Terry Myers Letter in January 1, 2022 NYTimes re GI Bill for Afghans

To the Editor:

Farah Stockman points out real advantages of private sponsorship for Afghan refugees. But ultimately, personal, neighborhood or broader community support can go only so far. Afghan doctors, lawyers, accountants and teachers without U.S. credentials are forced to take jobs well below their skills. Less educated arrivals get consigned to low-wage jobs.

Just as the U.S. has helped millions of Americans recover from the trauma of war through a chance to go to school under the G.I. Bill, Congress should consider a G.I. Bill for the Afghans who fought and worked alongside Americans during 20 years of war. Access to community colleges and public universities would go a long way toward helping them rebuild their lives and reimagine their futures. It would speed integration into their new country and enhance their ability to contribute to it.

Desaix Myers
Arlington, Va.
The writer, a U.S. Agency for International Development retiree, is helping to resettle Afghans.

test