State senators will discuss changing TOPS eligibility for veterans during the legislative session, which begins March 12. 
TOPS offers aid to students entering the military after high school for up to five years following their high school graduation, but under these conditions, veterans who choose to re-enlist lose the extra aid from the scholarship program.
Under the proposed legislation, veterans would be given a year to enroll in college under the TOPS program following their active military service.
Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Feb. 15 that he would support the legislation.
Eddie Fortier, construction management sophomore and president of Student Veterans of LSU, said he thinks the current TOPS regulations for veterans are unfair.
“The proposed plan is a step in the right direction,” he said. “Veterans that were in [military service] for longer would have the opportunity to receive the money they are owed.”
Fortier said he agreed with senators that one year is long enough for veterans to enroll in college after completing active duty.
“Most veterans knew they were going back to college before they were out of the service,” he said. “One year is fair for everyone.”
But Fortier said most veterans, including himself, take advantage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, not TOPS.
“The Post-9/11 GI Bill is the No. 1 choice for most veterans,” he said. “It covers more tuition, books and a monthly stipend.”
Not only does the GI Bill exceed TOPS benefits, but requirements are not as tightly controlled.
“The GI Bill has no GPA requirements,” Fortier said. “You just must pass the class.”
Fortier said he hopes universities will help veterans transition into college as easily as possible.
After Fortier graduated high school in 2004, he enrolled at the University for a year before joining the Air Force in 2005.
In 2008, Fortier was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, where his group worked as the local bomb squad, which responded to dangerous situations in the area.
“We were the local responses in the area for Iraqis who called in to disarm missiles, rockets and roadside bombs,” he said.
In 2009, he was sent to Kirkuk, Iraq, where he worked with and trained Iraqi forces.
“I was training Iraqi forces to take over, which they did one year after I left,” he said.  
Fortier said he knew he wanted to return to the University before he even joined the military.
“I didn’t want to do it 20 years and retire,” he said. “I wanted to earn college benefits, do my time and get out.”
After four-and-a-half years of active duty, Fortier said he decided to leave the military in May 2010 and was ready to return to school that fall.
“I’ve been full-time ever since,” he said. “I knew I wanted to come back to LSU because I was familiar with it, and it’s close to home.”
Fortier said he got involved with Student Veterans of LSU as soon as he returned to the University.
“There was a rough patch with people leaving,” he said. “Last year, not much was done, and we only had three or four meetings out of the year. But this semester, we’re trying to get back to a monthly meeting.”
 
_____
Contact Kate Mabry at [email protected]