Student Veterans Debate Housing Allowance for Online Learners

Over the last few weeks, there has been quite a bit of debate over housing allowances for student veterans. The GI Bill that went into effect last summer gave traditional veteran students housing allowances but denied the same privilege to online learners. Now, many students are beginning to experience the effects of the legislation.
Here are a few stand-out comments from our ongoing discussion:

"I believe it is foul not to provide the housing stipend for on-line/distance learning. I have not had the luxury of homesteading at one assignment for years and many other service members have not been so lucky either." - Joshua

"As a veteran, online student, and current recipient of the GI Bill, I think it makes sense not to give online students a housing stipend. When you go to school online, you can live literally anywhere and go to the online school of your choice. However, if you go to a brick and mortar school, you inevitably will have to choose a place to live that is within driving distance (even though that driving distance will vary) of your chosen school." - Wendy

"Many veterans are too physically disabled to actually travel to-from a local college or university. Also, PTSD and traumatic brain injuries often make brick-and-mortar education exceedingly difficult to handle for veterans who deal with these issues." - Dylan

Want to see more veteran viewpoints? Take a look at the full discussion on veteran housing allowances.