Why should there be a limit at all. Many of our soldiers leave active duty and join either the reserves or National Guard. Because of the reserve commitments many of us could not use our GI Bill benefits because we were waiting for military schools, deployed or other commitments that prevented the use of our benefits. I am one, I was able to use almost 2 years but could not finish due to reserve commitments. There are no known extensions for those of us who continue to serve our country so we loose what we have earned by doing more?
Hello, I served in the gulf war and wanted to use the education benefits and just found out that the expire after ten years. GIVE ME A BREAK, how can this benefit ever expire after we have put our lives on the line for our country? How can we get this changed? this is an outrage and I am totally ticked. What can I do ? and advise will be helpful.
Doc - How can your reserve commitments prevent you from using your GI bill? I know many reserves who not only use GI bill, but also TA for their education. If you are going to school and called up you can ask (and will likely get) a deferment, and if not the school will generally (but, of course, not always) give you a full refund.
And if you are called up, then doesn't your 10 year period restart??
Why should there be a limit at all. Many of our soldiers leave active duty and join either the reserves or National Guard. Because of the reserve commitments many of us could not use our GI Bill benefits because we were waiting for military schools, deployed or other commitments that prevented the use of our benefits. I am one, I was able to use almost 2 years but could not finish due to reserve commitments. There are no known extensions for those of us who continue to serve our country so we loose what we have earned by doing more?
You can receive a 10 year extension of your Chapter 30 MGIB benefits if you were called to active duty but not active duty for training. If your call up was after 9/11/01 and was greater than 90 days. Even if your Chapter 30 benefits ended in let's say 1995, being called to active duty will still extend your benefits. Your new date to use your benefits will be 10 years from when you were released from active for the call up. Just send VA a copy of your most recent DD214 with a short note that you want your delimiting date extended based on your call to active duty.
Its just unfair that they take away the benefit period. You should be allowed the benefit and exhaust the benefit whenever you want for the duration of your life. Whats a 36 month educational benefit to the DOD whether you use it right away or when you are 80 years old it shouldnt matter to them. People that served with the military should be honored in the same way they honored their country. Im about to lose mine I dont have an excuse but it was good while it lasted.
I agree, the benefit should not have a time limit. I do believe that the 10 year window to use your MGIB will eventually go away and create a big mess for the VA. But a well deserved and good mess. Another real BS thing is collecting $1200 from the sevice member. Why charge a Soldier, Marine etc money for benefits? Like the Department of Defense can not afford the $1200 out of thier pocket.
well when i was in the service i originally signed up for 4 years and was discharged 2 years and 2 1/2 months into my term. i was given a general under honorable conditions and i to signed up for the GI Bill and 1200 was taken out of my pocket for the gi bill however i was never given the gi bill is there a way that i can get my GI BILL cause i fill like i really need to go to college to up my career so will you please get back to me on that thank you Sincerely Sylvester Villasana
I too notice on a daily basis how many veterans are not aware that their benefits do expire. It's sad but true. There are other ways to get school paid fro through grants, scholarships, loans and discounts that help ease the burden. In all honesty, veteran status does not mean that the world should fall at your feet, or that your education should be completely paid for. If the education is that important to you, you will make what needs to happen, happen. I am a military veteran with combat tours, I invest into my education just like the rest of the country. I do it wisely, however and it has not cripled me financially. There is nothing worse then trying to find employment and being denied on the basis of education.
well when i was in the service i originally signed up for 4 years and was discharged 2 years and 2 1/2 months into my term. i was given a general under honorable conditions and i to signed up for the GI Bill and 1200 was taken out of my pocket for the gi bill however i was never given the gi bill is there a way that i can get my GI BILL cause i fill like i really need to go to college to up my career so will you please get back to me on that thank you Sincerely Sylvester Villasana
Unfortunately you have to have an honorable discharge in order to use your education benefits and the $1200 you paid is not refundable. However if you petition your service organization to have your discharged upgraded to honorable, then you may qualify for benefits depending on your separation reason.
"Republicans last week, led by Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and with Sen. John McCain of Arizona on board, revealed a plan to enhance the existing Montgomery GI Bill. The Republican proposal is aimed at keeping people in the military, whereas the Webb proposal is aimed at veterans after they finish their military service."
I couldn't get the comment section to download with the article(vets, DoD at odds over GI Bill) so I helped myself...if you will. It's good that some Senators want to help the Military out while they are on active duty, but what are they suppose to do when they retire and ETS?. This is why politics in the US needs to change. If one side propose one thing the other side will propose the exact opposite. The GI Bill is not something you should play politics with, it's counter productive and just mires everything down.
