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Military.com Forums Education All Other Education Issues VEAP to gi bill this is what the va says i agree we need another chance|
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RE: http://forums.military.com/money-for-school/veteran/vet...benefits-users-guide
Honorable Senator Warner, I am a proud Navy Veteran having served post Carter and then during the Reagan years when their was a disparagy in educational benefits to post vietnam service members. The only program available at the time was VEAP . Which I am sure you remember was a 2 for 1 program that wasnt user friendly to service members nor did it reflect the kind of payback that gi bill has . We the VEAP veterans thru some fault of our own but also thru some evasiveness on the part of the VA were eligible to convert to the GI bill in open seasons . the late being in 2001. My point sir is that upgrade and well earned benefit should have been made available to all VEAP members automatically. And as a result there are thousands of cold war Vets as myself that have not a dime of educational help post service due to our own ignorance or just by the fact of not knowing about our need to participate during a time when deployments and interoperability made these issues to be mute. Below is my question to the VA on this matter and their response. I ask sir to please give it due consideration. Thank you sir for your service Good Afternoon: Your communication to Mr. Ed Ortiz, Administrative Officer of the Benefits & Assistance Division has been referred to me for reply. Unfortunately, the last "open season" for potentially eligible veterans who had previous eligibility under VEAP to elect benefits was in 2001. I frequently attend Transition Assistance Briefings (those held for members of the military who are about to retire/separate) and this question comes up. I tell those folks the best suggestion I have is for them to contact their elected representative from the Congress of the United States and encourage them to introduce legislation which will bring about another "open season." Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond to your question. I wish my response might have been more favorable. Steve Turbee Bureau Chief, State Approving Agency for Veterans Training (SAA) I write every month with the new benefits being funded for our Gulf war soldiers I believe we VEAPS should be grand fathered or another open season given .. SOME ONE HELP !! AMCS Chris Kronz (AW/NAC) Retired chris.krash@comcast.net |
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All due respect Senior Chief, did you not understand that if you were a VEAP contributor that you could convert to MGIB, needing only $25 in your VEAP account to convert and then pay $1200 for better benefits? Or was it that you didn't want to contribute any money at all? I get really pissed off at people who want a system fixed to benefit themselves, although the system was fixed to benefit them a long time ago and they decided not to take advantage because of the upfront cost. Get over it.
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Before you get all high and mighty about people whining about things they didn't do when they should have... remember 1 simple thing. I joined the USAF in 1982. The VEAP Program was ONE briefing among dozens.
My take home pay was just over $450. If I recall correctly... many of us who were 18 or 19 had never heard of a mutual fund or any other savings but a "passbook account." Springing for 3 months + in pay for something we were talked to about for around 15 minutes, as other information was piled on and on, was an opportunity that came and went for those of us who only served out one full tour. It is not as simple as you make it sound sir 14558157. Scott |
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Some valid points posted here. I too was under VEAP and when the MGIB came out nobody asked me if I wanted to convert. Although when the MGIB first came out I believe it only paid out $300 per month for full time school whereas VEAP paid $225.
As for who dropped the ball on the open season issue, that would be congress and the service branches. If you wanted to convert to the MGIB from VEAP your service organization is the one that had to convert you...not the VA. The VA only follows/applies the law as written by congress and only can pay out benefits if that individual is eligible. And yes asking a young E-1 to contribute to any education program is silly. Especially the $2700 you had to put into VEAP. It took me 3 years at $75 per month to max out my VEAP contributions. If you have money left in your VEAP account and are past your ten year delimiting date, contact VA Education and request a refund for reason of hardship. The form to get your refund is the easiest government you'll ever fill out. You will get only get a percentage of your share back. So if you contributed $2700 into VEAP, and used half of your benefits, the VA can send you back $1350. |
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I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT THE SUBJECT UP. I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE I AM PAST THE TIME TO CONVERT I AM NOT ABLE TO COLLECT ON MY VEAP. LOOKS LIKE I WAS MISINFORMED. HEARD ABOUT MGIB, BUT DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AND TO THE WHINER COMPLAINING ABOUT VETS TALKING ABOUT BENEFITS, I DON'T RECALL SITTING ON MY BUTT GETTING BRIEFED ON THE SUBJECT. I AM SURE I WAS BUSY PLAYING GRUNT IN SOME FOREIGN COUNTRY. IF YOU WANT TO WHINE, THEN START YOUR OWN WHINERS FORUM. I RECEIVE A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION FROM THE SIMPLE QUESTIONS I FIND ON THESE FORUMS. IF IT BOTHERS YOU, MOVE ON OR STAY OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. IF YOUR NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM...
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I SERVED IN THE MILITARY FROM 1959-1981. THERE WAS A MILITARY GI BILL AND AFTER I RETIRED I USED 2 SEMESTERS WORTH. I WAS MARRIED AND HAD CHILDREN AND BASICALLY DROPPED OUT TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY. I NEVER DID HEAR AFTER THE GI BILL AFTER I RETIRED ALTHOUGH I THINK I WAS STILL ELIGIBLE FOR IT UNTIL 1991. IN 1991 I WAS RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR DESERT STORM AND SERVED 73 DAYS. I NEVER WAS TOLD ANYTHING ABOUT THE GI BILL AVAILABLE NOR HAVE I HEARD ANY MORE ABOUT IT. I AM NOT A WHINER BUT MERELY FAILED ON MY OWN TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS ANY ELIGIBILITY LEFT FOR SOLDIERS IN MY SAME SITUATION. I SERVED MY COUNTRY PROUDLY AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW (AT AGE 67) IF THERE ARE ANY TYPE OF EDUCATION BENEFITS AVAILABILITY.
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Moderator, Veteran's Education MSG, USA (Ret),School Certifying Official  |
One way to receive an accurate answer to your questions would be to apply for your education benefits. Take twenty minutes to complete this online application and you will receive an answer from VA: http://www.vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp All opinions I express on this web site are as a private individual. I am not representing my employer in any shape, means, form, manner or in any official capacity. |
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the bad thing about the the post and pre 9/11 bill if you havent used any of your benefits in ten yeARS AFTER YOR RELEASE DATE YOU HAVE NO EDUCATION BENEFITS I HAVE RUN INTO ROADBLOCKS even from the va they have been no help except to tell me im out of luck so much for my 20 years for nothing
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this is sad because this is a typical answer that we all get,i think if more of our goverment officials served in the military and they where in our positions they could see more clearly. our benefits go away more and more every day and what benefits we where suppose to have for us for service to our country is a sham,its bad enough our young military members have to face these same issues but whats worse our veterans from pre 9/11 have been faceing this for years with no help but write your public officials to voice a opinion that is not heard.
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Moderator, Veteran's Education MSG, USA (Ret),School Certifying Official |
There were actually two different chances to convert from VEAP to MGIB - I remember sitting through both mandatory briefing with the Education Services Counselor - boorriinngg I thought at the time.
Info is here: https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/...ation/VEAP_CONV.html As far as the comment on Whiners goes - If I paid money for something - I sure would know what I was buying before I paid my money and if I didn't understand I would have kept asking until I knew what I had paid for. Info. was always available to soldiers at the Education Centers - all a soldier had to do was ask. If you didn't know it was illegal to rob that bank you would still go to jail. Ignorance is never an excuse. All opinions I express on this web site are as a private individual. I am not representing my employer in any shape, means, form, manner or in any official capacity. |
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It sounds as if VEAP was not a good program to begin with.
These vets deserve more esp since we are in the era of entitlements. If we as a gov are giving out cash for banks and welfare by the hoards, we can Help the VEAP era vets. |
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This is Bull-Sh*T ! Most of what alot of us was hearing at the "So Called convert from VEAP to MGIB bill" at the Ed-center; was "We will get back to you about "That Question" ..on most of what was asked. But, I suppose that if a Troop was part of the "Rear Echelon" they had Lots of time to walk down to OR sit in the Ed-Center to get ALL the question taken care of. Remember, not all of us was so lucky. |
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Moderator, Veteran's Education MSG, USA (Ret),School Certifying Official |
Well, I was a "Leg" Infantryman 11C at Camp Hovey Korea at the time of the first briefing and was a Career Counselor in a Engineer Battion during the second one. All opinions I express on this web site are as a private individual. I am not representing my employer in any shape, means, form, manner or in any official capacity. |
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my first time here I served In the US Army 84-86. Ignorant of school I didnt have school on my mind. Ive made a lot of bad choices in my life,But I was a Great Solider. But now it seems that the VA here in Tx has washed its hands of Veterans. Plus I served six years in the Texas National Guard. So is there any help for soldiers from the pioneer days?
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Moderator, Veteran's Education MSG, USA (Ret),School Certifying Official |
VA hasn't washed its hands of Veterans - you just have to follow the rules. All opinions I express on this web site are as a private individual. I am not representing my employer in any shape, means, form, manner or in any official capacity. |
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If the VEAP was any good, it shud have stayed...me too was a VEAP-tim, did not pay a dime, but stick it up with the service thru the present day dangers and hazards of being in the military. So the Post 9/11 GI Bill was created...something for such, imho.
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Military.com Forums Education All Other Education Issues VEAP to gi bill this is what the va says i agree we need another chance
