Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has aligned with 51 other attorneys general to file an amicus brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. This action supports two military veterans and their families who were denied their full G.I. Bill education benefits by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The case involves U.S. Army veteran Lieutenant Colonel Paul Yoon and U.S. Air Force veteran Colonel Toby Doran, who have been denied essential education benefits.

The brief contends that the VA's restrictive interpretation of the G.I. Bills contradicts a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Rudisill v. McDonough, which established that veterans eligible under both the Montgomery and Post-9/11 G.I. Bills are entitled to 48 months of education benefits. Despite this precedent, the VA continues to limit benefits based on a misinterpretation of the ruling, depriving veterans and their families of important educational opportunities.

Nessel expressed her support by stating, "Our veterans risk their lives to defend our freedoms, the least we can do is ensure they and their families receive the benefits they rightfully deserve here at home," adding, "I am proud to stand with my colleagues across the nation to support those who have served."

Attorneys general from all states and territories including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawai'i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming have joined in this effort.