Why don’t more veterans use the GI Bill® for employment?

A while back, I came across a report from the Government Accountability Office published in November 2015. Here is a direct quote:

“Since OJT and apprenticeship benefits became available in 2011, about 27,000 of the 1.2 million veterans who have received Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits have participated in these programs.”[1]

I’f I’m doing the math right, that’s a utilization rate of 2.25%.

Additionally, the University of Syracuse’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families reported that only half of eligible veterans use their Post 9/11 GI Bill®.[2]

So really, it’s possible that a little over 1% of eligible veterans use their Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits for on-the-job training or apprenticeships.

My current theory is that low utilization results from some combination of the administrative burden for employers and a failure to market opportunities to service members and veterans. Regardless of why, the important question is: what would it mean for veterans and employers if we were able to raise utilization rates to 5, 10, or even 50%? My bet is that you would see a of communities benefiting from the unique talents of veterans.

This is why we are working directly with employers and veterans to increase benefit utilization rates and build more registered apprenticeships. These programs are literally all upside: more money for veterans, skills training, and wage savings for employers. Why isn’t there more emphasis on this?

[1] Fay, D., Maury, R., & Zoli, C. (2015). Missing Perspectives: Servicemembers’ Transition from Service to Civilian Life. Syracuse: Syracuse University.

[2] Government Accountability Office. VA BENEFITS: Increasing Outreach and Measuring Outcomes Would Improve the Post-9/11 GI Bill On-the-Job Training and Apprenticeship Programs. Report to Congressional Requestors. GAO-16-51. November 2015