Loomis, Steven, IC3

By mid-July 1973 I had been out of the Navy for a month and was now back in my hometown. Without any job prospects I decided to register with the (un)employment agency. I spoke to a Mr. Bennett about my navy rating and he suggested that I use my GI Bill and get a civilian trade from one of the major technical schools in Wisconsin, one in Milwaukee and the other in La Crosse. I'm sure there are hundreds of others, but these are the two I checked out and decided on La Crosse. Mr. Bennett sweetened the offer with funding from MDTA which would add to my GI Bill by a dollar for every hour of classroom instruction. I had nothing to lose and signed on and earned an AAS degree, 1973/1975, with academic honors in Visual Communications.
Here is some information on MDTA:

THE MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING ACT, PROGRAMS AND PROCEDURES.
Division of Manpower Development and Training. , BAVT.
THE MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING ACT (MDTA), AS AMENDED, IS DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF WORKERS FACING JOB DISPLACEMENT, THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF THE HARDCORE UNEMPLOYED, OTHER UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED, AND THE EMERGENCE OF SKILL SHORTAGE IN CERTAIN OCCUPATIONS. THE ACT IS JOINTLY ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, AND THE SECRETARY OF LABOR. THESE TWO AGENCIES AND THE STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES, STATE EDUCATION AGENCIES, AND THE STATE APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING AGENCIES ALL HAVE DISTINCT PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE MDTA INCLUDE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS PROJECTS TO IMPROVE TECHNIQUES AND METHODS, BRIEF REFRESHER AND REORIENTATION COURSES FOR UNEMPLOYED PROFESSIONAL WORKERS, PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND NATIONAL PROGRAMS THROUGH AGREEMENTS OR DIRECT CONTRACTS TO PROVIDE ANY EDUCATION OR TRAINING PROGRAM NEEDED TO CARRY OUT THE ACT. THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ON MDTA PROGRAM GUIDELINES, DEVELOPMENT AND APPROVAL OF TRAINING PROJECT, PROGRAM LIMITATIONS, MDTA REPORTS, AND NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS. SOURCES ARE LISTED FOR INFORMATION ON ELIGIBILITY TO ENTER MDTA PROGRAMS, PROVISION OF INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, EXPERIMENTAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS, REFRESHER AND REORIENTATION TRAINING, AND NATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE LEGAL BASIS FOR THESE PROGRAMS IS P.L. 87-415 (MARCH 15, 1962), P.L. 88-214 (DECEMBER 19, 1963), P.L. 89-15 (APRIL 26, 1965), AND P.L. 89-792 (NOVEMBER 7, 1966). (HC)


Biden and his bailout...

If one qualified for federal loans, something I know nothing about... they could take advantage of it, as everyone else is jumping on it. My question is, what are we going to do when they find out that Biden does not have the authority to give away these loan contracts?

A comment, the way I went to college: I got out of the Navy in 1973 and went to a technical college for two years where I received an Associate of Applied Science*degree with academic honors. I starved on that GI Bill but owed nothing when I graduated. Still, while in college ... champagne and caviar were for me ... caschews and Pabst Blue Ribbon. I put it down to living within my means.

I came back from Saudi Arabia after a two-year contract in 1979, with my savings, and attended University of Wisconsin. I applied for their Veterans' Grant, but it was denied: I had TOO MUCH $ IN MY SAVING ACCOUNT. I decided to leave before my savings ran out. I moved to England and finally to Phoenix, AZ. Still without any loans or debt. So, in fact, I'd like to see people pay for the loans they signed up on. Biden had thrown the rest of us under the bus by giving away "FORGIVING" those loan contracts. One would be a fool not to take the gift... That said, IT AIN'T RIGHT. 

* In fact, I spent the next forty years working in my AAS degree field without a single unemployment or welfare check..