You are invited to hear the latest results of a seven-year research project analyzing every enlisted veteran in federal databases and their use of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, as well as their college completion rates and IRS earnings, thanks to unprecedented interagency data-sharing. This briefing will discuss the findings of the latest three reports from the interagency team, covering the characteristics of veterans who did not use or transfer their GI Bill benefits, qualitative interviews with veterans about why they did not use their GI Bill benefits, and a deeper dive into the GI Bill outcomes of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic veterans. All reports from the interagency team are available here.

An interagency research team merged data from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Veterans Benefits Administration at VA, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Manpower Data Center, U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education, the IRS, and the National Student Clearinghouse (a repository of student outcomes data). Using these data, the interagency research team was able to examine the use of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, degree completion, and earnings. Notably, the findings simultaneously account for factors such as veterans’ military rank, military occupation, service in hostile war zones, and academic preparation at enlistment, as well as institution-level data about colleges.

Dr. Alexandria Walton Radford will present the findings. Dr. Radford, a senior director at the American Institutes for Research, led the interagency research team while embedded at the U.S. Census Bureau and operating as a Special-Sworn-Status employee under the control of the Census Bureau and in accordance with federal laws on the handling of sensitive data.

Thank you and we’re looking forward to the latest discussion!