No VetSuccess? No Problem: Navigating Veteran Education Support Programs On Your Own

The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) added five more post-secondary schools to their on-campus VetSuccess pilot program in October 2010. A total of eight schools now have resident VA counselors who are available to assist veterans who are taking advantage of their Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits. With this expanding, but still limited number of pilot programs and the increasing number of Post-9/11 GI Bill participants, veterans and their families need to know how to take advantage of other available resources to succeed educationally.

Heavy Promotion, Heavy Participation

More than 260,000 participants took advantage of the new GI Bill benefits in fall 2010, only the second year since the launch of the program. This is 80,000 more students than fall 2009. VA employees processed 2,000 claims a day in 2009--and in 2010, they are processing 10,000 claims a day. Big marketing campaigns like the GI Bill's near half a million dollar sponsorship of a NASCAR race car at a Sept. 11, 2010 event have the goal of garnering even more momentum for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Keith Wilson, the Veterans Benefits Administration's director of education service told America Forces Press Services, "What we're working the hardest on right now is getting the word out to veterans about what a great program it is."

It's working. More than 145,000 active duty servicemembers have elected to transfer their Post-9/11 benefits to spouses or dependents. As of October 2010, 50,000 of those family members were already using these benefits. The new GI Bill legislation that was just signed into law by President Obama this week could make it even more popular. The bi-partisan bill introduced early in October 2010 aimed to correct what some people viewed as oversights to the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The legislation extends the new GI Bill benefits to 30,000 National Guard members who are currently ineligible for the benefit, and will also now cover non-degree education programs and career training, such as vocational school and certificate programs.

Confusion Over GI Bill Benefits

The changes between the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) and the Post-9/11 GI Bill are significant. Tuition and fee payments are not only calculated differently, but some features of the MGIB, like Tuition Top-Up, don't apply under the new GI Bill. Other features like the ability to transfer benefits to dependents and the monthly living stipend are new and have caused some confusion. Many veterans have situation-specific service questions about eligibility because of multiple enlistments. Social networking sites, forums, and the comments of online articles are full of questions about how the new GI Bill benefits work. With the further changes to the GI Bill, veterans not fortunate enough to attend one of the eight schools with resident VA counselors need to know where they can go to get their questions answered.

Where to Go for GI Bill Resources

Because many people have questions, veterans may need to bark up more than a few trees to get answers to their questions.

• The VA is the official source of GI Bill information. Questions can be directed to 1-888-GI BILL-1 or can be submitted online to the VA or to the GIBill.com "Ask the Expert Blog"
• State resources for veterans are available, and typically counselors are available to answer questions about all VA benefits, including military education benefits.
• Veterans who are currently enrolled should fully explore their school's academic counseling and advisement services. Many schools have military counselors available, and some of those counselors are veterans who have used military education benefits themselves. Even though these counselors may not be employed by the VA, the day-to-day work they do helping veterans navigate education benefits requires that they be up-to-date on benefit requirements and changes.
• Use other online resources as long as the information posted is up-to-date and well-researched, based on information from the VA.

Benefits Knowledge and Persistence Are Key to Success

Servicemembers and veterans who are considering using their benefits need to be proactive and learn about their benefits and how those benefits are changing. Authors David J. Renza and Edmund J. Lizotte of Military Education Benefits for College offer tried and true advice to military members and veterans considering using their military education benefits for college. Renza and Lizotte, both veterans, work in Military Programs division of Post University, and their book provides a comprehensive overview of military education benefits, including where to go for up-to-date information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The authors point out that it's the students' responsibility to keep paperwork in order and communicate in order to achieve their educational goals. "As with any major endeavor in your life, the underlying key to success in your educational pursuits is persistence! Too often we allow the challenges of our jobs, family, and life in general to get in the way of our goal of earning a college credential." Persistence, and knowing enough about military education benefits to know where to go for more information, is the best way to ensure success.

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