A Pale Comparison

Congress screwed many veterans, including myself, with the old Veterans' Educational Assistance Program [offered to new entrants to the armed forces after Dec. 31, 1976, and before July 1, 1985.]

I am angered over the way the current crop of veterans is treated, when we had to shell out money and then take loans for school. I received $235 month for tuition to a state university. The money was a drop in the bucket, enough for books only! There was no service-provided tuition assistance.

I served 20 years, and spent many holidays and many nights at sea, and that is what I received for education benefits?

When is Congress going to take care of us?

CHARLES ANDREWS
DuPont, Wash.

TRICARE VS. MTF

It seems the purpose of TRICARE, since its introduction, has been to replace military treatment facilities. And it's succeeding, big time!

The billions of dollars going to major health care firms, at the expense of MTFs, show why they cannot properly provide the medical services needed by our retirees, their families and other beneficiaries entitled to MTF care.

If and when we need a military health care system because of a major war, how are those TRICARE contractors going to provide the needed services? Will the Department of Defense draft TRICARE civilian providers?

I think not!

PAUL L. BALAICH
Master Sergeant, USAF-Ret.
Via e-mail

Reasonable Retirement

I read with interest your article concerning Guard and Reserve benefits, most importantly the retirement age issue. I am grateful to the Guard, Reserve and congressional leaders for advocating this correction.

My view is this: Subtract one year from the start age of 60 for reserve component retirement for each year served over 20. This would be an incentive for trained service members to stay in uniform in some capacity. We would see a jump in active duty soldiers willing to join the Guard and Reserve because they could see the benefit in continuing their service.

Soldiers also would be willing to serve longer. The result would be an enhanced talent pool, in quantity and quality, from which to draw.

I'm not asking for a level playing field; just one that you can see from one end to the other.

S. E. NORTH
Major, ARNG
Camp Taji, Iraq

Social Security Credits

I recently read on the internet an article on computations for Social Security benefits for veterans that neglected to take into account Social Security deductions from a portion of military members' pay in the early years – from 1957 to the early-to-mid 1970s. Those of us in the service during those years are eligible for higher benefits than we currently receive.

Could you let us know who to contact regarding recomputation?

JACK RUNYAN
Via e-mail

Here's a link to the Social Security Administration website explaining this issue: www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm. As officials explain there, if your active military service occurred from 1957 through 1967, SSA will add the extra credits to your record when you apply for Social Security benefits.

If your active military service was from 1968 through 2001, you do not need to do anything to receive these extra credits because they were automatically added to your record.

There are no special extra earning credits provided for military services after 2001. – T. P.

Why A Phase In?

I am a 20-year veteran with a 40 percent disability and will not be eligible to receive concurrent pay until 2013, under the Obama plan.

I am 73 years old and won't be eligible until I am 78. It seems like it's the same old trick by the government, hoping we will die off before we get paid.

Members of Congress seem to always find the money to give themselves a pay raise, and without phasing it in. For crying out loud, they could at least cut the time in half.

I served two tours in Vietnam. I'm too old and decrepit to go out and work.

A. W. WENSKE
USA-Ret.
Via e-mail

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Write to Military Forum, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA 20120-1111, send e-mail to militaryforum@aol.com or visit www.militaryupdate.com.