Free Education-Money Program

If you're in the military, active-duty or otherwise, one of the best perks just so happens to be college. I highly suggest you look into taking advantage of the government's, what I like to call, "Free Education-Money Program," or more appropriately called the GI Bill.

The GI Bill came into effect in 1944, as a way to help returning WWII soldiers by providing things like education and training, loan guaranty for homes, farms, or businesses, and unemployment pay. When the bill was revamped in 1984 it became known as the Montgomery GI Bill, named after former Mississippi Congressman Gillespie V. "Sonny" Montgomery and continued to provide soldiers with help in the forms of education and VA home loan guaranty.

With regards to education, basically, the government gives you money to pay an institution of higher education for you to enroll in their educational classes. Hence, you become smarter and you will (hopefully) find yourself in a higher paying job once you accept your degree and/or receive your commission. But wait, it can get better (and if you've read carefully, you've probably already discovered the loophole). Let's say the government decides it will cost you $600 a month to go to college. Your tuition bill comes to $1000. Well, if a semester is 3 months long, the government is giving you a total of $1800, leaving you with $800 left over. I would say you've just earned $800 to go to class. Most non-military college students would kill for a deal that good.

Both Stonewall and my brother-in-law are currently taking advantage of this fine offer. If you are serving, have served, or want to serve (that's what ROTC is for), this is one benefit you should seriously consider taking advantage of. Even if you're happily settled in good job, why wouldn't you take some night classes if it can earn you some extra cash?