Many military veterans, upon being discharged from their branch of service, start the next chapter of their life by attending a school to study a subject that will eventually lead to a career.
Some choose to get some kind of certification from a community college, some go the route of a traditional four year university and others attend a vocational school to learn a skilled trade.
Using the benefits of the GI Bill makes all of these things possible, but many veterans may not know what, exactly, the GI Bill does for them and their education.
When the post 9/11 GI Bill was signed into law, it made so that anyone who served in an active duty capacity in any branch of the military for at least ninety days after September 11th, 2001 could attend a school of their choice following their discharge.
Whether a veteran wanted to take up something like biology at a four year college or welding at a vocational school, they could do so with their education paid for by the US government.
Taking up a skilled trade at an established trade school is a particularly attractive option for many veterans because of the number of benefits that being educated, trained and certified in a skilled trade can produce.
Look around wherever you go.
Cars and other automobiles cover paved streets.
Buildings line these same streets and act as homes and places of business.
Power lines overhead carry power to those buildings to make sure that people have working electricity as well as heating and cooling during the appropriate seasons.
Our modern society wouldn't be possible without the contributions of people who are skilled in various trades like automotive repair, building construction, electrical technology and Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) repair.
By using the benefits of the GI Bill, veterans have been able to attend schools that teach not just those disciplines, but others like heavy equipment operation, industrial maintenance and commercial truck driving, as well.
Jobs in these fields are always in need of skilled tradesmen to work them because the result of the work in these fields is important to society's continued functioning.
By learning one of these trades at a vocational school that offers education in them, veterans have been able to find fulfilling, rewarding work that helps people through the tangible objects that are produced by their work.
Even after their service ended and they went back into civilian life, they were still able to help people and be valuable assets to their communities.
The benefits of the GI Bill meant that, as students at a trade school, their tuition and books were well taken care of, meaning that they were free to learn their new trade and move on to a lasting career that always presented a challenge.
Besides finding challenging work, many veterans also take advantage of the fact that GI bills schools help them find jobs as well.
Recruiters and hiring managers from companies that need skilled tradesmen often work with trade schools to find talent because they know about the quality education that the students receive.
This, combined with military training that influences veterans to be the best at what they do, means the benefits of the GI bill will go very far when it comes to life after the military.