The Congressman’s bill would permit all students to count training courses from the military as credit for equivalent coursework at schools across the country. He also highlighted other key efforts on behalf of student Veterans to better help them transition into civilian life: the inclusion of vocational post-secondary education programs under the GI Bill and addressing the recent difficulties with GI benefit backlogs.

Tomorrow, Congressman Sestak will host a similar forum in Pittsburgh at 9:45 AM. At this forum, he will address his new legislative efforts and recognize the program offered by the University of Pittsburgh to help young veterans succeed.

The Congressman detailed that his legislation would permit enlisted members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard to participate in programs of higher education at the Community College of the Air Force – a one-of-a-kind program that allows students to transition military training into academic credit and receive associates degrees.

Currently, only Air Force enlisted members and enlisted members of other services who are serving as instructors at Air Force training schools are eligible to receive associates degrees from the Community College. Unlike most other trade schools, the Community College of the Air Force is regionally accredited; meaning its credits are generally honored by four-year institutions.

“Assistance in obtaining a college degree is critical to ensuring the smoothest possible transition to civilian life for our Veterans,” said Congressman Sestak. “I am proud to have worked to help pass a 21st Century GI Bill worthy of their sacrifices, but one item that has been overlooked is the proficiencies they have acquired, such as artisan skills, through military training. Our Nation’s bias against trade schools should end and our service members should be able to receive academic credit and degrees wherever possible.”

During the forum, the Congressman addressed former service members, and was joined for a forum by Diane Sandefur, Director of Penn’s TRIO Veterans Upward Bound Program, which prepares students for post-secondary education, and Jeff Linskens of Drexel’s Yellow Ribbon Program, which has committed $2 million to offer free education to an unlimited number of military veterans across all of the University’s programs.

To further promote higher education for returning Veterans, the Congressman also highlighted the Post 9/11 Veterans Job Training Act of 2009 (HR 3337), which he has co-sponsored to allow Veterans to pursue vocational training programs  – from police academies to welding to culinary arts  – under the GI Bill. Currently, the post 9/11 GI Bill, unlike every other GI Bill, does not provide any benefits for Veterans participating in on the job training or apprenticeship programs.

The Congressman’s ongoing efforts build on his work to pass the historic investment in Veterans college education in the 110th Congress as well as a letter to local universities last fall urging them to do everything possible to support and work with students participating in the GI bill program. His continued support for a 21st Century GI Bill comes as thousands of young Veterans, returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, continue to face delays in processing their education benefits.  The Congressman noted that he has observed through his District Office that students have had difficulty receiving payments in a timely manner.

“I am pleased that VA Secretary Eric Shinseki recognized this problem and announced that by 2 October a contingency plan to offer Veterans temporary relief in the form of up to $3000 advance payment until this backlog could be made manageable,” said Congressman Sestak. “We must ensure a smoother application process, in part by listening to colleges and our returning Veterans through events such as this one. We have seen what happens when Congress does not take seriously problems our Veterans face as they begin to surface, and when the government is either slow to react or does not learn from its mistakes.  Our returning Veterans have earned the benefit of a post-secondary education, health care, assistance purchasing a home and support in finding employment as they transition to civilian life.

“Many of our returning Veterans have been subjected to multiple combat tours and if we are serious about acknowledging the unique strains they have experienced, we will create and administrate programs and processes that do not add to their stress and frustrate them in their attempt to continue their education and find productive, stable employment, advantage of their health care, and if possible, provide their family with the home of their dreams. It is important to remember that we are in an economic crisis and these courageous young people have gone to war for us.  If they cannot get their training and education — they cannot get a job.  Without an education and a job they will lose hope.

“From Delaware County Community College to the University of Pennsylvania and at the dozens of gatherings I have hosted for Veterans and their families their message to me is clear – they want to be our next great generation. To do so they need the same help and hope that our returning heroes from WWII received.  We were not so kind to our Veterans from Korea and Vietnam and we must never make that mistake again.”

Born and raised in Delaware County, former 3-star Admiral Joe Sestak served in the Navy for 31 years and now serves as the Representative from the 7th District of Pennsylvania. He led a series of operational commands at sea, including Commander of an aircraft carrier battle group of 30 U.S. and allied ships with over 15,000 sailors and 100 aircraft that conducted operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. After 9/11, the Congressman was the first Director of Deep Blue, the Navy’s anti-terrorism unit that established strategic and operations policies for the Global War on Terrorism. He served as President Clintons Director for Defense Policy at the National Security Council in the White House, and holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University. According to the office of the House Historian, Congressman Sestak is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to the U.S. Congress.

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The majority of the veterans who participate in the boat cruise are confined to wheel chairs. This event provides our true heroes with a relaxing day filled with food, wheel-chair dancing, prizes and more, and a chance to leave the space they are confined to 365 days a year.

Wagner, a U.S. Marine veteran who received a Purple Heart for wounds sustained in the Vietnam War, holds a charity golf event each July to support the riverboat cruise. For twenty-three years, Sharing and Caring, Inc. has received one hundred percent of the money raised from the golf outing for the boat cruises. This year’s golf tournament, which raised more than $30,000, was sponsored by First Niagara Bank and other various Pittsburgh corporations.

“The riverboat cruise is a unique way of showing veterans who are often forgotten in VA Hospitals and nursing homes that we care about them and appreciate the sacrifices they have made for ournation,” Wagner said. “I am deeply grateful to the volunteer staff of Sharing & Caring for their hard work and dedication in making this one of the premier charity events in Western Pennsylvania.”

The cruise began in 1985. More than 500 veterans, confined to Veterans Administration hospitals and nursing homes, participated in the inaugural cruise.

For more information on Sharing & Caring, call 412-372-6584.

Auditor General Jack Wagner is responsible for ensuring that all state money is spent legally and properly. He is the Commonwealth’s elected independent fiscal watchdog, conducting financial audits, performance audits and special investigations. The Department of the Auditor General conducts approximately 5,000 audits per year. To learn more about the Department of the Auditor General, taxpayers are encouraged to visit the department’s Web site at www.auditorgen.state.pa.us

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“This is the same kind of sensationalized rhetoric and misleading accusations behind the misinformation on ‘death panels’ in the health care reform debate, and I am disappointed that Arlen Specter would lend credence to this insincere rhetoric by calling for a Senate hearing without, by his own admission, even reading the pamphlet.

“In the active service and as a Veteran, I’ve seen many attempts to use our nation’s fighting men and women as a political tool, rather than truly helping assist them. What we should really be focused on — especially those who supported the policies of the previous administration — is restoring coverage to the nearly one million ‘Priority 8′ Veterans who make as little as $29,000 a year and have been blocked out of VA care since 2003; clearing the backlog of nearly 600,000 VA disability claims so they can get proper support; and passing the Caregiver Assistance and Resource Enhancement Act (H.R.3155) into law to meet the needs of those who make great sacrifices at home to provide daily care for our Nation’s heroes.

“We need to give Veterans real respect, attention, and care — not political rhetoric that fuels accusations and misinformation.”

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Joe Sestak was elected to Congress in 2006 after a distinguished 31-year career in the United States Navy, and he is honored to represent the Southeastern Pennsylvania district where he was born and raised. He is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania.  During his Navy career, Joe attained the rank of 3-star Admiral, served in the White House as Director for Defense Policy on President Clinton’s National Security Council, served in the Pentagon as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, and led a series of operational commands at sea, culminating in command of the USS George Washington Aircraft Carrier Battle Group (30 ships, 100 aircraft, and 15,000 sailors/marines/ aviators/SEALs) during combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. In our nation’s time of crisis in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the Navy turned to Joe Sestak to serve as the first Director of “Deep Blue,” the Navy anti-terrorism unit formed in response to the attacks. Joe is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to either branch of Congress. He graduated second in his class from the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a Master’s in Public Administration and a PhD in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University. Joe lives in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Susan, and daughter, Alex, and proudly represents the 7th District, where his parents and six of his siblings still reside.

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