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GI Bill Information: Ask the Expert BlogCan I Use My Husband’s GI Bill Benefits?
January 13th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
Question: My husband is a Veteran and he is always telling me to go back to school. He said that I can use his GI Bill to go back? My friend is now in school, her husband is also a veteran. She was told that we as spouses and children cannot use the GI unless he is active duty or KIA. Please just let me know what the facts are to the GI Bill. Who can use it? We are a family of six, my husband, our four children, and myself. We just need to know if only my husband is eligible. Thank you so much for your help. Raven Rayner
Answer: Hi Raven, I’m afraid your friend is somewhat correct. The provision allowing spouses and dependent children was added to the New GI Bill in August of 2009. Only service members who were on active duty then, or since then are eligible to transfer education benefits. If your husband happened to be on active duty at that time, he would have needed to extend for 4 years to be able transfer his benefits to you. I recommend that you check with your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs. They may have an education benefits program for military spouses. I would also check with the relief organization that supported the branch of service your husband was in, such as Army Emergency Relief or the Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society. The Air Force and Coast Guard also have their version, and they all have education benefits programs that you may be eligible for as the spouse of a veteran. Lastly, I would check with the financial aid office of the school you would like to attend, they are sometimes aware of scholarships and grants for veterans and veteran’s spouses.
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No you can’t Edgardo. If you have the Montgomery GI Bill, it doesn’t have a transfer-to-dependents option. If you have the Post 9/11 GI Bil, you have to be serving at the time to make a transfer request. Once retired, you can’t transfer benefits.
First Payne, you have to serve for at least six years and agree to serve an additional four years before you can make a transfer request. Once you have those two service requirements in place, go to the milConnect website and make your request. Once it is approved, then you wife can go to the eBenefits website and submit VA Form 22-1990e to get her Certificate of Eligibility that she will need when enrolling in school as a GI Bill student.