Former U.S. Navy SEAL Carl Higbie is arguing that Congress should allow veterans to use the G.I. Bill to help them start their own small businesses after military service.
Higbie, who served two tours in Iraq and led his team to capture Ahmad Hashim Abd al-Isawi, the infamous “Butcher of Fallujah,” asks an important question: “Why not open the GI Bill to a 50k grant in lieu of tuition payment?”
He dubbed it the “post–9/11 GI Bill, a new bill for a new century.”
“The military to civilian culture shock can be abrupt and intense … and for some, unfortunately, a recipe for failure,” Higbie explains. “But what do veterans have in spades? Work ethic and ingenuity. The American soldier has won every major conflict because we innovated [against] every adversary. So why not have the GI Bill unleash innovation rather than just a college degree that puts you in a proverbial box?”
Alexander Bruesewitz, CEO of X Strategies, is working with Higbie to advocate for this legislation on Capitol Hill. In an interview with Red Alert Politics, Bruesewitz explained that several members of Congress and dozens of veterans groups have expressed interest in supporting the legislation.
“The GI Bill Choice Act isn’t about taking education away from our vets. It’s about giving them other choices and more opportunities,” said Bruesewitz. “There are many veterans that already have received a college education. That have the qualifications to become successful business owners, but there are currently no programs to assist veteran entrepreneurship. I think it is about time that that changes.”
The proposed bill will open up more opportunities for veterans, which will give them choices to pursue an entrepreneurial venture in addition to academic studies. Members of Congress have proposed similar bills in the past, but they focused on providing loans to vets. This would be the first that allows veterans to access the money they earned serving our country, instead of being indebted for choosing to open a small business.
“As with any new business venture, it’s all about capital and repayment. I have been there,” Higbie elaborates in his op-ed published in Law Enforcement Today. “I have owned multiple small business during my transition, and at times struggled to make payroll or equipment purchases that would have increased my bottom-line significantly.
“A small business grant from the GI Bill for a fraction of the actual cost of a four-year degree could not only save the taxpayers money, but could push economic growth. This would also change the culture of the entrepreneurial world, providing additional opportunities for other veterans as well.”
Higbie makes the point that not only would this help veterans, it could be a less costly endeavor.
“There have been talks for many years about a VA business loan program similar to the home program. But a loan means you have to pay it back. We need to give them the option to receive a grant if they propose a sound business plan,” Bruesewitz explained. “This is money that these men and women have earned. The GI Bill is an outdated bill that needs to change as our country changes.”
Such a program would help many young men and women who feel as though college after military service is not the right path for them, yet wish to integrate into civilian life and need an extra push.
