bullet GI Bill Information: Ask the Expert Blog
GI Bill Home >> Blog >> 2010 >> June

Archive for June, 2010

Can I Lose the GI Bill for Reserve Absences?
June 30th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
Can I lose my GI Bill benefits for having absences from the reserves? I have been in the reserves for a year but they never contacted me to in-process. I called my recruiter several times (during the first 6 months). She just kept saying they would contact me. It has been a year and the first contact I have gotten from them is a letter saying that with 12 unexcused absences I will be discharged. unless I get them excused. And that I may lose my GI Bill benefits. They didn’t even put a phone number to call to talk to someone. — Brandon

Yes, if you are discharged from the reserves for unexcused absences, you will probably receive a general or dishonorable discharge, which will make you ineligible for any GI Bill benefits, and many other veterans’ benefits. It is in your best interest to get in touch with your gaining unit, if you can, to sort this out.

Without knowing your branch of service or other details, I can’t tell you much about what to do to get that done, but you should have received orders to your gaining reserve unit when you completed your training (perhaps before). These would have contact information on them for the unit. Failing that, you can contact the reserve command for your service (the Army Reserve Command, the Air Force Reserve Command, the Navy Reserve Command, the Marine Corps Reserve Command or the Coast Guard Reserves) and explain your situation.

You’ll be in trouble, but it’s better than a dishonorable discharge.

Tags:
Posted in Education, Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserves, Veterans Education Benefits | No Comments »

Does the New GI Bill Cover Tests?
June 30th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
Hi. I am currently attending school full-time under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The courses I’m taking prepare you for numerous certifications. And I’ve taken quite a few so far, while receiving benefits. I recently found out that I could get reimbursed for one, or possibly all of the certification tests. I made sure that they were approved with the VA. So then I filled out the request form, VBA-22-0803, did everything I was supposed to, and mailed it in last week. Anyways, my actual question is: since I’m receiving benefits under Chapter 33, does that mean I could only be reimbursed for one test? That would suck, but something is better than nothing. Though, when I first applied last October they put me under Chapter 30, because they thought my school wasn’t an IHL (Institution for higher learning). Then I got it straightened out about a month later, and I was officially under Chapter 33. I did pay for the MGIB, which reimburses you for as many tests up to $2,000. I qualify for 100% of benefits. So, is there a chance to get reimbursed for all my tests, considering my situation, or is it still just one test one time? — Jeffrey S.

You’ve got the facts correct. While the old Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) could cover multiple licensing and certification tests, the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, or Chapter 33, only  covers one, with a maximum cost of $2,000. Having been eligible for the MGIB does make you eligible for certain educational programs that may not be covered by the new GI Bill, but it doesn’t change the “one-test-only” rule of the new bill.

Tags:
Posted in Education, New GI Bill, Veterans Education Benefits | No Comments »

When Should I Transfer My Benefits?
June 30th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
I want to transfer my New GI Bill to my kids (son now, daughter in two years). Unfortunately I don’t know how much I have available to transfer.  Also, I am on my second deployment with a third in my sights once I get back from this one.  I was told I can only transfer my benefits once and it is best to wait until after all of my deployments or at least until after this deployment.  Is this true or does it really make a difference?  Are there more benefits for waiting (more active duty/deployment days)?  COG

Hi COG,  There is not really any benefit to waiting to transfer your GI Bill benefits, especially since you will have to remain in the military for 4 years after the transfer takes place.

You become eligible for full Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits after 36 months of active duty service.  If you serve another 17 years after those 36 months, you still receive the full benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill which is 36 months of education benefits.  So additional deployments or active duty time after those first 36 months does not help you earn more benefits.

You can become eligible to transfer your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits after 6 years of military service and you will be asked to remain in the military for 4 years after the transfer is approved.  Your children can not use the transferred benefits until you have been in the military for 10 years.  They will have until they turn 26 years of age to use the transferred benefits.

You can revoke or modify your transferred benefits at any time up until the benefits are used.  You can transfer each of your 2 children 18 months of benefits and if down the line you decide you would like to attend a school, you can pull back some of your transferred benefits as long as the children haven’t used them yet.

Keep in mind that your children will also be eligible for Yellow Ribbon Program benefits while using your transferred GI Bill benefits.  They might want to choose schools that are members of the program.

Tags: , ,
Posted in GI Bill Transfer, New GI Bill, Veterans Education Benefits | No Comments »

Will My Daughter Become Eligible for the New GI Bill?
June 30th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
My daughter just graduated from an ROTC program and is commissioned as a 2Lt.  Even though she branched AG Reserve, she has applied to volunteer for an active duty position.  If she does go active duty for 1 year, will she be eligible for the New GI Bill and be able to use it for a graduate school masters program once she returns?  She will still be in the reserves.  She has a six year commitment.  Gary

Hi Gary,

The answer to your question is going to depend on the type of ROTC program your daughter attended.  It sounds to me like she attended a regular ROTC program and did not use an ROTC scholarship to pay for her tuition.  Students who are commissioned after completing a program with an ROTC scholarship usually have an active duty requirement after receiving their commission.

If your daughter did not use an ROTC scholarship, then she should be able to earn Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits while serving on active duty.  If she serves for at least 90 days on active duty, she can become eligible for 40 percent of the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.  If she stays on active duty for at least 36 months, she can become eligible for the full benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill which can provide 36 months of benefits.  At least 12 months of active duty would provide her with 60 percent of the full benefits.

Your daughter can use those benefits to earn her master’s degree and she might be able to get a head start on that degree by using Tuition Assistance while on active duty.

If your daughter used an ROTC scholarship, then she may not be able to earn the Post 9/11 GI Bill while on active duty.  Again, I don’t think that is the program she is in as an ROTC scholarship usually requires up to 4 years of active duty service to pay back the government for the scholarship.  During that active duty time service members are not allowed to become eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill or the Post 9/11 GI Bill.  If they remain in the military after their required time is complete, their active duty time can begin to count for the GI Bill.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in New GI Bill, Veterans Education Benefits | No Comments »

Can I Use Both GI Bills At the Same Time or Do I Have to Choose One?
June 30th, 2010
by Ron Kness
Hello – I contributed $1,800 to the Montgomery GI Bill and I’ve served six years in the military – from November 2003 to November 2009. Can I use both the Montgomery GI Bill and the new Post 9/11? Or so I have to pick one? Thanks. — William

You have to pick one William and don’t automatically go for the Post 9/11 GI Bill because it pays more. Why? Because its scope is more limited as far as which programs it will pay you to take.

If your education goals have you in a trade, technical or license/certification program, then stick with the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB). If you are leaning more toward a degree-producing program, then the Post 9/11 GI Bill may serve you better.  I caution you on your selection, because if you select the Post 9/11 GI Bill, and it ends up being the wrong one for you, you can’t switch back again.

If you qualify for both GI Bills, you can exhaust your MGIB education benefits first, switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill and get an additional 12 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, but you have to do it in that order.

Keep in mind with the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you can’t use your Buy-Up, so you would lose that $600, however, if you use up all of your MGIB and Post 9/11 GI bill benefits, you will get a portion of your $1,200 contribution back.

Tags: ,
Posted in GI Bill Transfer, Montgomery G I Bill, New GI Bill | No Comments »

Admissions Advise: New improvements to Post 9/11 GI BILL
June 30th, 2010
by Admissions Director, Richard Lingle
I have received a lot of requests to talk about this particular subject and with the new information that has developed, now would be the best time to cover it. Around 70% of active duty and veterans using GI BILL funds are enrolled in online colleges and universities. Many of these service members do not qualify for one of the most alluring benefits that the new GI BILL offers. You guessed it, the housing stipend.  This is one of the major flaws that the new GI BILL suffers from and has irritated many service members choosing to enroll in online education. This problem however, has not gone unnoticed in our government.

There are two people that are fighting on Capitol Hill to get this and other issues with the new GI BILL resolved. These people are Rep. Bob Filner and Sen. Daniel Akaka. There are two bills that are being pushed through the House of Representatives and the Senate. These bills are H.R. 950 and “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010” (Senate bill S.3447). These bills are receiving bi-partisan support and many organizations such as the American Legion and the Blinded Veterans Association are supporting this as well. With these bills passed, it will be a huge burden off of students who need this money for expenses.

Most of the details are still being discussed and a revised version is due out sometime in July. I urge everyone to write to their congressmen about both of these bills. Each Congressman has an email service on his or her personal website for you to use.

Here are the links provided below:

http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

The generic House website email form for you to use may be found at—

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

To quote Rob Filner, “Supporters of this bill are standing up for: disabled veterans, veteran families, rural veterans, and single-parent households who are getting an education and working to improve their lives.”

Semper Fi

Richard Lingle

Get more information about Richard Lingle’s school:  American College of Technology

Tags: , ,
Posted in Education, Housing Stipend, New GI Bill, Veterans Education Benefits | 5 Comments »

Can I Really Get $1,000 of My MGIB Contribution Back?
June 30th, 2010
by Ron Kness
I was told.. Not sure if its to be true.. After my first year in the Navy, that the $100 a month deduction for my MGIB stops. Is that true? Then I had also heard that I would get $1,000 back after my last $100 deduction from my pay. — John

John your first question is true, while the second one is not entirely true. Let me explain.

The required contribution for the Mongtomery GI Bill (MGIB) is $1,200. That is broken down into twelve $100 per month payments, so your deduction will stop after one-year of payments.

As far as your second question, you will get some money back, but it is only after you exhaust your Post 9/11 GI Bill additional months of benefit.  The amount you get is pro-rated and would come as part of your last monthly housing allowance payment.

Under the Rule of 48, if you qualify for both the MGIB and Post 9/11 GI Bill, you can get an additional 12 months of education benefits for a total maximum combined benefit of 48 months. First you have to use up your MGIB benefits and then switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Then you have to use up your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to get your MGIB contribution refund.

Tags:
Posted in GI Bill Transfer | No Comments »

Do I Need to Switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill to Transfer Benefits?
June 29th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
I retired from the Army in July 2003 (June 1982-July 2003) and I never used my MGIB benefits.  Can I transfer my benefits to my daughter who will start college in 2011?  If so, what will she be allotted monthly?  Would I need to convert to the Post 9/11 GI Bill? Thanks, David

Hi David, I’m afraid you will not be able to transfer your Montgomery GI Bill benefits to your daughter even if you switch over to the Post 9/11 GI Bill.  The only GI Bill which allows the transfer of benefits at this time is the Post 9/11 GI Bill.  Unfortunately, the transfer provision is only provided for service members and veterans who were on active duty on or after 1 August 2009.

Part of the reason for the provision being set up that way is that in addition to being a military education benefit, it is also an incentive to remain in the military.  Service members who want to transfer their Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits must agree to remain in the military for 4 years after the transfer takes place.  There are some exceptions to the 4 years if the service member was nearing retirement in August 2009. 

You may want to check on the Army Emergency Relief website as they sometimes have scholarship and grant programs for the children of Army veterans.  You should also check with your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs to see if they have any military education benefits for the children of veterans.  Federal student financial aid is also available to assist your daughter while she is going to school.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in GI Bill Transfer, Montgomery G I Bill, New GI Bill, Veterans Education Benefits | No Comments »

Does My Separation Make Me Ineligible for the GI Bill?
June 29th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
I received an honorable discharge from the military after 3 years and two months of service. My separation code is JKK with a reenlistment code of RE-4. The reason for my discharge was misconduct. I’ve read that as long as my discharge was honorable then I’ll qualify. Do I still get my GI Bill benefits with this type of discharge and if not is there anything I can do? — J.

If you have an honorable discharge from the military, and otherwise meet the requirements, then you are eligible for GI Bill benefits. However, you may want to check your DD-214 to make sure that your discharge is honorable, and not general under honorable conditions, which is a completely different discharge.

A code of JKK indicates a reason for separation of either a behavior disorder or drug use. A reenlistment code of RE-4 means that you are not eligible to re-enlist without a waiver (or, in the Army, even with a waiver). In the case of drug use and misconduct, separation is usually a dishonorable or general discharge, not an honorable discharge. However, if the reason was determined to be due to a medical behavior disorder, or if there were other mitigating circumstances, it may have been an honorable discharge.

So, if your discharge is honorable, there is no problem. You are eligible. If it is general (even under honorable conditions), then you are not eligible, unless you successfully petition to get the character of your discharge changed, which is done through your former service.

Tags:
Posted in Education, Veterans Education Benefits | No Comments »

Can I Use the New GI Bill After Exhausting the MGIB?
June 29th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
I’ve used some of my MGIB. When the MGIB is exhausted, can I enroll in the Post 9/11 GI Bill? — Kamian S.

Yes, even if you have completely exhausted the Montgomery GI Bill, you can still get benefits from enrolling in the new Post 9/11 GI Bill. In fact, it can be in your best interests to use your MGIB benefits completely before enrolling in the new GI Bill.

If you have used up some of your MGIB benefits, but have some remaining, then you are entitled to a number of months of benefits under the new GI bill equal to what you have left under the MGIB. However, if you completely use up all of your MGIB benefits before changing to the new GI Bill, then you can still get another 12 months of benefits under the new GI Bill.

Tags:
Posted in Education, Montgomery G I Bill, New GI Bill, Veterans Education Benefits | 2 Comments »

« Older Entries