75th Force Support- Education and Training

ANSWER:
No. The VA says if you are willing to stay but can’t (for honorable reasons of course), for instance HYT or medical discharge, then you can still TEB. Best suggestion we can give is… if in doubt - apply for TEB anyway – and find out! Don’t assume you don’t have a benefit and not even try.

2. QUESTION:
I heard the new GI Bill will pay me a Basic Housing Allowance (BHA) stipend each month if I am attending school “…more than half time”; is that true?

ANSWER:
Possibly! If you are separated/retired from active duty you would be eligible for the housing stipend. However, if still on active duty neither you nor your spouse (if you transferred some of your benefits to them) would be eligible for the housing stipend. But the great news is that if you have dependent children using your transferred benefits while you are still on active duty they ARE eligible for the monthly housing stipend. Remember, if your enrollment drops to half time or less, or if you take a summer break, this housing stipend would stop.

3. QUESTION:
If I and/or one of my dependents are eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill monthly housing stipend, how much would each of us get?

ANSWER:
The housing stipend is based on the current DOD housing allowance at the E5 with dependents rate in the zip code of the school you/they are attending. So if you live here and are attending a school on base, and that school’s headquarters are in Rawlins Wyoming for example, the housing stipend would be at the E5 with dependents rate for that city.

4. QUESTION:
I transferred some of my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to all three of my children, one is living here and attending school in the local area, the other two are attending schools in other states. Are they all eligible for the monthly housing stipend?

ANSWER:
Yes, they are all eligible for the stipend and each would receive it at the E5 with dependents rate for the zip code of the school they are attending. But remember, they must be attending at the “…more than half time rate…” to remain eligible.

5. QUESTION:
I received and SRB for reenlisting. Now I submitted a Post 9/11 GI Bill Transfer of Eligibility (TEB) that requires me to extend my enlistment for 4 years. Will my SRB be affected?

ANSWER:
This is a question best answered by your military personnel folks, but when we asked our sources we were told that their understanding is that “SRB’s may be negatively impacted”, which we take to mean that quite possibly some or all of your SRB may have to be returned.

6. QUESTION:
If my dependent children qualify for the monthly housing stipend will that be sent directly to them, or am I kept in the loop?

ANSWER:
When you complete the TEB application you will be required to specify what bank account any eligible stipends will be sent to. So it will be up totally up to you.

7. QUESTION:
What is the Post 9/11 GI Bill “Yellow Ribbon Program”?

ANSWER:
As stated earlier, the maximum tuition rate is based on the highest undergraduate [even if attending graduate level classes] tuition rate for a public university in the State the school you are attending is located. Some schools that charge more that that rate have entered into the “Yellow Ribbon Program”. In that program the school will pay one half of the excess tuition, and the VA would cover the other half. There is a list of Yellow Ribbon schools on the www.gibill.va.gov web site. NOTE: you can participate in the Yellow Ribbon program only if you are qualified for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits at the 100% rate.

8. QUESTION:
I have up to 15 years to use my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits after I separate from active duty. Is this true for my spouse and children too, if I transfer some of my benefits to each one of them? My children are very young!

ANSWER:
This new Bill has allowed for these scenarios. A spouse has all the same restrictions as the sponsor, as far as stipends, the 15 year window, etc. However, a dependent child with transferred benefits has “no delimiting date”. They can use the benefit any time from the age of 18 [or graduation from high school] and up to the age of 26. If that age range does not fall within the sponsor’s 15 year window it doesn’t matter.

9. QUESTION:
Besides the monthly housing stipend I hear the new GI Bill will also pay $1000 for books and fees, is that true?

ANSWER:
Yes, if you qualify for the housing stipend you will also receive a $1000 per year stipend to help defray the cost of fees and books. This will not come in a lump sum but will be split up per term, based on the number of semester hours taken. A general rule of thumb rate to go by for planning purposes is approximately $41 per semester hour taken. The funds would be sent to the same account as the housing stipend. If for any reason you lost your eligibility for the housing stipend this one would stop as well.

10. QUESTION:
If I transfer my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits do I have to transfer all of them? Can I ever change the allocations?

ANSWER:
No and Yes. You have complete control over how much of your benefit is transferred. When you complete the TEB application you will be required to show who you want to receive some or all of your benefits [individual must be in DEERs as your dependent]. You will be required to indicate how much each individual will get [in whole months, no decimal points]; and when you want those benefits to start and stop. Let’s assume you have the full 36 months of education benefits to transfer to a spouse and 2 children. You could give your spouse 20 months and each dependent 3, and save 10 for yourself, etc., etc. whatever combination you choose. Once you have done the transfer you (the sponsor) can go back in and change, delete, add to, subtract from those allocations all you want, at any time you want [whether or not you are still on active duty], until the full 36 months are used up. So for example if you give dependent children Sally and Bill 18 months each, and Sally ends up with a full scholarship, you can go back in and transfer her 18 months over to Billy.

11. QUESTION:
I transferred my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to my spouse and children, when can they start using them?

ANSWER:
Your spouse can begin to use it immediately upon receiving the eligibility letter. Dependent children can use it AFTER you have 10 years of active duty time, and then any time from the age of 18 [or graduation from high school] and up to the age of 26. However, when you complete the TEB application you will be asked to provide a start/stop date for each person. If you choose dates that do not coincide with the above, the dates you specify will determine when they can start using the benefit.

12. QUESTION:
What is the “Top Up” program?

ANSWER:
This is a GI Bill benefit for active duty members who are using Tuition Assistance (TA) to pay for their tuition. If the tuition exceeds what TA will pay they can use “Top Up” and their GI Bill will cover the difference.

13. QUESTION:
Is there any difference between using “Top Up” under the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) and the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

ANSWER:
Yes, a big one! When using Top Up under the MGIB the VA would use formulas that considered how much money was used, how long the term was, etc. and that would determine how many months of your eligibility were used to cover the Top Up. This new GI Bill goes by time only. For example, under the new Bill, in the unlikely scenario that you were to use Top Up to cover just $10, and the class lasted 2 months, you just exhausted 2 full months of your 36 months of benefits just to cover $10! Our advice is to be careful about using Top Up under this new Bill – make sure it’s for a worthwhile amount of money.

14. QUESTION:
What happens if I transfer my Post 9/11 benefits to my dependents, incur an additional active duty service commitment, but then cancel/withdraw all those transferred benefits? Does the VA then cancel that active duty service commitment?

ANSWER:
No, that service commitment is between you and the DOD, not the VA. Our understanding is that the service commitment stays in place and you would have to petition through your military personnel channels to have it shortened or withdrawn.

15. QUESTION:
What happens if I transfer my Post 9/11 benefits to my dependents, incur an additional active duty service commitment, but then renege on that commitment?

ANSWER:
A couple of things happen. First, any eligibility your dependents had would of course be withdrawn. Second, if they have already used any of those benefits you (the sponsor) will be liable to reimburse the VA for those benefits used.

16. QUESTION:
I am taking all Distance Learning (online) courses to get my degree, am I eligible for the monthly housing stipend?

ANSWER:
No, as currently written (and already amended) you will only be eligible for the housing allowance if you take at least one brick & mortar (in the classroom) class. Numerous schools are petitioning Congress as we speak to change this requirement, but as of this date that is the way it is written.

17. QUESTION:
I am having trouble with my Math class; does this new GI Bill help with any tutoring costs?

ANSWER:
Yes, they will pay up to $100 per month ($1200 max per year) for tutoring (for a course required by your degree program. And the cost is NOT deducted from your 36 months of benefits.

18. QUESTION:
I saw that the Post 9/11 GI Bill covers “Certification Test” up to $2000, but the certification program I want to attend cost more than that. Are there other options available?

ANSWER:
Please don’t confuse “Certification Programs” with “Certification Tests”. If the program you are attending is a VA certified program than your normal 36 months of education benefits would be used to cover the cost of attending the training. The Post 9/11 GI Bill will also pay a ONE TIME “Licensing or Certification TEST” fee up to $2000. This is not deducted from your 36 months of benefits. This covers the cost of the license or certification test only, not the training program itself. I emphasized ONE TIME because the VA will only cover one test, so we suggest you use it wisely. If you use it for a $50 test, it’s gone!

19. QUESTION:
What happens if I, or one of my dependents using my transferred benefits; uses the GI Bill to pay for a failed or dropped course?

ANSWER:
The VA refers to this as “overpayment liability” and can require that those funds be returned. The Air Force has further clarified that if a dependent has an overpayment situation the sponsor is liable for the repayment. The message here is clear. This is an incredible opportunity for your dependents to get a college education using your GI Bill benefits, but they need to approach their education seriously and not risk putting their sponsor in a situation of possible financial liability.

20. QUESTION:
The Post 9/11 GI Bill went into effect on 1 Aug 2009. Will it pay for courses I attended before that date?

ANSWER:
No. The class must have a start date of 1 Aug 2009 or later. But the good news is that the VA will pay retroactively back to that date. So if you are attending a class while waiting to get your eligibility letter, once it comes the class(es) will be covered.

21. Question:

What is the maximum amount of tuition the Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay for a class?

ANSWER:
The maximum tuition rate is based on the highest undergraduate [even if attending graduate level classes] tuition rate for a public university in the State the school you are attending is located. The VA does not consider the rates charged by private schools in that state. If the school you are attending charges more per semester hour than the highest allowable rate then you would be responsible to make up that difference.

22. QUESTION:
With my MGIB I would enroll in a class, pay the tuition, then the VA would send me a check. Does the Post 9/11 GI Bill work the same way?

ANSWER:
No. Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill the tuition fees will be sent directly from the VA to the school you are attending, you will not see it.

23. QUESTION:
I notice that some GI Bill benefits are only available if I am attending school “Full Time” [or sometimes stated as ‘more than half time’ in the Post 9/11 GI Bill]. How is Full Time/Half Time determined?

ANSWER:
Full Time/Half Time status is determined by the length of the term and the number of semester hours you take. For example, in a school with 9 week terms the VA considers 6 semester hours taken as “full time”. However, in a school with 15 week terms, 6 semester hours is only considered “half time” and any full time benefits you qualified for would stop. Also remember that some schools have different term lengths for in classroom classes and their online classes, so if you have enrolled in one of each in the same term then it is possible that for part of that term when they overlap you would be “full time” and the rest of that term your full time benefits would stop. Each school’s VA rep can help you figure out your status based on your course load.

24. QUESTION:
Can I transfer my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to my dependents after I separate or retire from active duty?

ANSWER:
No. Transfer of Eligibility (TEB) is administered by the DOD, not the VA, and is intended as a retention tool; therefore it is only available while serving on active duty.

25. QUESTION:
I’m in the Reserves. What type of active duty service will count toward my minimum of 90 days active duty service time that is required by the new GI Bill?

ANSWER:
All Active duty supporting “named contingency operations” will qualify. Also, all voluntary active duty, except for medical evaluation or care qualifies. All forms of inactive duty (drills, funeral honors, annual training, as well as full time National Guard duty, do not qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit.

26. QUESTION:
How long do I have to use my GI Bill benefits?

ANSWER:
If you are using the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) you have 10 years after your date of separation from active duty to use those benefits. If you are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill you have 15 years after you separate from active duty to use those benefits. HINT: if you are approaching your MGIB deadline switching to the new bill will give you 5 more years!

27. QUESTION:
Which is better, the Montgomery GI Bill benefits or the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

ANSWER:
This is a tough question to answer as nearly every individual’s situation is different. While both cover tuition costs, only the Post 9/11 bill is transferrable and when eligible, pays a monthly housing stipend. We highly recommend you go to the www.gibill.va.gov web site and click on the blue box labeled “What Benefit is Best For Me?” You will have the opportunity to complete some side-by-side comparisons, including a calculator for comparing actual dollar amounts you would receive using either GI Bill.

28. QUESTION:
Am I required to have a certain amount of active duty service time before I can complete the Transfer of Eligibility Benefits (TEB) application to transfer my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to my dependents?

ANSWER:
Yes, you must have at least six (6) years of active duty service time to apply for TEB.

29. QUESTION:
If I transfer my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to my dependents will I incur an additional active duty service commitment?

ANSWER:
Possibly, it depends on how long you have been on active duty. The great thing is that if you do incur an additional commitment it is concurrent with any other commitment. For example, if on Monday you reenlist for four years, and also on Monday you fill out the application to transfer your benefits to your dependents and incur a four year service commitment – it’s the same four years – they don’t “stack” for
a total of eight years. The following chart shows the DOD’s current active duty service commitments associated with your Post 9/11 GI Bill Transfer of Eligibility Benefits (TEB):
TEB service requirements:
 Have an approved retirement date 2 Aug 2009 through 30 Jun 2010 have no additional service requirement
 Eligible to retire (completed 20 years of service)
 On or before 1 Aug 2009 - will incur no add’l service
 2 Aug 2009 - 31 Jul 2010 - will incur 1 add’l year
 1 Aug 2010 - 31 Jul 2011 - will incur 2 add’l years
 1 Aug 2011 - 31 Jul 2012 - will incur 3 add’l years
 1 Aug 2012 and thereafter - 4 additional years
*Additional service commitment begins at moment of TEB application
*Concurrent with other commitments (not “stacking”)

30. QUESTION:
Can I apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and use both that benefit and my Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB)?

ANSWER:
No. It is an either/or selection. If you choose to apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill you make an irrevocable switch from the MGIB. However, if you have used or will use some of your MGIB before making the switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill you can still switch over. The new Bill indicates that members are eligible for “up to 48 months of benefits…”, so conceivably you could use 12 months of your MGIB benefits and still be eligible for the full 36 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.

31. QUESTION:
I understand that once I have applied for and received back my letter indicating I am eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits my dependents can start using them too, is that right?

ANSWER:
Yes and No! Yes, it is true that you can transfer your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to any dependent listed in DEERS, however this is NOT automatic! Once you have received your benefits you will need to go right back to the same web site where you started ( www.gibill.va.gov ) and scroll about half way down the page and click on the link “Transfer Benefits to Dependents”. After reading the information that comes up, click on the link “For information on how to apply for TEB click here”. Read the section titled “How to apply for TEB [Transfer of Eligibility Benefits}”. More Info>>

32. QUESTION:
If I switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill do I have to reenlist or extend my active duty service commitment?

ANSWER:
No! There is absolutely no additional active duty service requirement associated with switching from the Montgomery GI Bill to the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

33. QUESTION:
Do I have to be full time active duty to qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

ANSWER:
No. Even some service time will result in some eligibility. The minimum is 90 days of service time, and this can be cumulative! For example, 3 active duty service commitments of 30 days each would total 90 days and would qualify you for the minimum benefit of 40%. The following chart shows the benefits received based on active duty service time.
Benefit Based on Amount of Service:
 100% -- 36 or more months; 30 days if service connected disability
 90% -- 30-35 months*
 80% -- 24-29 months*
 70% -- 18-23 months*
 60% -- 12-17 months*
 50% -- 6-11 months*
 40% -- 90 days-5 months*
* Percentages will increase if more active duty service time is accumulated after application
* Time toward service requirement begins after tech school and Academy/ROTC ADSC

34. QUESTION:
If I started using some of my Montgomery GI Bill benefits is it too late to switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

ANSWER:
No. You can still apply for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill even if you used some (or all) of your Montgomery GI Bill. The VA will determine how many months of education benefits you have left and this will be indicated on your letter of eligibility which you will receive in approximately 4 to 6 weeks after applying for the new GI Bill.

35. QUESTION:
If I have the Montgomery GI Bill does the VA switch me over to the new Post 9/11 GI Bill automatically?

ANSWER:
No! You must apply for the new GI Bill. In fact, whether or not you had the old GI Bill has no impact on whether or not you qualify for the new one. (NOTE: You can apply for the new GI Bill at www.gibill.va.gov Click on the blue button labeled “Apply for GI Bill Benefits”, then on the next page scroll down and click on the word “Education”, then click on the button labeled “Start Vonapp” [acronym for Veteran’s On-line Application]. Eventually you will want to look for the drop-down menu of forms and complete the VA Form 22-1990. As you work through these pages there are numerous links you should review as they each contain a great deal of information about your GI Bill benefits.)

For Consultations Please call or email:

Mark Kuerth 777-9983

Donald K. Davis 777-3764

You can also call 777-2710 for information.

HOURS OF OPERATION 0730 – 1630
Building 383, 7290 Weiner St
PHONE 801 777-2710
FAX 801 777-1605

Downloads & Links

9/11 GI Bill FAQ