Table 4 Comparison of All Target Cities Without Los Angeles and Utilization of GI Bill Educational Benefits (First Term Enlisted Separatees) CHICAGO Results There were substantial increases in G.I. Bill utilization rates in Chicago. These increases were most pronounced among non-high school graduates, both in the restricted and the city limits areas. In the city limits area, for example, comparisons between veterans separating from July to December 1970 and those separating from July to December 1971 (this will be referred to as the 70/71 group) showed a 36.4% increase for White non-high school graduates, a 38.0% increase for Blacks, and a 34.5% increase for Spanish-surnamed veterans (See Table 5). There was a similar pattern of increases among non-high school graduates in the city limits, when January-June 1971 separations are compared with January-June 1972 separations (this will be referred to as the 71/72 group). Here there was a 23.2% increase in utilization for Whites, a 57.7% increase for Blacks and 10.3% increase for Spanish-surnamed veterans (See Table 6). High school graduates also showed increases in the use of G.I.Bill educational benefits. In the city limits area, for the 70/71 group, there was a 2.6% increase (Whites, 6.5% decrease; Blacks, 18.7% increase; Spanish, 18.8% increase); for the 71/72 group there was a 2.7% increase in utilization (Whites, 1.2% decrease; Blacks, 7.6% increase; Spanish, 21.2% increase). Overall, the 70/71 group shows a 4.8% increase in the restricted area (Whites, 1.3% decrease; Blacks, 10.5% increase; Spanish, 4.5% increase) and a 7.3% increase in the city limits area (Whites, 1.5% decrease; Blacks, 25.7% increase; Spanish, 21.9% increase). A similar pattern exists for 71/72 group, which shows an 11.8% increase in the restricted area (Whites, 0.6% decrease; Blacks, 19.3% increase; Spanish, 33.0% increase) and a 4.6% increase in the city limits area (Whites, 2.9% decrease; Blacks, 18.6% increase; Spanish, 21.9% increase). In the control city, Philadelphia, while there were some increases in utilization among non-high school graduates, they were not of the size, nor did they occur with the consistency with which they did in Chicago, for the most part. Among non-high school graduates in the city limits area, for example, although the 70/71 group showed a 6.2% decrease in utilization (Whites, 9.6% decrease; Blacks, 3.7% decrease), the 71/72 group showed a 39.2% increase in utilization (Whites, 65.0% increase; Blacks, 26.7% increase). Overall, in the city limits area, there was a 6.6% decline in G.I. Bill utilization for the 70/71 group (Whites, 10.4% decrease; Blacks, 0.3% increase; Spanish, 72.5% increase, and a 0.7% increase for the 71/72 group (Whites, 0.6% increase; Blacks, 3.3% increase; Spanish, 54.4% increase). Project Organization and Operation Sponsorship and Relations With Sponsor. Chicago VETS is a part of the Chicago city government, coming under Model Cities/Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity. The VETS project comes directly under the Office of Veterans Affairs within Model Cities, which also runs its own veterans program. The Model Cities veterans program has a mission which, by and large, complements the work undertaken by VETS: to provide supportive services, job counseling, and vocational training opportunities. VETS, in Chicago, concentrates on providing access to higher education, remedial education, and classes for General Educational Development (GED) tests.' 'The two veterans programs have since merged, under Model Cities/Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity. Since the model cities program had worked very closely with the VETS program, the merger should work to the advantage of both projects. According to the Chicago Project Director, relations between the VETS project and the city government have been very good. The Model Cities agency within the Chicago city administration provides supporting services (e.g., accounting, printing, etc.) to the VETS projects. VETS recruiters are provided space by Model Cities in Urban Progress Centers-multi-service centers run by Model Cities. Many different services other than educational counseling can be provided to the interested veteran. Presently, five out of the twelve Urban Progress Centers are staffed by outreach workers from the VETS project. The Project Director is hopeful that five additional Centers can be staffed in the near future. Staffing. The Chicago VETS project currently employs five outreach workers on a part-time basis, in addition to a Project Director. Each outreach worker works 20 hours a week, using an Urban Progress Center as his base of operations. All outreach workers are currently enrolled in school, most of them in local junior colleges. The majority of the outreach worker's working time is spent out in the community, contacting the returning veterans through lists of educationally disadvantaged veterans supplied by the VA. The project started with 10 recruiters, but the number dwindled, through attrition, to the current five. The Project Director is now in the process of hiring an additional five recruiters, which will bring the number back up to the original 10. The City had allocated 80 half-time Emergency Employment Act (EEA) slots, to be filled through the VETS project. However, these could not be filled before the freeze on EEA hiring occurred. Plans called for hiring veterans, enrolled in school, who needed part-time jobs to supplement their G.I. Bill benefits. It is hoped that these positions can be filled when the freeze is lifted. Relationship With the VA. Chicago VETS has experienced no real problems in dealing with the VA. If the veteran is interested in schooling, the VA forms are filled out right in the Urban Progress Center and are then forwarded to the VA. VETS stays in contact with the VA liaison man, following up on paperwork that has been forwarded through VETS. Processing usually takes from 30-60 days. Any problems that arise are handled by VA liaison men and VETS personnel. The VA supplies staff for orientations for VETS personnel. In addition, it supplies people who participate in rap sessions with the veterans, sponsored by VETS. The VA also supplies a list of returning veterans who are educationally disadvantaged. This is used by the outreach worker in making contacts in the community. Relationships With Other Local Organizations. A good working relationship exists with the American Red Cross. The Red Cross provides supportive services to veterans, in addition to supplying counseling and legal work for veterans with other than honorable discharges. The Red Cross also makes staff available for informal discussions with veterans. These discussion groups are set up by the VETS project and are well attended. Contacts with the American Legion and the V.F.W. have not proved useful. The VETS project has contact with several state agencies. The project is now looking into the possibility of state scholarship aid to veterans enrolled in school, and cooperating with the State Employment Service. VETS would like to place counselors in State Employment Service offices, to distribute information and counsel veterans. In addition, a cooperative referral system has been established between the Model City's veterans office and the State Employment Service. Relationships With Local Educational Institutions. The VETS Project Director has a liaison within most of the colleges and community colleges in the area. Relationship has been especially good with the junior colleges. The VETS project has experienced little trouble in getting veterans admitted to these schools. In addition, a lot of veterans are referred to the Chicago Skill Center, or decentralized community college, offering remedial and vocational courses as well as regular junior college courses. In addition, G.E.D. courses are conducted in each of the Table 5 Target City Chicago Compared With Control City Philadelphia, July-Dec 1970 and July-Dec 1971: (First Term Enlisted Separatees) Table 6 Target City Chicago Compared With Control City Philadelphia, Jan-June 1971 and Jan-June 1972: Utilization of GI Bill Educational Benefits (First Term Enlisted Separatees) Separations 31 Dec 1971 Separations 31 Dec 1972 or Decrease Separations 31 Dec 1971 Separations 31 Dec 1972 or Decrease 375 18.7 201 27.9 +49.2 408 15.2 236 22.5 +48.0 White 105 13.3 53 20.8 +56.4 203 12.8 120 21.7 +69.5 |