Iryna Roshchyk
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3155-2727
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR VETERANS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION OF UKRAINE AND THE USA
Full text (pdf)
Language: Ukrainian
Abstract. The relevance of the article lies in the need to ensure flexibility, a state-building function and a function of fair distribution of educational support for veterans, the number of whom has increased with the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. The purpose of the study is a comparative analysis of the mechanisms of educational support for veterans of Ukraine and the USA, carried out by logical generalization and comparison of legislative norms. As a result of the comparative analysis, it was found that the mechanisms of both countries, although poorly developed in Ukraine, are similar in the areas of support spending, types of training programs and rights of children of veterans. The remaining characteristics of the mechanism are completely different. Therefore, the Ukrainian mechanism is less flexible and does not sufficiently meet the modern needs of society. As a result of scientific abstraction, it was determined that in both countries the legislation on educational support for veterans fulfills economic, social, psychological, and cultural functions and facilitates veterans’ reintegration into society after demobilization; however, in Ukraine these functions are implemented with significant limitations. In addition, educational support in the USA also has a clearly expressed state-building function and a function of fair distribution, which are not developed in Ukraine. To increase the effectiveness of the Ukrainian mechanism of educational support, it is proposed to supplement it with such components as differentiated grants, the purchase of any educational services recognized by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, co-financing of education by educational institutions, employers, and the veterans themselves, unlimited terms for using the assistance, and the transfer of assistance to spouses. To attract and retain human capital in the defense forces, the amount of educational support should be made dependent on the term of military service. Such an approach will also make it possible to ensure distributive justice of support: the longer the service, the greater the losses and the restrictions associated with it, the greater the support as compensation. To reduce costs, it is worth considering automating the process of assigning assistance.
Keywords: education, educational support, reintegration, veterans, veteran of combat operations, Ukraine, USA.
https://doi.org/10.32987/2617-8532-2025-4-53-68
Keywords: education, educational support, reintegration, veterans, veteran of combat operations, Ukraine, USA.
https://doi.org/10.32987/2617-8532-2025-4-53-68
References:
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18. Human Rights Center “Principle”. (2025). Transition from military service to civilian life: contexts, experiences, decisions. Retrieved from https://www.pryncyp.org/analytics/perehid-vid-vijskovoyi-sluzhby-do-czyvilnogo-zhyttya-konteksty-dosvidy-rishennya/ [in Ukrainian].
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25. Syvak, N. (2024). Evaluating policy alternatives for the economic reintegration of Ukrainian veterans. Public Administration and Law Review, 4(20), 4-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36690/2674-5216-2024-4-4-19.
26. Nizheiko, K., & Kovalivska, K. (2024). Reintegration of veterans into civilian life: international experience and peculiarities in Ukraine. Economy and Society, 67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2024-67-161 [in Ukrainian].
27. Herre, B., Rodés-Guirao, L., & Roser, M. (n. d.). War and Peace. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/war-and-peace.
28. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2016). On the provision of targeted state support to certain categories of citizens for obtaining vocational (vocational-technical), pre-higher and higher education (Resolution No. 975, November 23). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/975-2016-%D0%BF#Text [in Ukrainian].
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31. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. (2019). On Vocational Pre-Higher Education (Act No. 2745-VІII, June 6). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2745-19#Text [in Ukrainian].
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34. Ukrainian Veterans Fund. (n.d.). The Veteran’s Path. Retrieved from https://veteranfund.com.ua/projects/ [in Ukrainian].
35. Malashenko, I. (2023). Educational opportunities for veterans: free IT courses and training programs. Retrieved from https://dou.ua/lenta/articles/educational-programs-for-veterans/ [in Ukrainian].
36. Masenko, V., & Plis, A. (2025). IT, marketing, English, business training. 20 free programs for veterans. The Big Guide from Forbes Ukraine. Forbes Ukraine. Retrieved from https://forbes.ua/lifestyle/opanuvati-novu-profesiyu-chi-zapustiti-vlasnu-spravu-gid-osvitnimi-mozhlivostyami-dlya-veteraniv-20-21022025-27357 [in Ukrainian].
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38. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2014). On approval of the Procedure for granting and depriving combatant status of persons who defended the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and took direct part in the anti-terrorist operation, ensuring its conduct or in the implementation of measures to ensure national security and defense, repel and deter the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, ensuring their implementation, in measures necessary to ensure the defense of Ukraine, protect the security of the population and the interests of the state in connection with the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine (Resolution No. 413, August 20). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/413-2014-%D0%BF#n10 [in Ukrainian].
39. Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. (2024). Policy on the recruitment, development, and retention of human capital in the defense forces. Retrieved from https://mod.gov.ua/diyalnist/normativno-pravova-baza/politika-zaluchennya-rozvitku-ta-utrimannya-lyudskogo-kapitalu-v-silah-oboroni [in Ukrainian].
40. Fakty. (2024). Structure, women in the army, and Western weapons: how full-scale war changed the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Retrieved from https://fakty.com.ua/ua/ukraine/20251206-struktura-zhinky-v-armiyi-ta-zahidna-zbroya-yak-povnomasshtabna-vijna-zminyla-zsu/ [in Ukrainian].
41. Safronova, O., Chursina, K., & Krasnolutska, D. (2024). Ukraine sends older soldiers to front but army needs young men. Bloomberg. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-05-26/ukraine-sends-older-troops-to-war-with-russia-as-army-runs-short-of-men.
2. Diia. (n. d.). Administrative data within the meaning of the Law of Ukraine “On State Statistics” collected by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine. Retrieved from https://data.gov.ua/dataset/034f43a4-133a-498f-8478-6076ed1013e4 [in Ukrainian].
3. Ghosh, P., Pal, S., & Negrusa, S. (2020). Spillover effects of financial aid for education: Does Post-9/11 GI Bill reduce veteran SNAP participation? Journal of Veteran Studies, 6(3), 110-122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v6i3.203.
4. Bass, E. (2019). Educational benefits for veterans: The Post-9/11 GI Bill. Educational Studies, 47(1), 108-116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2019.1665987.
5. Barr, A., Kawano, L., Sacerdote, B., Skimmyhorn, W., & Stevens, M. (2021). You can’t handle the truth: The effects of the Post-9/11 GI Bill on higher education and earnings. Working Paper, 29024. Cambridge. Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w29024.
6. Zhang, L. (2019). Evaluating the impact of the Post-9/11 GI Bill on veterans’ graduate school enrollment. AccesLex-Funded Research. Retrieved from https://surl.li/awxaei.
7. Dortch, C. (2024). The Post-9/11 GI Bill: A primer. CRS Report, R42755. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R42755.
8. Ochinko, W. (2020). Paper 4676-2020 – Post-9/11 GI Bill: Teasing Out Insights about Veterans’ Success in Postsecondary Education. SAS Global Forum 2020. Retrieved from https://support.sas.com/resources/papers/proceedings20/4676-2020.pdf.
9. Marusheva, O. A. (2024). Mechanism of social protection for war veterans and their families under martial law. Dnipro Scientific Journal of Public Administration, Psychology, and Law, 6, 46-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.51547/ppp.dp.ua/2024.6.7 [in Ukrainian].
10. Nanieva, M. I. (2025). Organization of social support for war veterans: international experience. Scientific notes of Lviv University of Business and Law, 44, 464-473. Retrieved from https://nzlubp.org.ua/index.php/journal/article/download/1649/1429 [in Ukrainian].
11. Vorobyova, G. V., & Zozulia, S. S. (2021). Foreign trends in social policy for the protection of veterans. Current issues in politics, 68, 90-95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32837/app.v0i68.1288 [in Ukrainian].
12. Kostiuk, V. S., Osipova, A. A., & Nepochatenko, Z. V. (2025). Updating social policy for the protection of military personnel, veterans, and persons with disabilities resulting from war. Economic achievements: prospects and innovations, 17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15313175 [in Ukrainian].
13. Faidiuk, O., & Liakh, T. (2021). Comparative Analysis of Social Services Provided to Female Combatants and Veterans in Ukraine and Abroad. Society. Integration. Education, Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17770/sie2021vol3.6382.
14. Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. (2023). Analytical note on comparative legislation on measures to ensure social support programs for military personnel after completion of service in the United States, Israel, Great Britain, South Korea, and Japan. Retrieved from https://research.rada.gov.ua/uploads/documents/32427.pdf [in Ukrainian].
15. Sultangaliyev, D., & Galan, L. (Eds.). (2023). Social support systems for veterans: Croatia, Israel, Great Britain, Serbia, and Denmark. Kyiv. Retrieved from https://www.pryncyp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/soczpidtrymka-1.pdf [in Ukrainian].
16. Roshchyk, I., Bilan, Y., Mishchuk, H., & Samoliuk, N. (2025). Managing social protection for ex-combatants: Evaluating effectiveness through KPI methodology. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 31(1), 248-263. Retrieved from https://pjms.zim.pcz.pl/article/551795/en.
17. Ukrainian Veterans Fund. (2024). Current needs and vision of opportunities for career and professional growth of veterans. Retrieved from https://veteranfund.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pracevlashtuvanna.pdf [in Ukrainian].
18. Human Rights Center “Principle”. (2025). Transition from military service to civilian life: contexts, experiences, decisions. Retrieved from https://www.pryncyp.org/analytics/perehid-vid-vijskovoyi-sluzhby-do-czyvilnogo-zhyttya-konteksty-dosvidy-rishennya/ [in Ukrainian].
19. Hryshnova, O., & Lysenko, V. (2024). Reintegration of combatants into civilian life: employment problems and ways to solve them. Scientific Notes of KROK University, 2(74), 146-156. Retrieved from https://snku.krok.edu.ua/index.php/vcheni-zapiski-universitetu-krok/article/view/726 [in Ukrainian].
20. Shapovalova, T. (2023). Comparative analysis of war veterans’ adaptation programs to civilian life in Ukraine, Great Britain and the USA. Social and Legal Studies, 6(3), 161-170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32518/sals3.2023.161.
21. Carrington, J. G. (n. d.). Review of international practices in the field of veteran reintegration: considerations regarding the military and post-war context of Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2023-09/veteransreintegrationreport_-_ukr_-_2023-09-13_upd.pdf [in Ukrainian].
22. Azmuk, N. A. (2023). Socio-economic and educational reintegration of veterans into the labor market: the Ukrainian context. Bulletin of Economic Science of Ukraine, 2(45), 117-122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37405/1729-7206.2023.2(45).117-122 [in Ukrainian].
23. Ukrainian Veterans Fund. (2024). Innovative approaches to the employment and retraining of veterans: global experience and prospects for Ukraine. Retrieved from https://veteranfund.com.ua/innovative-approaches-to-employment-and-retraining-of-veterans/ [in Ukrainian].
24. Ukrainian Veterans Fund. (2023). State policy on support for veterans: the experience of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Retrieved from https://veteranfund.com.ua/support-for-veterans-of-the-united-kingdom-of-great-britain-and-northern-ireland/ [in Ukrainian].
25. Syvak, N. (2024). Evaluating policy alternatives for the economic reintegration of Ukrainian veterans. Public Administration and Law Review, 4(20), 4-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36690/2674-5216-2024-4-4-19.
26. Nizheiko, K., & Kovalivska, K. (2024). Reintegration of veterans into civilian life: international experience and peculiarities in Ukraine. Economy and Society, 67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2024-67-161 [in Ukrainian].
27. Herre, B., Rodés-Guirao, L., & Roser, M. (n. d.). War and Peace. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/war-and-peace.
28. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2016). On the provision of targeted state support to certain categories of citizens for obtaining vocational (vocational-technical), pre-higher and higher education (Resolution No. 975, November 23). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/975-2016-%D0%BF#Text [in Ukrainian].
29. Dortch, C. (2024). Veterans’ educational assistance programs and benefits: A primer. CRS Report, R42785. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R42785.
30. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. (2014). On Higher Education (Act No. 1556-VII, July 1). Retrieved from http://zakon4.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1556-18/page [in Ukrainian].
31. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. (2019). On Vocational Pre-Higher Education (Act No. 2745-VІII, June 6). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2745-19#Text [in Ukrainian].
32. Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. (2025). On approval of the Procedure for admission to higher vocational education institutions of Ukraine in 2025 (Order No. 166, February 7). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0293-25#Text [in Ukrainian].
33. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. (1998). On Vocational (Vocational and Technical) Education (Act No. 103/98-BP, February 10). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/103/98-%D0%B2%D1%80#Text [in Ukrainian].
34. Ukrainian Veterans Fund. (n.d.). The Veteran’s Path. Retrieved from https://veteranfund.com.ua/projects/ [in Ukrainian].
35. Malashenko, I. (2023). Educational opportunities for veterans: free IT courses and training programs. Retrieved from https://dou.ua/lenta/articles/educational-programs-for-veterans/ [in Ukrainian].
36. Masenko, V., & Plis, A. (2025). IT, marketing, English, business training. 20 free programs for veterans. The Big Guide from Forbes Ukraine. Forbes Ukraine. Retrieved from https://forbes.ua/lifestyle/opanuvati-novu-profesiyu-chi-zapustiti-vlasnu-spravu-gid-osvitnimi-mozhlivostyami-dlya-veteraniv-20-21022025-27357 [in Ukrainian].
37. Osvita.ua. (2025). The best private higher education institutions in Ukraine. Retrieved from https://osvita.ua/vnz/rating/25714/ [in Ukrainian].
38. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2014). On approval of the Procedure for granting and depriving combatant status of persons who defended the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and took direct part in the anti-terrorist operation, ensuring its conduct or in the implementation of measures to ensure national security and defense, repel and deter the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, ensuring their implementation, in measures necessary to ensure the defense of Ukraine, protect the security of the population and the interests of the state in connection with the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine (Resolution No. 413, August 20). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/413-2014-%D0%BF#n10 [in Ukrainian].
39. Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. (2024). Policy on the recruitment, development, and retention of human capital in the defense forces. Retrieved from https://mod.gov.ua/diyalnist/normativno-pravova-baza/politika-zaluchennya-rozvitku-ta-utrimannya-lyudskogo-kapitalu-v-silah-oboroni [in Ukrainian].
40. Fakty. (2024). Structure, women in the army, and Western weapons: how full-scale war changed the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Retrieved from https://fakty.com.ua/ua/ukraine/20251206-struktura-zhinky-v-armiyi-ta-zahidna-zbroya-yak-povnomasshtabna-vijna-zminyla-zsu/ [in Ukrainian].
41. Safronova, O., Chursina, K., & Krasnolutska, D. (2024). Ukraine sends older soldiers to front but army needs young men. Bloomberg. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-05-26/ukraine-sends-older-troops-to-war-with-russia-as-army-runs-short-of-men.