The nation’s largest veterans organization applauds VA Secretary Dr. James Peake’s decision to retain control of the new GI Bill rather than outsourcing services.

Last month National Commander David K. Rehbein expressed concerns about VA’s earlier decision to contract out certain delivery aspects of the educational benefit during testimony before a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees.

On Oct. 10, VA announced that it will rely upon its own workforce to develop the information technology programs necessary to implement the educational benefits necessary to administer the Post-911 GI Bill.

Rehbein said the Legion’s opposition to VA’s earlier plan to outsource is based on practicality. "The VA employs IT personnel with intimate knowledge of how to best serve the veterans’ community. VA should be provided with the additional resources needed to get the job done by the August 2009 implementation date.

“The new GI Bill is an earned benefit that the newest generation of wartime veterans richly deserves,” Rehbein said. “The ultimate goal is to assure timely delivery of these enhanced benefits. The American Legion will continue to work with VA to achieve this goal.”

With a current membership of 2.6-million wartime veterans, The American Legion, www.legion.org, was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans’ affairs, Americanism, and patriotic youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.