Am I Eligible for any Benefits?

Hi Jim, First let me say that what you’ve done is pretty admirable; as another veteran who served in the Marines and is in his mid 50s, I couldn’t imagine going through the physical rigors of enlisting at 57 years of age.

It sounds to me like your 450 days of active duty service while in the Army Reserves should qualify you for some Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. If you served more than 12 months but less than 18 months on active duty, then you should be eligible for 60 percent of the full Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.  If it turns out that you were on active duty for more than 18 months but less tan 24 months, you are going to be eligible for 70 percent of the benefits.

Unfortunately you are not going to be able to transfer your benefits to your son.  The benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill can only be transferred while you are on active duty and you would have to commit to serving 4 years of active duty time after the transfer was approved.  Also,  any children who receive their parents’ Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits must use them before they turn 26 so even if you were eligible to transfer your benefits, your son would not be eligible to receive them.