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GI Bill Information: Ask the Expert BlogArchive for March, 2010
March 30th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
Hello, I am a dependent living with my father, who is currently stationed at RAF Mildenhall in The UK. My dad wants to transfer his GI bill benefits to me. If he does, will I be able to use them over here? I would like to attend school here. The question is, can I? Thanks for the help! — David
Yes David, you can depending on a couple of conditions:
- your father has to have served at least six years and agree to enlist for another four years before he can transfer benefits to you;
- you have to be at least 18 years old, or have your high school diploma, before you can start using your transferred benefits;
- the school you want to attend in the UK has to be approved by the VA here in the States.
Service members qualify for full Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits with three years of service after September 10, 2001, however, they can’t transfer those benefits until after six years of service and agreeing to serve four more years. As far as using your transferred benefits, you have until your 26th birthday to use them up; otherwise you lose whatever is left upon attaining age 26.
To go to school in the UK using your GI Bill benefits, your school must either already have been approved by the VA or they will have to apply for approval. Contact your school and ask if they have VA approval. If a lot of U.S Armed Forces service members are stationed there, and have been for some time, your school may have already been approved.
If not, the school has to submit a request for approval and as part of their request, they have to answer 15 questions. The VA approves schools on a case-by-case basis. To find out if your program is approved, you can ask the VA your question either online or by writing them at:
FOREIGN SCHOOL APPROVAL GROUP (22-ESU) VA REGIONAL OFFICE 130 S. ELMWOOD AVENUE SUITE 601 BUFFALO NY 14202The VA explains your part in going to school in a foreign country well. Once your school receives approval, you should be good to go to attend school in the UK using your transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
March 30th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
I have a troop being asked to leave the military after only two years of service for force shaping reasons. Will she still be able to use the GI Bill she paid for? Jason
Hi Jason, When you say that she paid for her GI Bill, I assume you are talking about the Montgomery GI Bill. If she is leaving the service with an Honorable Discharge, then I would say she is at least eligible for a month of Montgomery GI Bill benefits for every month of active duty she served, and she may even be eligible for the full 36 months of Montgomery GI Bill benefits. It will depend on how her separation is classified by the military. You or she should talk to the Education Services Officer of your unit to find out how her separation is being classified, but she should definitely be eligible for at least 24 months of benefits, if that is how long she was on active duty.
She would also be eligible to switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill if she is leaving with an Honorable Discharge. Depending on what her education program will be, the Post 9/11 GI Bill may provide her with more benefits that the MGIB.
March 29th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
Can I use the Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) for A+ certification? Will it cover the training fees and/or the test fees? I’m located in Guam. Thanks — Albert
The Montgomery GI Bill can cover many forms of licenses and certifications, including A+ certification, a computer technician certification published by CompTIA. The bill can potentially pay for both the training tuition and the testing fee, if you find the right program.
First, to get the training paid for, you need to find an approved training program. These can be found on the VA web site’s Weams Institution Search page. Find an institution that offers the program, and look it up on that search page. If it’s not covered, perhaps the institution can apply for approval via the National Association of State Approving Agencies, if you ask them to. If there’s nothing in your area, perhaps an online or correspondence course is available. If the program is approved, apply for BI Bill benefits via the VONAPP page on the VA site.
After completing training, you need to take the certification exam. In order to get the GI Bill to pay for the exam, you take the exam first, then apply for reimbursement using the instructions on the VA site’s Licensing and Certification Tests page.
March 29th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
I retired in December 2007. I did not have the old GI Bill. Am I eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill? – Lee P.
You are probably eligible for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill. All soldiers who meet the eligibility requirements for the new GI Bill may apply for its benefits. There is no need to have applied for the bill before-hand, or to have paid into it as with the older Montgomery GI Bill. You are eligible for benefits under the new GI Bill for up to 15 years from the date of your last separation from active duty.
The requirements are fairly straightforward. To be eligible for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, you must have served at least 90 consecutive days of active duty after September 11, 2001. You cannot have received a dishonorable or general discharge (even if it is “under honorable conditions”). For reserve and national guard service members, active duty that is only for training purposes does not count toward eligibility of the new GI Bill. If you have received student loan repayment, the service period that counted toward the loan repayment does not count toward eligibility.
If you have served 90 days of active duty after September 11, 2001, you are eligible for benefits amounting to 40% of your tuition (up to 40% of the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution in the state where you are taking courses). Serving more time makes you eligible for a higher percentage. If you have served 36 months or more on active duty, you are eligible for 100% tuition (up to the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution in that state).
The new GI Bill’s tuition benefits are paid directly to your school; you never see the money. However, you do receive a book allowance each term, adding up to $1,000 per year (if you are eligible for less than 100% benefits, you get your percentage of this rather than the full $1,000). You also receive a housing allowance equal to the Basic Allowance for Housing of an active duty E-5 in the location (determined by ZIP code) where you are going to school. If you are taking only distance learning or online courses, you are not eligible for the housing allowance.
You can apply for the new GI Bill at the Veterans Affairs department’s web site via the VONAPP system, or call to speak with a representative at their toll-free number: 1-888-442-4551.
March 29th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
After transferring my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to my two sons, I would like to take a few credits back from my oldest son, who is finishing his last year. What do I need to do, or go to in this link to make it possible. — Carlos
Yes, Carlos, you can transfer back (revoke) Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits back from a transfer recipient. As the service member with the benefit on active duty, you retain the option to transfer, add new dependents and revoke transferred benefits. After discharge, you can’t add dependents, but you still retain the ability to transfer more benefits to a dependent already having benefits or revoke some, or all unused benefits from a transfer recipient.
To accomplish revoking benefits, go to the TEB website and click on the son you want to pull back benefits from. Change the number of months you want him to keep. Click on the son you want to add benefits to and change his number of months. Check the boxes that you have read and understand the transfer statements.
Check back at the TEB website periodically and look for an approved status and the date you submitted the request for change to the transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
March 29th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
I separated last year, May 25 2009. I served 3.25 years, and should be eligible for both bills. However, my husband is active duty, and I was told I was ineligible for BAH for the new GI Bill because he was in the service. A friend of mine is married to an officer, and is receiving BAH for her GI Bill. Is it fair that I lose benefits because of who I am married to? And why does she receive benefits that I am unable to receive? Samantha
Hi Samantha, I assume that someone at the VA told you that you are ineligible for the BAH. If so, I believe they are incorrect, if they are basing your ineligibility on your husband’s duty status. My understanding is that if a spouse is using Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits that have been transferred to them by a military spouse, then they are not going to be eligible for BAH while that military spouse is on active duty. However, if both spouses are eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits due to their military service, and one separates from the military, then that spouse is eligible for the housing allowance while attending college, regardless of whether the other spouse is still on active duty. Of course the spouse attending college must meet the other eligibility criteria for receiving the housing allowance, such as carrying enough credit hours.
If your husband transfers his Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to you, then you would not be eligible for his housing allowance while he is on active duty, but as long as you are using your benefits, his duty status should not affect your BAH. If it was someone at the VA who told you that you were ineligible, I suggest you talk to another VA rep, or a supervisor. I believe your initial contact may have been confusing the situation with someone who is using transferred benefits, or perhaps there is another reason for their statement.
March 29th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
Hi, I am a Army Reserve Warrant Officer that recently started school. I have been told by VA Reps at my school that I cannot receive Post 9/11 benefits if I receive Tuition Assistance. On the flip side of that coin, I have been told by Tuition Assistance folks that this only applies to the National Guard Troops and that TA will cover remaining 30 percent tuition cost that Post 9/11 won’t cover due to eligibility. I have attempted to research this subject for policy and procedures along with asking many people. I have not found anything clear in policy and everyone I talk to seems know about as much as I do. Can you shed some light on this subject? Thank you! — Mark
Actually Mark, from what I can find, my vote is with the TA folks. Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the VA should pay your tuition and fees up to your 70% tier level (as long as this amount is lower than the maximum in-state public school maximum) along with 70% of the housing allowance and book stipend.
Or another way to proceed is the have TA pick up the tuition and fees and a the Post 9/11 GI Bill pick up 70% of the remaining amount along with 70%of your housing allowance and book stipend. Doing it this way would make your GI Bill benefits go further. The TA folks probably suggested doing it the first way as that would reduce how much they would have to pay. Doing it my way would increase their costs, but my position is so what. Both TA and the GI Bill are your benefits and you should use them for the maximum benefit to you.
Generally you get your Tuition Assistance approved first and include a copy of the approval with your VA Form 22-1990 application for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits application.
March 29th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
My retirement date is March 31, 2010. Am I eligible for TEB/Post 9/11 GI Bill to my son? Joey
Hi Joey, 31 March 2010 is rapidly approaching. I believe it is going to depend on whether your retirement date had already been approved when the transfer provision was added to the Post 9/11 GI Bill in August 2009. The way the provision is written, those service members who have an approved retirement date between 1 August 2009 and 1 July 2010 do not have to serve any additional military service. Those who are eligible to retire with at least 20 years of military service, between 1 August 2009 and 1 August 2010 may have to commit to an additional year of military service.
So the way I read that is that it comes down to whether your retirement date of 31 March 2010 had already been approved on 1 August 2009. If it had been, then you should not have to serve any additional time to be eligible for the transfer provision of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, but if your date had not been approved, then you may have to commit to an additional year.
It sounds to me like you meet all of the other eligibility criteria, and the good news is that since you have already served 10 years, your son can start using the benefits right away, depending on his age. He will have to be registered in DEERS to receive the benefits.
March 28th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
Hello, I have switched from Chapter 30 to Chapter 33. I understand that I will receive a portion of the basic $1200.00 contribution with the last monthly housing allowance payment when Chapter 33 entitlement exhausts. How do I determine that amount? Thank you, Jay
Hi Jay, You are correct, when you have used all of your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, you should receive a portion of the money you paid into the Montgomery GI Bill with your last housing allowance. If you never use your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, or don’t use all of them, then you forfeit your MGIB contribution. If you do use all of your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, then the amount of the refund you receive from the MGIB contribution is based on how much of your Montgomery GI Bill you used prior to switching to the Post 9/11. If you did not use any of your MGIB benefits, then you should receive the entire $1,200 back. If you used 18 months of MGIB benefits, then you used 50 percent of your benefits, and should receive $600 back. Using 9 months of MGIB would result in using 25 percent of your benefits, and you should receive $900 back.
So it is based on subtracting the percentage of the MGIB benefits you used from the $1,200, and you should receive the balance remaining back.
March 26th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
How do I find out how much of my old GI Bill I have used and how much is left? — Roland B.
If you are enrolled currently in the GI Bill (either the older Montgomery GI Bill or the new Post 9/11 GI Bill), you should be receiving regular statements that list the status of your benefits.
However, if you are not currently enrolled in a GI Bill program, there is no easy way to find out how much of your benefits are remaining to you. At least, there is no automatic web-page that can tell you that information. In order to find out the status of your VA education benefits, you will have to contact a VA representative and ask.
The most reliable way to get this information, in this case, is by phone, using the Veterans Affairs department’s GI Bill toll-free number, 1-888-442-4551.
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