For some, a yellow ribbon is a subtle way to show support for the nation’s armed forces. For others, it represents the possibility of an education.
Congressman Christopher P. Carney (D-Dimock Township) of Pennsylvania’s 10th District presented to two rooms of students, faculty and the community about the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program [Yellow Ribbon Program] on Tuesday, Sept. 8 in the Sandy & Marlene Insalaco Hall.
Carney sat with a panel of three MU students who served in the military for a combined total of 13 ½ years to speak to students and faculty about the program. Also on the panel was Master Sergeant Chris Brownawell from the University of Scranton’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps [ROTC].
The program allows private colleges and universities to voluntarily fund tuition, fees and living expenses for veterans. The private institution’s expenses must exceed the highest tuition of public in-state colleges or universities. Institutions that enter into this agreement with the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) can pay up to 50 % of all expenses, which will be matched by the VA to fund students’ education. The program is funded by the 2008 Defense Appropriations Bill, which allotted $62.8 billion over 11 years to provide veterans with educational assistance.
Carney said the program is a “way to thank our veterans and a way to make our nation stronger.” The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This act matched expenses for the highest in-state undergraduate institution, but did not account for extra fees veterans accrued for attending private, graduate or out-of-state institutions. The Yellow Ribbon Program gives student veterans more freedom when choosing where to pursue higher education.
Scranton native Jessica Pugliese’s four years in the U. S. Marine Corps influenced her decision to major in medical imaging. “I was injured, and going through all of that really opened my eyes to the field.” Because of the Yellow Ribbon Program, Pugliese was able to attend MU, where 42% of students are pursuing the health sciences field. “Misericordia’s reputation for the [health sciences] field helped me choose.”
Carney, a commander (select) in the United States Navy Reserve and a former assistant professor of political science at Penn State University Wilkes-Barre, believes the Yellow Ribbon Program will provide opportunities for the “dedicated, disciplined and brightest” men and women of the armed forces. He said the other important discussions, such as health care reform, among congressional members fall flat without a strong foundation. “Health care doesn’t matter unless we train and educate students in the field.”
Brownawell has hope in the program, even though few at MU are reaping the benefits. “There are currently 30 veterans on the Misericordia campus, but only three are involved in the program,” he said. “The information needs to be siphoned so that more veterans can take advantage of the program.”
But the Yellow Ribbon Program does have restrictions – funding depends on when and how long a veteran has served, whether or not a school is enrolled in the program and how much the school is willing to pay. Close to home, King’s College, Lackawanna College, Marywood University, Penn State University Wilkes-Barre, Penn State University Worthington Scranton and Wilkes University are all enrolled in the program, and all have set contributions to provide for veterans. Some on the list of PA schools participating in the program can only offer a limited contribution to a set number of students. For example Central Pennsylvania College [Central Penn] in Summerdale only contributes $500 for five veterans attending the college, an amount which the VA will match for each student. According to the college’s website, tuition, room and board for three terms at Central Penn could total up to $19, 940 and only $1,000 of this cost would be covered by the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Carney believes that if the program is successful, it will leave room for expansion. While the Yellow Ribbon Program is funded by tax dollars, Carney said education is “an investment,” and that “quality education benefits us as a nation and a society.”
He believes strongly in the program because his father, a Korean War veteran, benefitted from previous GI bills. “One thing that made this country great was tapping the talents of the men and women coming out of the military from World War II,” he said. As for helping veterans, Carney said, “The least we can do is give them an excellent education.”
More information about the Yellow Ribbon Program can be found at www.va.gov.
Carney Speaks on Yellow Ribbon Program
Published: Sunday, September 13, 2009
Updated: Sunday, September 13, 2009 20:09
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Congressman Carney speaks at MU.
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