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What's New

May 2009

The VA is now accepting applications for the Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill.  Students may apply online at www.gibill.va.gov, or stop by the TTU VA Campus office in Room 116/117 West Hall.  ALL students receiving Chapter 33 benefits must submit a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) letter that they will receive once their benefits have been approved (4-6 weeks from application submission date).  NOTE:  Payment for tuition and fees will not be posted to a student's account until a current COE is on file in the VA campus office.

June 2008

The Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 has just been signed into law for training completed after 7-31-09, and payable starting 8-1-09. For more information, please go to www.gibill.va.gov, click on the 'Breaking News' link.

April 2008

Chapter 1607, REAP, participants must now verify school attendance each month in order to receive VA educational payments. Go to www.gibill.va.gov, click 'Information for Benefit Recipients' and then click on the 'WAVE' system or call the automated verification line at 877-823-2378.

Note: You cannot verify until the last day of the month or afterwards unless you are in your last month of benefits and have not pre-registered for a future term.

October 2007

The Department of Veteran Affairs has a website for returning Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members. Click on the link to visit the link: http://www.seamlesstransition.va.gov/

December 2006

Public Law 109-461 adds new group of persons who may be eligible for DEA benefits. Click on the link for more information: http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/benefits.htm#DEA

October 2004

New Education benefit for Activated Reservists
H.R. 4200 authorizing the creation of a new education benefit was signed into law on October 28, 2004. There are other provisions of the law but this is a brief synopsis of the impact on new educational benefits. The new benefit, Chapter 1607, makes certain individuals who were activated after September 11, 2001, either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits. The Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and VA are working on an implementation plan for this new benefit. For general information about Chapter 1607, please go to the GI Bill website at www.gibill.va.gov and click on Ask a Question-Get an Answer. Type in "Chapter 1607." Information on changing to Chapter 1607 should be available in mid-November in the VA office.

Benefits for Surviving Spouses!
Surviving spouses who remarried and lost eligibility to Dependents' Education Assistance Program, or DEA (chapter 35 of title 38, U.S. Code), may now be eligible. See the DEA Benefits page for more information.

February 2004

To All Guard and Reserve Members
If you were activated under Title 10 U.S. Code and have served on active duty continuously for 24 months, you may now be able to qualify for MGIB Chapter 30 Active Duty Benefits. In order to qualify, you must:

  • Have no active duty prior to 7/01/1985.
  • Have been called to active duty under Title 10 U.S. Code after 7/01/1985.
  • Have served a minimum of 24 months of continuous active duty.
  • Complete DD Form 2366 Election to Participate in the MGIB Active Duty Program.
  • Pay $1200.00 to DFAS to enroll in the program.
  • Have Honorable service for your active duty period.

If you believe you meet the above requirements, be sure to ask about your eligibility during your transition/separation.

General information about these and other programs may be found on the Department of Veteran Affairs Education website at www.gibill.va.gov.

October 1, 2003

National Call to Service (NCS)
Section 531 of the 2003 National Defense Authorization Act Program started for all Military Branches.

Program Goals, NCS Service Obligations, and Participant Requirements can be found under Current Releases on the VA Education website at www.gibill.va.gov.

NCS Incentives
Upon enlistment in the NCS program, participants will be given the opportunity to irrevocably select one of the following:

  • Bonus of $5K
  • Repayment of Qualifying Student Loans (Principal & Interest up to $18K)
  • Choice between 2 education allowances:
    • 12 months of benefits equal to 3 year basic MGIB or
    • 36 months of benefits equal to 50% of 2-year basic MGIB.

October 1, 2002

The delimiting date for certain Selected Reservists training under the Montgomery GI BILL has been extended from the current 10 years to 14 years. This change is effective October 1, 2002, and applies only to persons who became eligible for the Montgomery GI BILL – Selected Reserve (chapter 1606) on or after October 1, 1992. VA will change the delimiting dates for affected Reservists.

If your benefits were terminated on or after October 1, 2002 because of your 10-year delimiting date, you should contact your VA Coordinator to re-certify your benefits. VA will adjust your delimiting date and resume your benefits based on that data.

If you currently receive benefits or your 10-year delimiting date has not passed, no action is required on your part, as VA will automatically extend your delimiting date to the proper 14-year date.

December 27, 2001

Some provisions in Public Law 107-103 affecting VA educational benefits are listed below (for a complete list of provisions, please read the complete law)

  • MGIB Eligibility: Enables Vietnam-era veterans to convert their Vietnam-era GI Bill benefits to Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty benefits if the veteran had eligibility as of December 31, 1989, was not on active duty on October 19, 1984, and served 3 continuous years on active duty on or after July 1, 1985, or 2 years on active duty followed by four years in the Selected Reserve on or after July 1, 1985. This provision overturns the General Counsel Opinion, which held that service had to begin on July 1, 1985.
  • ROTC Increase: Increase from $2,000 to $3,400 per year the amount a student under the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (SROTC) may receive in scholarship assistance and still retain eligibility for the MGIB-Active Duty (Chapter 30). This applies to Chapter 30 benefits paid for months beginning after December 27, 2001.
  • Chapter 35 Eligibility of Spouses and Surviving Spouses: Invalidates Ozer v. Principi (2-6-01), and reinstates a 10-year delimiting period in which spouses may, upon first becoming eligible, use DEA benefits.
  • Expansion of Special Restorative Training is provided under the Chapter 35 program to include certain disabled spouses or surviving spouses. Effective 2-27-01.
  • Fugitive Felons and Benefits:Prohibits veterans and eligible dependents from receiving veterans benefits while a “fugitive” which is defined as a person fleeing to avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement after conviction, for an offense, or an attempt to commit an offense, which is a felony under the laws of the place from which the veteran flees. Among the benefits affected are those under chapters 30, 31,32,34, and 35 of title 38, United States Code.

December 28, 2001

Public Law 101-107 Explanation of the educational provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 outlining the highlights of the transferability section of the Act are listed below (please refer to complete law if you have a question)

  • Transfer of Entitlement: The transfer of entitlement to basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active duty Chapter 30(MGIB) is permitted to one or more of a service member’s dependents.
  • Who Can Transfer Entitlement: Those individuals who, after approval by the service secretary concerned: (1) have completed 6 years of service in the Armed Forces and (2) either have a critical military skill designated by the Secretary for transferability purposes; or are in a military specialty designated by the Secretary concerned for transferability purposes as requiring critical military skills; and (3) enter into an agreement to serve at least 4 more years as members of t he Armed Forces.
  • Eligible Dependents: Transfer may be made to the individual’s spouse, to one or more of the individual’s children or to a combination of the above.
  • Months of Transfer: The total number of months transferable may not exceed 18 months.
  • Designation of Transferee: Those transferring entitlement have to designate the dependent or dependents receiving the transfer; have to designate the number of months of such entitlement to be transferred to each dependent; and have to specify the period for which the transfer will be effective for each dependent designated.
  • Time for Transfer and Revocation or Modification: An approved individual may transfer such entitlement at any time after the approval of the individual’s request to transfer such entitlement and before the individual’s delimiting date without regard to whether the individual is a member of the Armed Forces when the transfer is executed. The transferring person may modify or revoke any unused portion at any time.
  • When the Transferred Entitlement Can Be Used: For a spouse, transferred entitlement may not be used until the transferring person completes 6 years of service in the Armed Forces; or, in the case of a child, the completion of 10 years of service by the transferring person and, either the completion by the child of the requirements of a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate); or the attainment by the child of 18 years of age.
  • Implementation: By June 30, 2002, the Secretary of Defense has to make a report to Congress describing how the various service secretaries will implement the transferability provisions of this law.

May 1, 2001

MGIB active duty participants extra contribution: MGIB participants on active duty may increase the monthly rate of educational benefits they will receive by making contributions at any time while on active duty, over and above the $1,200 pay reduction. A serviceperson could contribute up to an additional $600 in multiples of $4. The full-time rate of basic educational assistance would be increased by $1 per month for each $4 contributed. A maximum in-service contribution of $600 would increase the full-time MGIB monthly rate by $150.

November 1, 2000

Revision in Interval Payment requirement: Now VA may continue payments of monthly educational assistance benefits to students enrolled during the period between terms or semesters if the intervals between such period does not exceed eight weeks and the terms preceding or following the period are not shorter in length than the break between them.

November 1, 2000

Changes for Dependents

  • Children who become eligible between their 18th and 26th birthdays can now select any date between the effective date of the eligible veteran’s rating, or the date of notice to the eligible veteran, whichever date is more advantageous. A deceased veteran’s child can choose any date between the date of the veteran’s death and the date of VA’s decision that the death was service-connected.
  • VA will now consider a claim for Dependent’s Educational Assistance (DEA) subsequently filed by an eligible person as having been filed on the effective date of the person’s DEA entitlement. This will be limited to eligible persons who submit an original DEA claim within one year after the date of the rating decision first establishing the basis for the person’s entitlement.
  • DEA beneficiaries may now be paid benefits while pursuing courses to prepare them for entrance tests such as the SAT. The law will permit children under age 18 to pursue these prep courses while still in secondary school.

October 30, 2000

Increase in Education assistance for Service Persons: The Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2001(Public Law 106-398), which was signed into law by the President on October 30, 2000, gives many members of the Armed Forces a chance to receive increased payment for off-duty training and education.

Before this law-the military services in most cases could pay up to 75% of the tuition or expenses charges by the school. This program is known as Tuition Assistance. Eligible service members had to find additional financing, or pay the remaining expenses, from their own pockets. A service member eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), a VA education benefit, wasn't allowed to receive both Tuition Assistance and the MGIB for the same course.