Madison County Democrat

Korean GI Bill Put Into Effect

A new program to make sure that schools training veterans under the Korean GI Bill are meeting all standards of the law has just been put in effect, Veterans Administration announced today.

Under the new program, VA Educational Benefits Representatives will make periodic visits to schools and establishments in which Korean GI trainees are enrolled, to see whether all provisions of the training law are being complied with.

Among the provisions to be checked are safeguards that protect the interests of the trainee and the Government, such as minimum standards that certain schools and courses have to meet, limits on the tuition a veteran has to pay, and the like.

A good part of the work of the VA Representatives will be informational in nature, explaining the provisions of the law, pointing out any operational deficiencies that may exist, and making suggestions as to how they can be corrected.

VA said the Korean GI Bill gives it a number of responsibilities that can be carried out only through the system of periodic check-ups.

For example, VA is required to discontinue the GI monthly allowance of any veteran who is taking a course that fails to meet standards set up by law.

Likewise, the allowance may be stopped if the veteran's school or establishment fails to live up to the legal standards which formed the basis of GI approval by the State Approving Agency.

Another VA responsibility is to disapprove schools for further veterans' enrollments if VA finds that they charge veterans more for tuition and fees than they do non-veterans enrolled in the same course.

Still other VA responsibilities are to see that allowances are not paid to veterans for absences in excess of allowable limits; that veterans' conduct and progress remain satisfactory; that the ratio of veterans and non-veterans students in some types of schools conforms with the minimum requirements of the law.

The Educational Benefits Representatives who will make the periodic surveys have been selected generally from among former VA Registration Officers, because of their background and experience.

This compliance survey function will be part of the Educational Benefits Section of all VA regional offices. This Section previously was known as the Registration and Research Section.

Also, in VA's Central Office in Washington, D. C. the Registration and Research Service will now be known as the Educational Benefits Service.

VA said it expects the new program of compliance surveys to accomplish two things:

First, to help schools and business establishments understand all provisions and requirements of the law; and second, to assure that monthly education and training allowances are paid to Korean GI trainees only where all the provisions of the law are met.