Hi Kristen, I guess the first question is did you actually transfer your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to your dependents.  It sounds like you didn’t as most of the time the service member is required to remain in the military for four years after the transfer takes place and the provision was just added in August 2009.

If DoD made a mistake and transferred your benefits in error, you might try just revoking the transfer and they should go back into your name.  Veterans can revoke the transfer of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits up until the recipient uses them.  If you did transfer all of your benefits, then you don’t have any, but you would still have the option of revoking the transfer.  Because the DoD handles approving the transfer of benefits and the VA handles the actual benefits, a communication breakdown could have attributed to the VA saying you had benefits when you actually didn’t.

If you did not transfer your benefits and revoking the transfer doesn’t get them back in your account, then I suggest appealing the denial from the VA.

Hi Kurtis, I hope I am understanding your question correctly.  I think what you are saying is that you have transferred your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to your spouse or children and you will be retiring in the near future.  You are asking if for some reason they don’t use all of your transferred benefits, you can get them back and use them yourself to attend school.

If I understand your situation correctly, the answer is yes.  When your spouse or children have used all of the benefits they need or have a good idea of how many they are going to need, just revoke your transfer of the rest of the benefits.  The GI Bill benefits will go back into your name and you can use them just as if they had never been transferred in the first place.

Keep in mind that Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits must be used within 15 years of leaving active duty and they must be used at an approved school or for an approved program.