VA Plans to begin accepting applications on May 1, 2009. A revised application will be available at www.gibill.va.gov. Applications will be able to be submitted electronicly on website at Veterans On-Line Application (VONAPP). The new application includes a Post 9/11 GI Bill Option.

Note: VA is not currently accepting applications for Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) to Spouse/Children. Visit www.gibill.va.gov for more information about TOE.

WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEFORE ELECTING THE POST 9/11 GI BILL???

1. Which Program is more Financially Advantageous for me? MGIB, MGIB-SR, REAP or Post 9/11 GI Bill????? HOW may I receive 48 months of benefits????

2. What type of training you plan to pursue.

3. Cost of tuition and fees at your school.

4. Highest in-state undergraduate tuition and fees at a public institution in the state where your school is located.

5. Amount of the monthly housing allowance in the zip code where your school is located (housing allowance is based on school's zip code, not your residence zip code - payments are made at the end of the month like payments are currently made under MGIB).

6. The number of courses you plan to pursue. (will you be 1/2 time or less?)

7. Other state education benefits available to you. (National Guard Tuition Waiver or Reserve Tuition Assistance)

8. Other VA educational benefits you may be entitled to receive.

9. Other financial aid you may be entitled to receive.

COMPARE be4 you APPLY - do the math BEFORE you apply - APPLYING for Post 9/11 GI Bill is an IRREVOCABLE Choice.

What happens after I've made my IRREVOCABLE choice and submit my application?

VA will be reviewing applications under the Post 9/11 GI Bill and issuing Certificates of Eligibility (COEs) to qualified (approved) individuals. The COE will contain basic eligibility information including months of entitlement, period of eligibility and benefit level. Individuals eligible at the 100% rae will also be advised of eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon Program. If you have chosen a specific school and program, the COE will also indicate if Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits are payable for that school and program. Upon receipt of your COE, you should retain a copy for your records and submit a copy to the VA Certifying Official at the school you plan to attend.
(Hint: Your school certifying offical can not process your certification of enrollment without your COE).

Note: The Post 9/11 GI Bill will not pay for any training prior to 1 August 2009.

Note: The Housing Allowance is not paid to students who are 1/2 time or less.

Note: The Housing Allowance is not paid to students who are only taking Distance Learning (Online) Courses.

Note: If you served less than 36 months of Active Duty after 10 September 2001 - you will not receive 100% of the benefits (exceptions and rules are listed here: http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/CH33/Benefit_Comparison_Chart.htm). AND this will mean that you are responsbile for the part of the Tuition and Fees the VA can not pay to the school.

Note: If the school you choose to attend charges more than the Tuition and Fees approved for your state, YOU will be responsible to pay the difference. Also see the rules for Yellow Ribbon program and find out if your school is a participant in this program.

Please read the above post VERY CAREFULLY. Know what's best for you and before you decide to switch to the new GIBill, if you have any questions...ask them. Ask them here or somewhere reliable. But ask them before you leap.

I would suggest that if anyone is interested in using and/or converting over to the Post 911 GI Bill that they send their application in as soon as possible.

I already downloaded and sent mine in. When I called to verify it had been received I was told that thousands have already been received but cannot be processed until May 1 (as it states on the GI Bill website).

The longer you wait to apply, the higher chance your application may be delayed.

The people in this department do a wonderful job but they are only human and only have a few months to process thousands of applications.

quote:

Originally posted by 3591720:
I would suggest that if anyone is interested in using and/or converting over to the Post 911 GI Bill that they send their application in as soon as possible.

I already downloaded and sent mine in. When I called to verify it had been received I was told that thousands have already been received but cannot be processed until May 1 (as it states on the GI Bill website).

The longer you wait to apply, the higher chance your application may be delayed.

The people in this department do a wonderful job but they are only human and only have a few months to process thousands of applications.

Please IGNORE the above posting by 3591720 for the following reasons:

1. he/she is no longer a member of Military.com.

2. It is physically immpossible for the VA to have received 1000's of applications as the application form VA 22-1990 was just released online a few days ago and it takes 3 to 4 days to reach the Regional Processing Office through the US Mail.

3. The online VONAPP application for the Post 9/11 GI Bill has not been turned on as of yet. Probably will be turned on 1 May or shortly thereafter.

4. The Dept of Veterans Affairs has hired hundreds of new employess just to handle the applications for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill.

5. It will probably only take a maximum of 60 days to process an application for Post 9/11 GI Bill by the Dept of VA.

6. Your School Certifying Office will not be able to certify your Fall enrollment schedules until mid July. So that is plenty of time for the Regional Processing Office to process your applications.

Can someone please help me out with this?

I am trying to find out how exactly to apply for this. It is my husband who is active Army- myself prior service.

I had to call VA to find out whose information actually goes onto the form as it really isn't explained if your put the SSN and name info of the soldier, or for the person the benefit is being used for.

Anyway, I did find out that it is my husband whose info goes on to the form and is submitted.
However, then is there another form that is filled out to transfer his benefit over to me?

Should I just go ahead and have him fill out the VONAAP form for education benefits to at least get it submitted and the process started? He can't get into the see the educational rep for his unit (MEPS) because there isn't one- His XO is currently temporarily doing the duties

Thanks for any advice

At this point my understanding is that unless your spouse re-enlisted with the option to transfer part of his entitlement, then only he can use the benefit. You can use your own benefit. The transfer rights are very limited. Only certain Army MOS who re-enlist and transfer part of their rights as their bonus and certain disabled veterans may transfer rights to dependents.

Well, he has just within the last year re-enlisted for indefinitely so I don't think I have to worry about re-enlistment part- He has been in for almost 13 years. And 7 of it he has been a recruiter which he still is since they changed his MOS to 79R

My GI Bill ends in Nov but college starts in Aug. I am hoping to get some of his benefits to finish my degree

quote:

Originally posted by thesimonsens:
Well, he has just within the last year re-enlisted for indefinitely so I don't think I have to worry about re-enlistment part- He has been in for almost 13 years. And 7 of it he has been a recruiter which he still is since they changed his MOS to 79R

My GI Bill ends in Nov but college starts in Aug. I am hoping to get some of his benefits to finish my degree

1. Your husband has to fill out special paperwork at the time on his reenlistment in order to transfer some on his MGIB entitlement to you. If he didn't do this at the time he reenlisted, it can't be changed now - I am a retired Career Counselor PMOS 79350 and this is a fact.

2. If you are using MGIB benefits and you exhaust your MGIB benefits in Nov 09:

A. VA will pay you benefits until the end of the semester UNLESS Nov 09 is your delimiting date (date you have 10 years after seperation from service). If you have reached your 10 year delimiting date, they will only pay from the 1st day of school in Aug until that date in Nov 09.

B. If you served after 10 Sept 2001, you may be eligible for an additional 12 months of benefits AFTER you have completely exhausted your 36 months of benefits under MGIB. Read here (2nd paragraph in yellow box): www.gibill.va.gov. DO NOT apply for Post 9/11 GI Bill until you are ready to start using it. For example, your benefits under MGIB are completely exhausted in Nov 09 so you apply and use MGIB for the Fall semester - then Apply for CH33 Post 9/11 GI Bill and ENTER the 1st day of your class for the Spring 2010 semester in the application box for the effective date.

3. Part of the Post 9/11 GI Bill will be transferability of benefits to spouse/children - BUT Dept. of Defense has not issued the rules and regulations YET. Once they have, each branch of service will have to issue their own rules - so Once the Army issues the rules, your husband will have to apply (if he meets the rules) and once the application is approved, you will be able to use his Post 9/11 Gi Bill Benefits.

Last Info you need to know: While your spouse is on Active Duty - you will only be paid Tuition and Fees while attending college - No Housing Allowance and No Book Stipand

Only Spouses of Veterans will receive the Tuition/Fees, Housing Allowance, and Book Stipand AND the Veteran had to transfer the benefits WHILE HE/SHE WAS ON ACTIVE DUTY.

Are you sure you are correct about this:

"Your husband has to fill out special paperwork at the time on his reenlistment in order to transfer some on his MGIB entitlement to you. If he didn't do this at the time he reenlisted, it can't be changed now"


I mean, he re-enlisted just prior to this Post 9/11 GI Bill was even in the air. He won't ever need to sign re-enlistment papers again as he has already signed re-enlistment papers for INDEFINITELY. That doesn't make any sense that they would say he can't transfer his benefits, someone who has almost 13 years in and has signed over his life to the military and will not going to be out of the Army for at least another 6 years.

quote:

Originally posted by thesimonsens:
Are you sure you are correct about this:

"Your husband has to fill out special paperwork at the time on his reenlistment in order to transfer some on his MGIB entitlement to you. If he didn't do this at the time he reenlisted, it can't be changed now"


I mean, he re-enlisted just prior to this Post 9/11 GI Bill was even in the air. He won't ever need to sign re-enlistment papers again as he has already signed re-enlistment papers for INDEFINITELY. That doesn't make any sense that they would say he can't transfer his benefits, someone who has almost 13 years in and has signed over his life to the military and will not going to be out of the Army for at least another 6 years.

Yes 100% sure, PMOS 79S for 18+ years. For the past 4 years, Active Duty Army soldiers have been offered the MGIB transferability option as part of their reenlistment IF they were authorized a reenlistment bonus. If your husband wasn't eligible for a reenlistment bonus, then he wasn't eligible for the MGIB transferability program. This is not the Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability program but a program that has been available for a while - know many spouses who are currently using this program right now. I am also a VA Certification Specialist at a University right now and I certify these spouses for their educ. benefits that were transfered from their husbands. So I did this when I reenlisted soldiers and now I'm at the college helping spouses use their transfered benefits.

And it does make since, your a vet. you know how the military works. It's just like being promoted - have meet all the qualifications.

Have to wait and see what both the Dept of Defense and Dept of the Army put out about the rules/regulations on the Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability.

Tom Philpott

DoD Defines New GI Bill Transfer Rules
April 30, 2009
New GI Bill Transfer Rules Give Members More Control

Servicemembers nearing the end of their careers will find it easier than first thought to transfer new Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to their spouse or children, under Department of Defense regulations. http://www.military.com/money-for-school/gi-bill/new-gi-bill-overview

And servicemembers who elect to transfer GI Bill benefits will be allowed to modify or revoke that decision at any time, thus keeping control of a benefit with an average start value estimated at $75,000 to $90,000.

Bob Clark, assistant director of accession policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, discussed the transferability feature of the new GI Bill in some depth during an April 29 phone interview.

The details should comfort many long-serving careerists – including enlisted members facing high-year tenure rules or officers facing mandatory retirement – who worried about being denied transferability because they might not meet a requirement in law to serve four additional years.

Clark said the four-year requirement will be relaxed, and for some waived entirely, for individuals near to retirement. The regulation on transferability isn't final yet because it hasn't been signed.

"We're awaiting a general counsel opinion on the [need for] publishing them in the Federal Register," Clark said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs administers all veterans' education benefits. Defense officials are only responsible for transferability policy because of the potential impact on recruiting and retention. Officials decided to confirm policy details before they officially are set because VA will begin to accept Post-9/11 GI Bill application on Friday May 1.

Here then are the transferability details, as explained by Clark:

ELIGIBILITY – Only members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve on or after Aug. 1, 2009, can transfer new GI Bill benefits, and only spouse or to children or to any combination thereof. Immediate family status will be confirmed through the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System. http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare/defense-enroll...ity-reporting-system

Unused benefits, up to the full 36 months, can be transferred. "You can give 36 months to one child or one month to 36 children," Clark quipped.

To transfer benefits, members must have served a minimum of six years and commit to serving four more from date benefit transfer is approved. However, exceptions – one permanent and five temporary -- will be allowed to the four-year added service requirement.

PERMANENT EXCEPTION: If a servicemember who already has served at least 10 years is barred by service policy or statute from serving an additional four years, because of high-year tenure rules or mandatory retirement rules, they still will be allowed to transfer GI bill benefits if they agree to serve the maximum amount of time allowed by that policy or law.

TEMPORARY EXCEPTIONS: Defense officials will allow five other waivers to the four-year requirement of additional service for categories of members nearing retirement eligibility or with retirement orders in hand.

These exceptions are to recognize, said Clark, "that we have a senior force out there who, had they had this opportunity many years ago, they probably would have selected transferability for their family members."

Granting these exceptions also help force managers, he said. Without them, the services would see thousands of retirement-eligible servicemembers trying to stay four years longer to qualify for GI Bill transferability. That could have "a very negative impact on our force profiles," Clark said.

"So we said, ‘Let's look at a way that we can phase this group out.' We developed five rules. All will sunset in 2013."

1) Members retirement eligible by Aug. 1, 2009, may transfer GI Bill benefits to an immediate family member and face no additional service requirement. "Retirement eligible" means completion of 20 years of active service or 20 qualifying years of reserve service.

2) Members with approved orders to retire on or after Aug. 1, 2009, but before July 1, 2010, will not have to serve added time to transfer benefits. This is to avoid forcing the services and members to change set retirement dates in the next year or so. Retirements set for after July 1, 2010, officials decided, could be changed with little difficulty.

3) Members who first become retirement eligible on or after Aug. 1, 2009, but before Aug. 1, 2010, will be required to serve one additional year from the date that transfer of GI Bill benefits is approved.

4) Members who become retirement eligible on or after Aug. 1, 2010, but before Aug. 1, 2011, will have to serve two additional years from the date that benefit transfer is approved.

5) Members who become retirement eligible on or after Aug. 1, 2011, but before Aug. 1, 2012, will have to serve three additional years after benefit transfer is approved.

SUSTAINED ELIGIBILITY – After transfer of benefits, spouse eligibility will not be affected by divorce, and children will stay eligible even if they marry. But the member retains ownership of the benefit and can modify or revoke transfer at any time without explanation. Also, the GI Bill benefit cannot be treated by judges as property to be shared in a divorce.

LIMITS ON USE – A spouse can use GI Bill benefits like the member. The monthly living stipend, set to match local Basic Allowance for Housing rate, won't be paid if the member is on active duty. If the member has left active duty, the spouse will be paid the living allowance. Children get the allowance whenever they use GI Bill benefits.

Also, the spouse has 15 years to use benefits after the member leaves service. Children can use only until age 26. They can start using transferred GI Bill benefits after graduating from high school or at age 18.

A spouse can use transferred benefits immediately. A child can't use GI Bill benefits until the member has served at least 10 years.

"We hope to start to accept requests for transfers in June," said Clark. "But the earliest date transfer would be approved is Aug. 1."

When will VA begin acceping applications from service members who wish to transfer their G.I. Bill benefits to their children? My son starts his freshmen year on college on 20 August 2009.

quote:

Originally posted by adcsfed:
When will VA begin acceping applications from service members who wish to transfer their G.I. Bill benefits to their children? My son starts his freshmen year on college on 20 August 2009.

CSM, It will be a multi-step process - first through the active duty branch for approval to transfer the benefits - then your son's application to VA to use the transfered benefits.

DoD has not announced the rules/regulations/proceedures for the active duty to transfer benefits to spouse or children as of today. You will need to check with your Career Counselor or Education Service Officer. The last line in Tom Philpot's new article says probably won't be until June.

I went this week to the education center to find out the exact rules and it appears that the person whom I was asked to talk too had no exact information about this Bill. I just want to clarify something here and hopefully someone who works with this stuff can help me out.

I am currently Enlisted and have served in October 6 years active duty. My son will graduate next May and I was praying I would be eligable to transfer.

I read on one page that you are required to have 6 years service before you can apply, but that your contract must extend to ten years serving.

Now I read that I need to have already served ten years in order to be eligable.

Also, I will next month possibly make the transition from Enlisted to Officer and I am not sure if that makes a difference or not.

Can someone please clarify this for me and what I need to do

quote:

Originally posted by SusanneCollins:
I went this week to the education center to find out the exact rules and it appears that the person whom I was asked to talk too had no exact information about this Bill. I just want to clarify something here and hopefully someone who works with this stuff can help me out.

I am currently Enlisted and have served in October 6 years active duty. My son will graduate next May and I was praying I would be eligable to transfer.

I read on one page that you are required to have 6 years service before you can apply, but that your contract must extend to ten years serving.

Now I read that I need to have already served ten years in order to be eligable.

Also, I will next month possibly make the transition from Enlisted to Officer and I am not sure if that makes a difference or not.

Can someone please clarify this for me and what I need to do

Most of your questions will be answered here: http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bi...fo/CH33/Transfer.htm and your Battalion or Brigade Career Counselor will be your POC for the actual transferability information for your exact situation.

Thanks for the information that was the webpage I read. I will have to wait until my next duty station, since I am kind of out of the limb at this moment with a career councelor until January. Appreciate your answer.