Does the GI Bill Increase in Value for OIF and OEF Veterans?

Whether you deployed or not David, really doesn’t effect how much you get.  What does effect how much you get is whether you qualify for the New GI Bill or not, and at what tier level. If you have at least 3 years of service after September 10, 2001, then you will qualify at the 100% level. If you have less than three years, but more than 90 days, then you will be between 40% and 90%. Generally speaking at the 100% level, except for the three situations discussed further down in this post, most veterans end up with more money by using the New GI Bill.

With the new Post 9/11 GI Bill David, it is hard to put a set price tag on it because tuition/fees and the housing allowance is worth different amounts depending on where you go to school, but I’ll give you a couple of examples to show you how it varies around the Nation.

I’ll use an example from the East and West Coasts, along with one from the Midwest:

• New York City, NY – Maximum tuition and fees: $12,697, BAH: $2,751, Total: $ 251,400;
• Los Angeles, CA -    Maximum tuition and fees: $2,156.25, BAH: $2,052, Total: $99,747.25;
• Omaha, NE – Maximum tuition and fees: $1,574, BAH: $1,077,  Total: $57,660.

I derived the total by:

• taking 36 ÷ 3 (months in a semester)= 12;
• 12 times maximum tuition and fees amount;
• then, take BAH amount times 36 (months of benefit);
• finally add maximum tuition and fees total with the BAH total.

In comparison, the Montgomery GI Bill-AD pays $1,368  per month for a total of $49,248 over the life of the benefit. As a veteran, you usually end up with more money by using the New GI Bill, unless you:

• take only online classes – then, you don’t get the housing allowance;
• plan on taking a course not covered by the New GI Bill – then, you don’t get anything;
• attend school in a state that doesn’t charge veterans tuition – then, you only get the housing allowance.

If you only had the one-year deployment, then you would only get 60% of the above amounts. In the case of Omaha, NE, 60% of $57, 660 = $34,596. In this case, you would earn more by sticking with the MGIB-AD.  The real key to figuring out which GI Bill is the best for you is to do your homework:

• know where you are going to school;
• know what program you are taking;
• know your tier level.