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rickford66

(6,053 posts)

16. GI Bill was great

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Mon Feb 2, 2026, 02:25 PM

8 hrs ago

In 1971 I finished my engineering degree which was interrupted by a tour in the NAVY. Later in 1977 I returned to college for an ASS degree. All that time my wife had a minimum wage job and we owned a very modest home, two very used vehicles and a 5 acre woodlot. My neighbors joked that I was on welfare. Hey you put on the uniform and "they" own you. That was the first thing said to me after taking the oath. The GI Bill was a bonus if you beat the odds.

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In 1970, I returned to college after four years in the USAF. [View all] MineralMan 11 hrs ago OP

The people have voted to defund themselves and enrich the fat cats. It's crazy. 617Blue 11 hrs ago #1

It is refreshing to see a fellow Boomer admit dugog55 11 hrs ago #2

Ditto...in 1978 my tuition and books were less than $300...I was one of the last to serve under the old G.I. Bill. pecosbob 11 hrs ago #3

Over the past 30 years, inflation has averaged 2-3% while tuition inflation has averaged 5-6% in the US Shermann 11 hrs ago #4

Thanks So Much for Your Post. Very Well Said! The Roux Comes First 10 hrs ago #5

Yep. I'd have not been able to attend Uni if tuition was a whole lot higher than it was late 80's AZJonnie 10 hrs ago #6

Yep, early 80's very good state University with in state tuition you could definitley find a way to pay tuition ToxMarz 10 hrs ago #7

In the 1970s, my wife and I worked our way through college and graduate school. Sancho 10 hrs ago #8

Same story starting in 1969 BeneteauBum 10 hrs ago #9

The statistics say otherwise Cirsium 10 hrs ago #10

I don't think those numbers include the cost of tuition loans FakeNoose 9 hrs ago #14

Of course Cirsium 8 hrs ago #19

Percentage with degrees is only one statistic that can conceal a problem. Shermann 5 hrs ago #22

Agreed Cirsium 4 hrs ago #23

Most everything costs ten times what it did in the seventies. twodogsbarking 10 hrs ago #11

One thing in the financial literacy curriculum is overlooked: debt to projected income JT45242 9 hrs ago #12

Realistic, I suppose, but it's just fucking noise. hunter 7 hrs ago #21

Similar story.. surfered 9 hrs ago #13

Couple of years behind you, but Maeve 8 hrs ago #15

GI Bill was great rickford66 8 hrs ago #16

I'm about ten years younger than you, and things were much easier than now. yardwork 8 hrs ago #17

In the late 80s I went back to college and all it cost me was for books. My employer paid the rest. multigraincracker 8 hrs ago #18

I was a Boomer on the GI Bill in early 70's Bavorskoami 8 hrs ago #20

I was having similar thoughts lately. We need a shift left. Joinfortmill 34 min ago #24