Famous Veterans Obituaries

http://hist380.ferrellhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/W2P1-Branigan-Hist-380.pdf

5 thoughts on “Famous Veterans Obituaries”

  1. rhasting says:

    Brian, I really thought you did an excellent job with this assignment. The G.I Bill really has played a pivotal role in the lives of millions of Americans across generational lines. Sadly, however, like many significant things in our nation’s history, it seems that good things only come after a period of negativity. Of course I am referencing the treatment of the World War I veterans’ when they marched and entrenched themselves in D.C. in an attempt get what they felt was owed to them by congress.
    For me personally, the G.I. Bill has played a huge role in what I hope will be the rest of my life. To start, when my father finished his three-year enlistment with the Army, during the 60s, it afforded him the opportunity to go back to school where he earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Which in turn help him get a good job, and help raise a family in a financially secure household. Therefore, when I joined the Army, I immediately signed up for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. However, since the 1960s, the cost of living, along with the cost of college tuition skyrocketed over the last few decades, and for the better part of my military career, I was never sure if I would really be able to utilize it for anything more than a semester’s worth of credits. Thankfully, the government did something right when they updated the G.I. Bill again in 2008, and implemented the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill.
    Just as it was in 1944, with these programs, the government is investing in their nation’s citizens. In addition, just like 1944, this investment will pay the nation back with interest. With the active duty military’s tuition assistance program, servicemen and woman can transfer their G.I. Bill to their family members. This will help future generations as they seek to stay competitive in the ever-changing job market all over the world. (I pledge, 321)

    • admin says:

      Ryan — Your comments add some useful details and perspectives as many people not in the military pay little if any attention to the current situation of veterans (although please keep posts focused and to the assigned 150-200 word limit out of consideration for your classmates’ time). Only a VA scandal–and perhaps the disturbing rate of suicides–gets attention from “ordinary” Americans.

      And as an elaboration about education levels: According to the 1940 census, 24 percent of Americans completed high school (vs. 86 percent in 2010); 5 percent of Americans in 1940 completed college (vs. 28 percent in 2010). By the way, most UMW students are surprised by the low percent of Americans with college degrees; because most of their friends have degrees or are working on them, they think that “everyone” has a B.A. (You might want to keep the percentage in mind when political pollsters mention which Americans [high school v. college-educated] support which presidential candidates and which support a particular issue.)

  2. CamKost says:

    I was not familiar with either of these veterans. Each has an interesting story in their own rite. I enjoyed learning about Art Buchwald and how he utilized the G.I. Bill to gain an education—although not at an American institution—and how he was able to gain international fame for his French news column. I also enjoyed learning about Joseph Heller, who unlike Buchwald, graduated from numerous U.S. institutions and gained fame through his work as a professor at Penn State. His main source of fame was through his satirical novel “Catch-22” which I now want to read, based on some brief internet research. I am really intrigued by the concept of a “catch-22” and circular reasoning. I have heard of the book numerous times but never knew the meaning behind it and I was not aware that the author of this classic was an American WWII veteran. Giving support to troops returning from war is something I believe very strongly in, as the sacrifice they make for their families is deserving of support from government programs. The G.I. Bill was crucial for both Buchwald and Heller to receive their educations and subsequent fame. (I pledge) (195)

Leave a Reply