Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined a coalition of 51 attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. The brief supports two military veterans and their families who were denied full G.I. Bill education benefits by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The case involves a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel veteran and a U.S. Air Force colonel veteran.
The bipartisan group argues that the VA's interpretation of the G.I. Bill contradicts the Supreme Court's decision in Rudisill v. McDonough, which affirmed that veterans with service qualifying them under both the Montgomery and Post-9/11 G.I. Bills are entitled to 48 months of education benefits. Despite this precedent, the VA has limited benefits based on what is described as an erroneous reading, impacting veterans' educational opportunities.
"Veterans who have selflessly served this country should not be denied the benefits they have honorably earned based upon an incorrect interpretation of education entitlements," said Raoul. "I am proud to be part of this bipartisan coalition to protect the hard-earned rights of the veterans who have committed their lives to their military service."
Raoul urges affected service members or veterans to contact his office’s Military and Veterans’ Rights Helpline at 800-382-3000 for support.
The Military and Veterans Rights Bureau also provides presentations on employment rights, assistance for military veterans, and protection against fraud targeting veterans' benefits. Information about these training sessions can be requested via email at mvrb@ilag.gov.
Attorneys general from states including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Texas, Virginia, and others joined Raoul in filing the brief.