On June 22, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law one of the most significant pieces of legislation ever produced by the United States government: The Servicemembers’ Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights. By the time the original GI Bill ended in July 1956, 7.8 million World War II veterans had participated in an education or training. Today, the legacy of the original GI Bill lives on in the Montgomery GI Bill, the centerpiece of military education benefits.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs website, www.gibill.va.gov offers more details on each of the bills available.
Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty (MGIB – AD)
This MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty. This program is also commonly known as Chapter 30.
You may be an eligible veteran if you received an Honorable Discharge, AND you have a High School Diploma or GED or, in some cases 12 hours of college credit, AND you meet the requirements of one of the categories below:
CATEGORY I
- Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985
- Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for first 12 months
- Continuously served for 3 years, OR 2 years if that is what you first enlisted for, OR 2 years if you entered Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty and served 4 years (“2 by 4″ Program)
CATEGORY II
- Entered active duty before January 1, 1977
- Served at least 1 day between 10/19/84 and 6/30/85, and stayed on active duty through 6/30/88, (or 6/30/87 if you entered Selected Reserve within 1 year of leaving active duty and served 4 years)
- On 12/31/89, you had entitlement left from Vietnam Era GI Bill
CATEGORY III
- Not eligible for MGIB under Category I or II
- On active duty on 9/30/90 AND separated involuntarily after 2/2/91,
- OR involuntarily separated on or after 11/30/93,
- OR voluntarily separated under either the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) or Special Separation Benefit (SSB) program
- Before separation, you had military pay reduced by $1200
CATEGORY IV
- On active duty on 10/9/96 AND you had money remaining in a VEAP account on that date AND you elected MGIB by 10/9/97
- OR entered full-time National Guard duty under title 32, USC, between 7/1/85, and 11/28/89 AND you elected MGIB during the period 10/9/96, through 7/8/97
- Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for 12 months or made a $1200 lump-sum contribution
Effective August 1, 2008 Veterans who served on active duty for three years or more, or two years active duty plus four years in the Selected Reserve or National Guard, will receive $1,321 a month in basic benefits for 36 months (full-time institutional training). Those who enlist and serve for less than three years will receive $1,073 a month. VA will pay an additional amount, commonly called a “kicker,” if directed by the Department of Defense. Rates are lower for Apprenticeship and On-Job training, or for less than full-time training programs.
Montgomery GI Bill – Selective Reserve (MGIB – SR)
The MGIB-SR program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Under the MGIB-SR, you may receive up to 36 months of education benefits, with tuition payments sent directly from the VA to your learning institution.
Your benefit entitlement from MGIB-SR ends 14 years from the date of your eligibility, or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve. If your eligibility to this program began on or after October 1, 1992, your period of eligibility ends 14 years later, or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve. If your eligibility to this program began prior to October 1, 1992, your period of eligibility ends 10 years after, or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill
In July of 2008 the Post-9/11 GI Bill was signed into law, creating a new robust education benefits program rivaling the WWII Era GI Bill of Rights. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill will become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. This program will pay eligible individuals:
- Tuition & fees directly to the school not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition & fees at a public Institution of Higher Learning. All non-resident tuition and fees must be paid for out-of-pocket by the veteran if you are admitted as a non-resident student.
- Monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school.
- Annual books & supplies stipend of $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment
- One-time rural benefit payment for eligible individuals
This benefit is payable only for training at an Institution of Higher Learning (IHL). If you are enrolled exclusively in online training you will not receive the housing allowance. If you are on active duty you will not receive the housing allowance or books & supplies stipend. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits. Generally benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.
|
Individuals serving an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001, of: |
Percentage of Maximum Benefit Payable |
| At least 36 months |
100 |
| At least 30 continuous days on active duty and must be discharged due to service connected disability |
100 |
| At least 30 months, but less than 36 months |
90 |
| At least 24 months, but less than 30 months |
80 |
| At least 18 months, but less than 24 months |
70 |
| At least 12 months, but less than 18 months |
60 |
| At least 6 months, but less than 12 months |
50 |
| At least 90 days, but less than 6 months |
40 |
You may receive benefits for any approved program offered by a school in the United States that is authorized to grant an associate (or higher) degree. You may also receive benefits for tutorial assistance or up to $2,000 for the reimbursement of one licensing or certification test.
If you transferred to the Post-9/11 GI Bill from the Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty, Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserves, or the Reserve Education Assistance Program, you may also receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for flight training, apprenticeship or on-the-job training programs, and correspondence courses.
If you are a member of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009, the Department of Defense (DoD) may offer you the opportunity to transfer benefits to your spouse or dependent children. DoD and the military services will issue policy on entitlement to transferability in the coming months.
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