The OFFICIAL explaination of the New Post 9/11 GI Bill
July 22, 2008
The New GI BILL
President Bush has signed into law a new and improved GI Bill. Called the “Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008” the new benefits have increased to a level not seen since the original introduction of the first GI Bill in 1944.
WHY A GI BILL?
The history of the GI Bill is rooted in the history of World War I and the Great Depression. The veterans of World War I (over 3 million veterans) were offered an “Adjusted Service Certificate” in 1924 for compensation of salary that might have been earned while the service member was fighting for his country. This had been the common practice for the American military since the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately, these certificates, designed to be treated like bonds, were not redeemable for 20 years.
During the Great Depression, veterans out of work and without prospects, like many Americans, looked at their unredeemable certificates in anger and protests. While the issues of veterans were finally resolved, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress knew that they had to establish a GI Bill of Rights to protect the new generation of veterans returning from World War II.
The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (the “GI Bill of Rights” or GI Bill), become one of the most important pieces of legislation in the 20th century. Before World War II, unemployment hovered at 15 percent, more than 11 million homes didn’t have running water or electricity, and according to the Census Bureau less than 50,000 taxpayers earned more than $2,500 a year.
“[America] needed to ensure that the entire nation’s economy wasn’t hurt by the large influx of kids coming back from overseas,” said Retired-Navy Vice Admiral Daniel Cooper, former-undersecretary of veteran affairs for benefits in a defense department interview. “We had to ensure that veterans were also not held back because of their military service and recognized for what they had given to the country.”
The 1944 GI Bill brought more than 16 million veterans into the middle class and contributed more than any other program to the post-war economic growth of the United States.
“The benefits then had to do with education and home and business loans, as well as unemployment payments for the first year they came back,” Cooper said. “Today, we cover a wider range of benefits for the same purposes.”
While the “GI Bill of Rights” encompassed various programs, the cornerstone of the GI Bill’s success was in education benefits.
In 1940, only 23 percent of the military had a high school diploma and only 3 percent had college degrees. Throughout the entire United States only 160,000 Americans had a college education. By contrast, the GI Bill made education possible for 2.2 million World War II veterans. In 1950, nearly 500,000 citizens graduated college and nearly half of them were veterans. Nearly 1.5 million veterans opted for on-the-job training.
The GI Bill is still critically important to the success of the America today. The shift to a global economy, increased competition for high-wage jobs and the integration of technology in all job positions is forcing employers to look at a college degree more as a minimum requirement rather than a stand out feature on a resume.
“As far as the effect on our economy,” Cooper said. “The first one (in 1944) was of major importance. The importance to veterans [now] is beyond question.”
The Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill
The benefits of the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 (Post 9/11 GI Bill) include significant improvements over the current Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB). The two biggest changes are in how the GI Bill will pay for education benefits and the added pays and benefits that will help defray the living expenses for military and veteran students starting August 2009
Not everyone eligible for GI Bill benefits will be qualified for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill. The new Bill is reserved for those wartime veterans who have served after September 10, 2001. Veterans who do not qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and still qualify for GI Bill education benefits will fall under the previous programs. To compensate those veterans the current Montgomery GI Bill—Active Duty (MGIB-AD) program will have a 20 percent increase in pay benefits commencing August 2008.
To qualify under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, an individual must (at a minimum) meet on of the following criteria:
- Active Duty service members who have served more than 90 days after September 10, 2001;
- Retired and separated service members who have served on active duty more than 90 days after September 10, 2001;
- Service members and Reserve and National Guard members who have been activated for more than 90 days after September 10, 2001; or
- Service members who were discharged after completing a minimum of 30 consecutive days of qualifying service after 9/10/01 and who VA determined were discharged for a service-connected disability may qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
The following types of active duty time do not qualify towards the service eligibility requirements:
§ NOAA, PHS, or Active Guard Reserve time under Title 32
§ ROTC and Service Academy contract period
§ Service terminated due to defective enlistment agreement
§ Service negotiated for loan repayment
§ Entry level and skill training (for those serving less than 24 months of active duty service)
Veterans must have discharged under honorable conditions.
The benefit level is based on the individual’s length of qualifying service.
· § 36 months or more will receive 100 percent tuition benefits
· § 30 days consecutive service and discharged for service-connected disability will receive 100 percent tuition benefits
§ 30-36 months receive 90 percent tuition benefits
§ 24-30 months receive 80 percent tuition benefits
§ 18-24 months receive 70 percent tuition benefits
§ 12-18 months receive 60 percent tuition benefits
§ 6-12 months receive 50 percent tuition benefits
§ 3-6 months receive 40 percent tuition benefits
The monthly housing allowance and the books and supplies stipend are reduced in the same manner as the tuition benefits. Separated or retired military who have left military service before September 11, 2001 or did not meet the requirements listed will continue to receive their education benefits under the MGIB. Service members who qualify for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill may still opt to use current MGIB if they choose; however, once they have chosen to start using the Post 9/11 GI Bill they will no longer have the option to choose to change programs.
Service members who qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill who have used some, but not all, of their MGIB-AD Active Duty entitlement (months of benefits) may opt to use the Post 9/11 GI Bill for the remaining months of entitlement.
The MGIB-AD benefits, starting August 2008, will increase from $1,100 per month to $1,321 per month. Service members who have enlisted with contracts that include college funding will still receive their contracted college payments, which will be distributed monthly while the student receives GI Bill payments.
Benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill
Military members who have the option to use the new Post 9/11 GI Bill will have to make a decision whether or not to take on the new benefits. There are a lot of decisions to factor in: how does the Post 9/11 GI Bill fit in with existing state benefits, scholarships, fellowship, and other tuition opportunities? It is possible that it would be more beneficial to stick with the current MGIB benefits.
On the other hand, the new GI Bill offers many advantages: direct payment to schools, tuition benefits up to the highest cost in-State tuition for undergraduate programs (charged by a public institution) , a housing allowance, and book stipend, etc. For many students, the new Post 9/11 GI Bill will translate into a “no expense” education.
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MGIB |
Post 9/11 GI Bill |
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Monthly benefit up to $1,321 per month for 36 months. These payments are made to the student during the time the student is actively enrolled in school. Beginning October 1, 2009, benefits increase October 1 of each year based on increases in the average undergraduate tuition in the US using data from the National Center for Education . |
Tuition equal to the fees and rates paid to the schools up to the cost of the most expensive public state school’s in-State undergraduate tuition. |
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36 months of eligibility |
Up to 36 months of eligibility |
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Eligibility for benefits for 10 years after separation or retirement. Those who choose to stay with the MGIB will not receive an extension of that deadline. |
Eligibility for benefits for 15 years after separation or retirement. Reservists and Guardsmen are eligible for benefits equal to active duty service members. |
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Monthly allowance for living expense based on the monthly basic allowance for housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents. This is based on the zip code for the school in which the individual is enrolled. [Active duty members, students enrolled half time or less, and distance learning students are not eligible]. |
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Up to $1,000 stipend per year for books and study materials. |
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Up to $100 per month for tutoring (not to exceed a maximum of $1,200 total benefits) |
Up to $100 per month for tutoring (not to exceed a maximum of $1,200 total benefits. |
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One time relocation payment of $500 if the student has to move more than 500 miles or more from a highly rural area to attend school. |
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Eligible to receive benefits for on-the-job training, apprenticeship training, correspondence courses, flight training, preparatory courses, and national exams. |
Eligible to receive benefits for approved programs offered by institutions of higher learning (degree granting institutions)
Only those individuals who transfer to the new benefit program from the MGIB, MGIB-SR, or REAP are eligible for benefits for on-the-job training, apprenticeship training, correspondence courses, flight training, or courses at other than institutions of higher learning. Such individuals will be paid amounts similar to what they would have been paid under the benefit program from which they transferred. (No housing allowance and no book stipend.) |
| Education Benefits Under MGIB may be transferred to Family Members (spouse or child) if the active duty military member has served at least 6 years and agrees to serve another 4 years active duty. Up to 18 months of benefits may be transferred to Family Members Effective June 30, 2008 the military may offer individuals who agree to serve four more years the ability to transfer up to 36 months of benefits. The policies for officers’ ability to transfer benefits are determined by the individual services. |
DoD may allow an individual to elect to transfer entitlement to one or more family members (spouse or child) if the individual– · Is a member of the Armed Forces on or after August 1, 2009, and –Has served at least six years in the Armed Forces; and –Agrees to serve at least another four years in the Armed Forces. Up to 36 months of benefits may be transferred to Family Members.
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| All costs, fees and tuitions above the MGIB payment is the responsibility of the student. |
If tuition does not meet the costs of a college or university, the school may participate in the “Yellow Ribbon Program.” Schools may then voluntarily fund up to 50 percent of the tuition not already covered and the Department of Veterans Affairs will match that contribution dollar for dollar. Only those individuals eligible for 100% benefit level qualify for yellow ribbon program. |
Application for the Post 9/11 GI Bill
The new GI Bill applications are not prepared as of August 2008.
Application for the MGIB
To collect benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill, the education program must be approved for VA benefits. Approval of programs for GI Bill benefits use may be verified by the schools financial aid office, veteran’s assistance office or by the VA. Individuals may also determine if a school’s programs are approved on VA’s website at www.gibill.va.gov.
Students must complete VA Form 22-1990 (Application for Education Benefitsand send it to the VA regional processing office listed on the application form or file online at http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp. In addition to the MGIB and Post 9/11 GI Bill, the VA has other education benefit programs (such as vocational rehabilitation). Service members may only receive one benefit at a time and may only receive a maximum of 48-month of education benefits in total.
Reserve Service Members Under The MGIB
Reservists who do not qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill may still use their benefits under the MGIB-SR (Montgomery GI Bill—Selected Reserve) The MGIB-SR provides a maximum of $317 month (as of October 2007) not to exceed 36 months to cover education expenses,. To be eligible, reservists must have a commitment to serve for six years in the Selected Reserve or National Guard after June 30, 1985. Reservists must also complete initial active duty for training (IADT), received a high school diploma (or equivalency) and remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit.
Apprenticeship Programs and Vocational Education
There are still other ways opportunities to use the GI Bill benefits beyond a traditional college or university education. Eligible separated or retired military members receiving on-the-job or apprenticeship training may receive monthly benefits from the VA.
Under MGIB-AD, apprenticeship and on-the-job payments for prior-active duty personnel can be as high as $990.75 per month. Under MGIB-SR, Reserve and Guard members may receive payments as high as $269.45 for similar training. A full list of rates may be found on the VA GI Bill Web site (www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/rates.htm).
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, individuals are not entitled to benefits for on-the-job or apprenticeship training. However, there is an exception for those individuals who elect the Post-9/11 GI Bill and transfer form MGIB, MGIB-SR or the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP). Such individuals will be paid benefits as if they are still under the program they transferred from.
New GI Bill For A New America
Every Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine has made a sacrifice. They have answered a call to duty, putting their civilian lives behind and standing up to defend their country, their community, their family and their ideals. In addition to the lifestyle hardships, personal risk, and stress on their family; service members also put their civilian marketability on hold to serve their country. While the military is still one of the best training grounds for superior technical and vocational skills, civilian employers want to see that experience accompany a good formal education on a resume.
No other legislation in the 20th or the 21st century has opened more prospects for veterans in their post-military careers by combining unparalleled experience and training with a formal education. The new Post 9/11 GI Bill creates even greater opportunities for veteran students to take advantage of America’s high-education.
The veterans of World War II took advantage of the GI Bill to create one of the greatest eras of prosperity this country has ever seen. It is time again for our veterans to stand up, use their GI Bill benefits and transform this country into another era of innovation, opportunity and prosperity.
Entry Filed under: air force, army, employment, jobs, marine, military, navy, stories, veteran. Tags: 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008, Military Education, Montgomery GI Bill, National Guard, post 9/11 gi bill, post military employment, Reserves, veteran, Veteran administration, veteran education, veterans, vocational rehabilitation.
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1.
navycs | July 23, 2008 at 1:33 am
And those of us who didn’t sign up for VEAP (the biggest rip off ever) still get nothing
*not that I’d have used it anyway*
2. President Signs Post-9/11&hellip | July 23, 2008 at 10:15 am
[...] June 30, 2008 (More updates and comprehensives explanation of the program is now up on this blog.) [...]
3. New G.I. Bill “Quic&hellip | August 5, 2008 at 8:04 am
[...] July 8, 2008 (These are the quick facts, for full explanation of benefits read this post. “THE OFFICIAL POST 9/11 GI BILL EXPLAINED”) [...]
4.
scott | August 7, 2008 at 9:11 am
The (B)(ii) is what points to the requirement for an honorable discharge, yet I’m curious about this subsection (B)(i). Is looks like the honorable discharge requirement is part of an OR statement that presents “continues on active duty for an aggregate of less than 18 months” as an alternative.
I am personally curious because I spent 4 years in service, was in for about 18 months post 9/11, with a small part in a combat zone, yet ended up with a general discharge. If you read this like I am, if someone does NOT receive an honorable, they can qualify under the other subsection, perhaps for half their aggregate period if you really wanted to argue it.
`(6) An individual who–
`(A) commencing on or after September 11 , 2001, serves an aggregate of at least 12 months, but less than 18 months, on active duty in the Armed Forces (excluding service on active duty in entry level and skill training); and
`(B) after completion of service described in subparagraph (A)–
`(i) continues on active duty for an aggregate of less than 18 months; or
`(ii) before completion of service on active duty of an aggregate of 18 months, is discharged or released from active duty as described in subsection (c).
5.
dragonflydm | August 7, 2008 at 9:59 am
To put it in plain English— if you served on active duty 90 days after 9/11/01 and received a discharge under honorable conditions, you are more than likely qualified for the new G.I. Bill.
There is a minimum requirement amount of service to be qualified for any VA education program. There are exceptions for wounded warriors, etc.
Overall, a general discharge (under honorable conditions) should warrant you the VA education benefits.
Bottom line– if you qualified for the MGIB and you served after 9/11 then you qualify for the new program.
6.
Rigoberto Rivas | May 8, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I got an under honorable conditions discharge
I just sent the application online
I served for a about a year
I’m still nervous
It just seems too good to be true
I hope your right
The reason I doubt you is that on the VA website it says
‘ Veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001 and received an honorable discharge will qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. To qualify for the full benefit a veteran must have served at least 3 years of active duty after September 10, 2001 ‘
That is from the VA WEBSITE
I called the GI BILL phone number and talked to someone who said I may. Its up to the DOD. And they have their own criteria
I also posted a question about this on the VA Website
I don’t know what they are gonna say but
I am crossing my fingers
7.
Joshua Hudson | May 16, 2009 at 2:12 pm
If you were a reservist and you served only a short time active duty, then you may not be eligible for full payment. Nevertheless if you served active duty for that time and were discharged honorably, then you are eligible for all of your veteran benefits. However, for the Post 9/11 bill, they do have requirements. If you are not eligible for Chapter 33, you will still be eligible for Chapter 30 education benefits.
8.
Rigoberto Rivas | May 12, 2009 at 10:36 pm
What if its for misconduct?
9.
Joshua Hudson | May 16, 2009 at 2:10 pm
If you were discharged for anything other than honorable conditions (admin, medical, honorable discharges) then you are not eligible for VA benefits. If you want your rating changed, you can appeal your discharge.
10.
scott | August 7, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Thanks, dragonflydm. It sure does look to cover everyone who qualified under the MGIB and served after 9/11. It also seems that in the event someone does not receive an honorable, or even receives general other than honorable, their time is considered still active duty. With that being so, I wonder if they are eligible for benefits corresponding to the time they served after 9/11. It looks like the law is set up to give them benefits for the amount of time they served after 9/11, but if they received an honorable they get the full time.
11.
dragonflydm | August 7, 2008 at 12:46 pm
No…if you are active duty, you receive full benefits regardless of amount of time (beyond 90 days) you served after 9/11/01.
For Reservists, the portion of tuition is determined by time activated after 9/11
12.
scott | August 7, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Neat. Well, thanks a ton for the help. Hard to say if I’ll be in school when this is fully put into effect, or if I’d even have the audacity to apply. Either way, should be interesting to see how it plays out, and is definitely good thing for those coming home.
13.
Will | October 2, 2008 at 2:42 pm
So this means because I got out of the Army and used my GI Bill to further my education, I cant use this new one because I used my old one? What a rip off for those that atcually used the original GI Bill after spending 2 years in Iraq!
14.
josh | January 10, 2009 at 3:02 pm
So… I wasn’t eligible for the old GI bill because I took $250 over some limit for college from the air force. Now, I can get the new 911 bill but I can’t use it for flight training to get my commercial license. What a bunch of crap!!!
15.
dragonflydm | January 13, 2009 at 7:57 pm
It is a shame that you may fall between the cracks on this one, but you make ask for a waiver. The worse they can say is “no.”
16.
Geoffrey B Miller | January 19, 2009 at 11:26 am
I really wish that they would revisit this for the Non-traditional or Online students.
I was a Navy Corpsman between Mar’00 through Jan’07 to include time as a field medic with the Infantry Marines during the Invasion of Iraq and now serve the dual roles as a civilian exercise physiologist for the air force and a healthcare administration officer in the army reserves.
I’ve been an online student for the Bachelors [while on active duty], Masters and current Doctoral program and am looking at continuing with the Navy College Fund/Kicker payments over that of the Post 911 GI Bill and taking on more schools loans throughout completion of the terminal degree just as with the Masters [Jul'07-Jul'08]. The projected grand sum will be about $110k.
Both the new roles in the Army Reserves and Federal employment will offer TA through to the first Masters. which offers no benefit to those who already have one and are working towards a terminal degree.
All this doesn’t really help those with responsibilities as I’m also a single parent who recieves zero help from my sons mother, so need the education benefits for additional income as well.
I am in great hopes that this new GI Bill will be revised to needs of real American Veterans who also have full time responsibilites.
17.
Dee | March 5, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I don’t understand why a person (officer) who went to one of the academies and has served after 9/11 will qualify for this plan. My husband is an officer who first did a 4 year enlisted service, got out and went through ROTC and used most of his GI bill ( a couple months of benefits left). He is still in active duty after 15 years of service. This means an officer from West Point received his free education, served just the mandatory 5 and he gets to use the new bill. What a whole bunch of crap. The academy training should be enough payment.
18.
Matt Bozeman | May 27, 2009 at 8:20 pm
A friend of mine in the Navy, told me that my father who has just recently retired out of the National Guard as a Master Seargent, could use this for my college tuition.
Is there any truth to this?
19.
Tim Olejar | June 14, 2009 at 10:33 pm
I have served our country honorably and with distinction. I just got a letter from the VA about my denial for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. You see after 10 years away from active duty you can no longer access this bill and you loose the $1200.00 invested. There is a new post 9/11 G.I. bill that expands college education but I was in before this period. Why is my government taking my $1200.00 and discounting the men and women that put our lives on hold to secure our country?
I served active duty from 1989-1995 and stayed in the reserves until 2005. I was a fuels Specialist and Firefighter for the Air Force. I just do not understand what my country has to gain by denying there service members that paid to an education program.
I served during the cold war, Gulf war 1 and 2. I am now enrolled in college trying to access benefits we earned. The country was secured by men and women that are now denied access to a source of funding we paid for. If the United States congress is going to open benefits to military men and women who served from 10 September 2001, why not the ones who served before? This seems to me like age discrimination but maybe I do not get it because I was one who served our country before school.
On 10 September 2001 I was working at Tacom Warren Mi. as a Firefighter and the weekend after I went to Selfridge ANGB Mi. for drill. I served with honor and distinction in both the Active and Reserve branches of the Air Force. Our country is overlooking hundreds of thousands of veterans and rewarding newer veterans above us. I do not know where to start with this and do know there is nothing that can help fast enough. As slow as our country acts to help its veterans we might just have space marines but if there were a bank failing STAND BACK.
We veterans are equal and should be treated as such. I am sending this letter to everyone who is willing to hear it. Since when is it a good practice for the federal government to profit from veterans? Is this practice accepted by your office? The military is the only lynch pin holding this country together any more. After all you recently stated we, as Americans, are loosing our status in our education level. Did you ever wonder why? Our economy is a mess and my attending college would boost the economy.
Why are the veterans that didn’t find time in the first 10 years bieng overlooked on the new bill? What did you do with veterans money we paid for this.
Tim Olejar
20.
nonya buz | June 15, 2009 at 8:39 am
this bill ignores pre 911 vets and includes other than honarable vets post 911.
21.
nonya buz | June 15, 2009 at 8:42 am
Why doesn’t this bill extend to all vets? I was denied G.I. bill because I waited 10 years past my last active duty, but was told I could not use while in reserves. They were wrong and I miss out but if this bill covered all vets I would be covered because of the 15 year grace.
22.
dragonflydm | July 1, 2009 at 8:57 am
I get this complaint a lot. I wonder if there was internet in 1946, if the WWI vets– who got nothing after the war, were fired on when they marched on Washington in 1923 for their $50 war bond, and never had a VA to benefit from– would have been outraged that our WWII vets received their education, home loans, and job projects?
23.
Joshua Hudson | March 4, 2009 at 10:06 am
Feel free.