Where Do I Switch Over to the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

Hi Mike, before I answer your question I’ll ask you a question, “why would you want to do this at this point in time?”  If you have already decided where you plan to go to school and what you are going to be majoring in, then I can understand it a little bit.  But if you are just doing it because you are going to be getting out of the military in February and you want to tie up loose ends, then I think you are making a big mistake.

If you don’t switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill now, you will be getting out of the military armed with two different GI Bills that can assist you with  just about any type of education program you decide to pursue.  If you switch now, it will be almost impossible to switch back to the Montgomery GI Bill if you discover that it would have been a better benefits program for the education program you have chosen.  I get questions all the time from veterans wondering why the Post 9/11 GI Bill won’t pay for their school or program.

In some cases the Post 9/11 GI Bill can be the best GI Bill for attending school and in other cases the Montgomery GI Bill provides more benefits.  I suggest you wait until you know what you plan to do and then do a GI Bill comparison before deciding which one to use.  One nice thing about the Montgomery GI Bill is that if you are eligible for both GI Bills, you can use your MGIB benefits first and then apply for 12 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits so you end up with a total of 48 months of benefits.  If you switch now, you are only going to receive 36 months of benefits.

When the time comes, if you decide the Post 9/11 GI Bill is the best route for you to take, all you have to do is go to the VONAPP website and apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill online.  The VA will automatically switch you from the MGIB to the Post 9/11 GI Bill.