The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), previously named the Veterans Administration, has been providing veterans educational assistance benefits through the GI Bills and other programs since 1944. The benefits have been intended, at various times, to compensate for compulsory service, encourage voluntary service, avoid unemployment, provide equitable benefits to all who served, and promote military retention. In general, the GI Bills provide grant aid to eligible individuals enrolled in approved educational and training programs; while the other educational assistance programs either provide grant aid or help eligible individuals take advantage of the GI Bills. This report provides a brief description of the veterans educational assistance programs currently providing benefits and, in the Appendixes, describes the inactive GI Bills and their evolution. Eligibility requirements, eligible programs of education, benefit availability, and benefits are explained. The report also provides some summary statistics and comparisons between the GI Bills.