RE: http://forums.military.com/money-for-school/gi-bill/20-...faqs-for-new-gi-bill

This new GI Bill is discriminatory towards veterans that had there 10 year entitlement expire. A family member of a veteran can go to college without serving their country, but you tell me as a vet to bad so sad your gov. Bush's daughters got a free ride and he dodged Vietnam skipping 300 applicants to get into the Texas Air National Guard, thanks to Dadio. If your going to give an extra five years from a veterans discharge date to use the GI Bill, then every vet has an extra five years no matter when or where they defended the freeloaders that get everything the vet should get. Obama and Hillary are prime examples that you can't run for President if you do not defend your country when your a nobody! And you wonder why there are are so many homeless vets.

Finally!! I waited many years for the opportunity to sign up for the GI Bill but I did not contribute to VEAP. Now that I'm retired I can finally get the GI Bill.

Me too. Entered June 1977 so missed the Vietnam Era GI Bill by 6 months. No benefits.

Later VEAP was the lamest of programs and a poor excuse ... so never contributed.

MGIB was for those entering after 1985 -- so again no benefits.

30 years later and retired in July 2007. Now I qualify for the full new benefit --- a pleasant surprise and greatly appreciated.

I love the way they cherry pick service. If you are an AGR soldier and have not yet deployed you are not elgible. But if you are active army and have not yet deployed you are elgible. I maybe wrong but it seems to me that alot of deserving soldiers are not going to be able to receive this benefit.

The more I think about this, the more offended I am about the implementation of this bill that aimed to benefit those that served post 9/11. The reality of the situation is that it has failed to provide 100% benefit to those veterans who served in OIF, the very service members that this bill was designed to support.

I had served 4 years Active Duty before 9/11 and left the Marine Corps to go to college in 2001. Then 9/11 happened, and all bets were off as I was recalled involuntarily back to the Marine Corps. I was assiged to 1st Marine Expeditionary Force which were the first ones to go into Iraq in support of OIF. Having served almost another 2 years in recalled status, I was finally able to depart the Marine Corps once again to integrate back into the civilian ranks.

What bothers me is that I have served 6 years, paid the $1200 Montgomery GI Bill, and actually was in Kuwait/Iraq in support of OIF when it was actually called a war vice occupation and I have earned only 70% of available benefits. Whereas someone that came in after 9/11 never paid into the GI Bill, never served overseas will be entitled to 100% benefit as long as they served only half the time I had.

How did anyone proposing this Bill miss this? The very intent of this Bill was to support those that answered our Nations Call in support of OEF and OIF, and yet it had managed to forget a large subset of the military population that was in the same situation as myself. There should be an ammendment to this Bill to provide proper compensation to those that served.

quote:

Originally posted by 3839429:
Finally!! I waited many years for the opportunity to sign up for the GI Bill but I did not contribute to VEAP. Now that I'm retired I can finally get the GI Bill.

I unfortunately am still not eligible. I too was a VEAP era guy, but I didn't have the forsight to see that the tragedy was going to happen and I retired in March 2001. I'm beginning to see a conspiracy. Why can't all those folks that were told not to get into VEAP get equivalent benefits as everyone else?

I too spent more than 30 years in the Air Force, but while trying to get our lives together following retirement, the 10 year deadline is fast approaching to use the remainder of my G.I. Bill benefits. However, I have not seen anywhere in the new Post 9/11 program that explicitly stated whether there was an automatic extension of 5-years for those veterans who were eligible for the Vietnam era G. I. Bill benefits. I have gone through most of the Q&A about the post 9/11 program but have not see anything. Did I miss something?

Though I've been against this thing for it's stipulations and particulars, I'm curious about one thing.

Does this new crap-tacular GI Bill stipulate that the payment is based on the tuition of the state school "Per Year", "Per Semester", or "Per Credit Hour"? As I attend a private school, and I'm on a quarter based system, this information would be nice to think about.

Though I enlisted in 1999, only 30 months of my service were post 9/11 so I'd only qualify for 90% of the benefits. I don't really understand why my service prior to 9/11 is worth less than after...and why my service in the ANG and multiple call ups are worth squat.

Hell I only qualify for 40% of REAP with MGIB Ch 30 expends. This whole thing stinks.

I was getting very excited about the prospect of getting to school to become a nurse. My husband was going to transfer his benefits to me. He went to college on a different scholarship and was in National Guard Reserves for almost 12 years before deploying to Iraq at the beginning of the war. We he returned home in 2003 he left his civilian job and took a full time AGR position. Now we find out that AGR soldiers do not qualify. He was deployed to Iraq at the start of the war in 2003 and he is currently there now...both times serving at least 12 months. Doesn't that count for something? He is still a soldier, he's still laying is life out there on the line. Whoever decided to leave the AGR out of this benefit made a big mistake and will hopefully realize that in the near future and correct the problem.

I'm pretty ****ed about this whole thing. Again, I have gotten myself all worked up over a promise from those who manage the GI Bill that was flip flopped... I am currently in school and headed into my senior year. I was discharged in 2003, so I was looking forward to about 80% of the benefits coming to be from this new "post 9/11" GI Bill, but only now do I hear that I won't be getting anything at all. Just how in the world do they rationalize signing a bill in summer 2008 and not have it go into effect until summer 2009??? What a load of crap. Why not make this bill retroactive to the time they actually signed the damn thing?!?!?! Why isn't it in effect now?!?!?! Looks like I am going to have to try to get through my senior year on the measily $1300 a month, which barely covers my rent and food in Chicago IL. I will never tell anyone to join the service. It turned out to be nothing but heartache.

@9605556 you have to opt to enroll in the post 9/11 program but once you opt-in, you are put on the 15 year clock (minus the time that's already ticked away, obviously)

@10923275 it's annoying to hear the phrase "laying his life on the line" thrown about. unless he is in iraq running actual missions, he's as safe as he would be in chicago.

@11233367 let me get this straight, you joined the military to get money but now you are complaining because you don't get enough or it won't be increased enough and that is a "heartache" for you? you disgust me. join the military to serve your country and stop begging for increased handouts.

quick question to any experts out there. I retired over 4 years ago, like many of you thought VEAP was BS and didn't contribute. I noticed that family members can use this program but isn't real clear. Any one know who to talk to about this or does anyone know if I can use it for my childrens education? Thanks.

I refused the MGIB orginally back in 1994 and this was a big mistake on my part. With the new changes being made will I be able to now get the MGIB even though I orginally refused it, or the same rules in effect for this part of the GI Bill.

@10923275 it's annoying to hear the phrase "laying his life on the line" thrown about. unless he is in iraq running actual missions, he's as safe as he would be in chicago.]

Sorry to "annoy" you. But when you get mortars fired off at you almost every day, I hardly think you are "as safe as Chicago" at least not the areas I would hang out in. He has no choice where to go there. Sometimes he's in Baghdad, and sometimes various other places he can't mention. Even if you do have an AGR guy who doesn't deploy...that doesn't mean they aren't here working their butts off behind the scenes for those who do deploy. Don't judge when you don't know the whole story.

A great resource is the Department of Veterans Affairs' itself. They now have a secure "Question & Answer" website where you can submit an inquiry and get an e-mailed reply. It is on the DVA website http://www.gibill.va.gov/ Go to the left -side menu and click on "Question & Answers".

You will need to set up an account by supplying your e-mail address for the DVA reply. For your inquiry you will want to supply your name as it would have appeared in you service recourd and your file number (social security number) Remember, this is asecure site so sharing the file number isn't a problem.

You will be sent an e-mailed message acknolwedging your inquiry with an estimate on how long it will take to get the answer (usually no longer than a few working days for complex, researched inquiries).

Go to http://www.gibill.va.gov/s22.htm for Frequently Asked Questions about the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

If you don't find your answers there, go to the Q&A site on the blue menu to on the left side of that page's screen.

Our son served in the Navy for nine years He joined the local guard unit and went from an E4 to a second LT. For the past two years He has served in the Army reserve as a First LT. Now what I'd like to know is were does he stand with the GI bill.? Can he use the one for serving nune years or does he have to wait for the new one.? Or what? He has a total of Nineteen in.

@PtPanther the post 9/11 GI Bill is exactly that. If your son served the requisite amount of time after September 11, 2001 then he will be eligible for the new package when it takes effect in 2009. If he didn't opt out of the Montgomery GI Bill, he will be able to use that at any time. However, if he did opt out of the Montgomery GI Bill, he will have to wait for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill to take effect.

@10923275 this isn't the forum to get involved in an argument about who works the hardest, but you military wives are all the same. you think because your non-combat husband heard an explosion one night that he is getting mortars shot "at" him daily. it's annoying to see someone with such little comprehension complain that your husband has been working hard filing papers or carrying boxes and deserves the same as those who actually are laying their lives on the line.

@mahumphrey...whatever....I suppose they must have awarded my "non-combat husband" the bronze star and CIB for carrying boxes and filing paperwork in Iraq. You really need to stop judging me and all the "military wives who are all the same." Sounds like you are bitter about something and need to GET OVER IT. This is supposed to be a board where we can talk about the GI Bill and it's pro's and con's...not judge others.

I am having difficulty understanding what they mean by selected reserve service used to establish REAP is not available to be used to get the post 9/11 Bill. Does that mean I am not eligible or what?

quote:

Originally posted by mahumphrey:
@10923275 this isn't the forum to get involved in an argument about who works the hardest, but you military wives are all the same. you think because your non-combat husband heard an explosion one night that he is getting mortars shot "at" him daily. it's annoying to see someone with such little comprehension complain that your husband has been working hard filing papers or carrying boxes and deserves the same as those who actually are laying their lives on the line.

So in your view it's only the grunts the deserve this? Okay cool, then why don't you guys start humping everywhere you go and tell the helicopters and their mechanics to **** right off then?

Those "non-combat" people you speak of, do you have any idea what it's like to work 36 hours straight regardless of incoming fire to an air field? Do you know what it's like how to safety-wire nuts and bolts wearing full MOPP? To be honest I get sick and tired of the sort of infantry types who think they're the only people that are worth a ****. Funny thing though, the Infantry guys on my MEU float didn't feel this way toward their 'non-combat' brethren, but I suppose this is an attitude the Army fosters because I saw that all the time from the Army in Bagram last summer.

I suppose the next time you need aerial support I guess you should just figure out a way to arc bullets at the enemy? Or the next time you need GPS to work, or need Intel, oh, I guess you guys carry all your food and bullets into the fight with you and have no need for further air drops?

Get off your high horse *******. People want to know the sort of information just like you do and this is their only outlet to get that info since the VA is seriously lacking. Just because a spouse comes on the forum and asks a question doesn't mean you need to act like this. But who am I kidding, you're probably a Terminal E-3 that seriously doesn't know anything anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by lcpl_pipeline:
I am having difficulty understanding what they mean by selected reserve service used to establish REAP is not available to be used to get the post 9/11 Bill. Does that mean I am not eligible or what?

From what I read, this acts just like REAP. Depending on your amount of service on active duty you're benefit relates to a percentage. From 90 days to 179 days you rate 40% of the whole benefit. Meaning, 40% of the tuition, 40% of the living Stipend, and 40% of the books and fees cash.

quote:

Originally posted by 10923275:
@mahumphrey...whatever....I suppose they must have awarded my "non-combat husband" the bronze star and CIB for carrying boxes and filing paperwork in Iraq. You really need to stop judging me and all the "military wives who are all the same." Sounds like you are bitter about something and need to GET OVER IT. This is supposed to be a board where we can talk about the GI Bill and it's pro's and con's...not judge others.

From what I gather, you just can't do that here. I come to these forums rarely anymore just because the only people with time on their hands posting here are just here to start fights instead of being productive.

I'd go elsewhere to find information if there was such a place. Sadly there isn't any better place than Military.com and it's too bad the forums are littered with people like that. It's a read shame really, just goes to show you that when it comes down to it, we're not all one team I suppose, there are those out there that just don't get the big picture at all.

Hey Mojo620...thank you so much for your support and for all you do for us as well too. It's nice to know there are still people out there who back each other no matter what their job description is. I know you all work together and each is just as important to the outcome of the task at hand. I also want to thank you for the information you have provided on his forum to me and others. You've been a big help! God bless you~

@10923275 you only further showed what little comprehension you have of the military. if you are non-combat, it is much easier to get a bronze star simply for doing you job (carrying boxes in your husband's case) well. In the civilian world, the equivalent would be an employee of the month letter.

@Mojo620 i suppose you missed the original posts when my point was that non-combat personnel aren't exactly "laying their lives" on the line. nevertheless, grunts certainly do need people to be mechanics and fix electronics but what you don't get, and this is the funny part, is that anyone can do a similar job without joining the military. it's kind of disgusting to see people like that wear the same uniform as me when they are essentially doing civilian jobs. you think airfields receive incoming fire for goodness sakes, that's laughable, and really, "safety-wire nuts and bolts wearing full MOPP"??? are you kidding me? try being in a fire fight in full MOPP and then you can come apologize to me for have such poor perspective.

It doesn't make sense to me that I am eligable for this new GIBill, but I have used most of the original one before talk of the new one. I think that for those who are eligalbe for the new Ch 33 should be rembursed the difference on the grand total to put tward the student loans borrowed to cover what the GIBill didn't each month.

quote:

Originally posted by mahumphrey:
@10923275 you only further showed what little comprehension you have of the military. if you are non-combat, it is much easier to get a bronze star simply for doing you job (carrying boxes in your husband's case) well. In the civilian world, the equivalent would be an employee of the month letter.

@Mojo620 i suppose you missed the original posts when my point was that non-combat personnel aren't exactly "laying their lives" on the line. nevertheless, grunts certainly do need people to be mechanics and fix electronics but what you don't get, and this is the funny part, is that anyone can do a similar job without joining the military. it's kind of disgusting to see people like that wear the same uniform as me when they are essentially doing civilian jobs. you think airfields receive incoming fire for goodness sakes, that's laughable, and really, "safety-wire nuts and bolts wearing full MOPP"??? are you kidding me? try being in a fire fight in full MOPP and then you can come apologize to me for have such poor perspective.

Generally I'd ignore these kind of posts, but your response here is rather presumptuous and ignorant at best. Having served as a Marine in OIF as a POG, I'm personally offended by your remarks which essentially mean you think grunts deserve more out of the deal because you're laying your life on the line as you say.

What about the logistician that ensures you have your bullets, the corpsman/medic that bandages you up, the admin types to ensure you receive your pay? What about the multitude of support roles that do what they do, so you can have all that you can to do your job?

Although not a grunt, I've been in Fallujah both times that we invaded the city. I've seen the rockets and mortars come into base on a daily basis. I've seen people no more than 100 feet away from me die from these attacks. The sad part was that we lost another non-grunt here... a surgeon - but you don't need him at all. Along your line of thought, since he didn't get in fire fights, his service is less worthwhile than yours and undeserving of proper recognition. Why don't you go tell that to his family you pompous ass.

And your comments about non-grunts wearing the same uniform as you being disgusting? Just because they have civilian equivalent jobs makes them less of a service member? Once again refer to my previous statements. However for amplification, you made the choice to be a grunt. That was your decision. Went in open contract and they made you a grunt? Once again your decision. Didn't score well on your ASVAB, and they said... well, you can be a grunt. Well, that was still your decision. I can't tell if it's a jealousy thing on your behalf, some ill founded elitist mentality, or if you really are just that ignorant, but you seriously need a reality check. All I have to say is take your GI Bill, get your education, and then come back when you have something more intelligent to say. Until then, don't waste any more of our time.

i spent 16 months in baghdad, 2003 - 2004. i came back and used the GI bill to go to school. the MGIB helped me immensely. i have now used up my months and have no months remaining. it seems to me that the intent of the bill is aid soldiers, i.e. america is trying to say thank you for the service that we have provided for them post 9/11. however, that thank you goes wide of the mark on me. i am not trying to ask for handouts, i am simply saying that the intent of the bill is not being fulfilled given someone in my situation. i have used up all of my months and am therefore excluded from any benefit on this new GI bill. i start grad school in the fall and feel that, again, given the intent of the bill, that i should be given an entirely fresh 36 months that i could expend on my grad school. if not a fresh, new 36 months, then at least back pay for the difference that the MGIB provided and what this new bill provides. i can live life without handouts, but it seems that america is trying to provide us with an extra pat on the back with this new bill. however, it has missed the mark for many of us. america needs to be made aware of these problems, as do our congress and senate representatives. this war has been going on for a long time, and many people like me came back and used the benefits already in place. it seems we should have access to these new benefits as well, and should not be penalized for having gone to college immediately after i got back to the states. if i had waited to go to school until now, i would have had about 80% more benefit than that which i received initially. that seems a bit absurd.