The Post 9/11 GI Bill starts from the assumption that all veterans want a university education, but VA Secretary Eric Shinseki hinted yesterday that could change.

He acknowledged the bill is lacking without a "robust vocational training program. Not every young veteran wants to spend four years pursuing a college degree."

Then, speaking off the cuff of his prepared remarks, he added: "And we should accept that."

Many veteran advocates weren't pleased that vocational training benefits had been dropped from the new GI Bill when they were such an integral part of the first incarnation.

If a veteran learned to weld doing tank maintenance, say, and he wanted to be a welder in the civilian world, he's own his own for the certification. The new GI Bill doesn't provide for that. Same thing for medics, military police and others whose interests are vocation and not in getting a bachelor's degree.

A retired Army general told me earlier this year that many leaders in the veteran community are hoping Congress will reconcile the two GI Bills, so vets don't have to give up the benefits of the new bill to utilize the vocational benefits of the old.

As Shinseki said, veterans "might be interested in learning a trade that would get them into the taxpaying workforce sooner."