Swords to Plowshares

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a new benefit providing educational assistance to individuals who have served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001.

When Can I Receive Benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill?
Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits are payable for training pursued on or after August 1, 2009. No payments can be made under this program for training pursued before that date.

Am I Eligible?
At a minimum, you must have served at least 30 days of continuous active duty service after September 10, 2001 and be discharged due to a service-connected disability, or served an aggregate of 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, and—

- Be honorably discharged from Armed Forces; or

- Be released from Armed Forces with service
characterized as honorable and placed on
the retired list, temporary disability retired
list, or transferred to the Fleet Reserve or the
Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; or

- Be released from the Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable for further service in a reserve component; or

- Be discharged or released from Armed Forces for:
o EPTS (Existed Prior to Service)
o HDSP (Hardship) or
o CIWD (Condition Interfered with Duty); or

- Continue to be on active duty.

If I am eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill (chapter 30), Montgomery GI Bill- Selected Reserve (chapter 1606), or the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (chapter 1607), am I eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill?
You may elect to receive benefits under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill if, on August 1, 2009, you have met the requirements to qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and you are eligible for chapter 30, 1606, 1607, or are serving in the Armed Forces.

How many months of assistance can I receive?
Generally, you may receive up to 36 months of entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

How much will I receive?
You are entitled to a percentage, as determined by your length of active duty service, of the following:

- Amount of tuition and fees charged, not to exceed the most expensive in-State public institution of higher education (paid to school);

- Monthly housing allowance equal to the basic allowance for housing (BAH) amount payable to a military E-5 with dependents, in same zip code as school* (paid to you); and- Yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1000* per year (paid to you); and - A one time payment of $500 may be payable to certain individuals relocating from highly rural areas. (paid to you)

NOTE: Housing allowance and books and supplies stipend is not payable to individuals on active duty. Housing allowance is not payable for those pursuing training at half time or less or to individuals taking distance learning.

Length of Service Requirements and the Percentage of Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 36 months: 100% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 30 continuous days on active duty and must be discharged due to service-connected disability: 100% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 30 months, but less than 36 months: 90%Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 24 months, but less than 30 months: 80% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 18 months, but less than 24 months: 70% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 12 months, but less than 18 months: 60% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 06 months, but less than 12 months: 50% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 90 days, but less than 06 months: 40% Maximum Benefit Payable

Examples:
Tuition and Fees charged for full time: $6700
Highest In-State Tuition and Fees: $7000

Example 1: If you served for three years on active duty and separated, and you are going to school full time, in the above example you would be eligible for $6700 for tuition and fees, the monthly housing allowance, and $1000 for books and supplies.

Example 2: If you aggregated 12 months of active duty service in the guard or reserves, and were going to school full-time, you would be eligible for $4020 (60% of $6700) for tuition and fees, $600 (60% of $1000) for books and supplies stipend and 60% of the monthly housing allowance.

How long am I eligible?
You will be eligible for benefits for 15 years from your last period of active duty of at least 90 consecutive days. If you were released for a service-connected disability after at least 30 days of continuous service, you will also be eligible for benefits for 15 years.

What does The Post- 9/11 GI Bill cover?
You may receive benefits for training programs approved for chapter 30 that are offered by an institution of higher learning. This includes graduate and undergraduate training, vocational/technical training and foreign training. You may also receive benefits for tutorial assistance and reimbursement of a licensing and certification test. Additionally, if you were eligible for chapter 30, 1606 or 1607, and you elected to use benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you would be eligible to receive benefits for on-the-job training, apprenticeship training, correspondence courses, flight training, preparatory courses, and national exams.

Can I transfer my entitlement to my dependents?
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. Please contact DoD or your military service branch for more information.

DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PAMPHLET TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. Always submit an application for benefits to receive a formal decision.

Visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/ for up to date information on this and other education benefits.

PDF Link: The Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 Fact Sheet

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ArmyTimes- New GI Bill answers: Learn when benefits start, who will qualify and how much you may get

For additional info click here, here.

Adrian College, in Adrian Michigan, is now accepting applications for its new scholarship program benefiting disabled veterans. The College is welcoming all applications for the fall 2008 semester.

The program, which is called ‘Operation Education’, will offer a disabled American veteran, who was injured during combat in Afghanistan or Iraq post Sept. 11, 2001, a full scholarship toward earning his or her college degree.

“The young men and women who risk their lives each day in Iraq and Afghanistan are heroes to all of us,” says Docking. “All Americans, regardless of whether they support these wars or not, share in the responsibility in helping these men and women further their education once they return home.”

“The College will ask the Veterans Administration to provide us with one to two candidates each year,” says Docking. “Adrian College will provide them with the services they need – housing, books, food, and other academic support requirements – to earn a four-year undergraduate degree free of charge.”

The College will offer the fundamentals: books, housing, meals, a laptop and school supplies, as well as physical and emotional support. If the soldier has a spouse or family, they too will be provided for through the College’s benefits.

For more information please follow this link:http://www.adrian.edu/news/6_08op_ed2.php

http://www.cccco.edu/SystemOffice/Divisions/StudentServices/TroopstoCollege/tabid/660/Default.aspx

California’s Troops to College initiative was announced by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in March 2006 to provide educational opportunities and assistance to active duty service members and veterans by the state’s premier education segments and related agencies. He specifically targeted increased instructional opportunities to men and women on active duty, the National Guard and the Reserves.

Includes: listing of Veterans offices and contacts at Community Colleges throughout the state

http://www.veteransfund.org/
The Fund for Veterans’ Education was established to provide scholarships to veterans from all branches of the United States Armed Forces who served in Afghanistan or Iraq since September 11, 2001 and who are now enrolled in college or vocational-technical school.

A guide written by Swords to Plowshares

The VA can and will help finance your education with the Montgomery GI Bill provided:

• you have an honorable discharge,
• have served at least 36 months,
• paid the required 12 months into the Montgomery GI Bill,
• and are enrolled in school.

As long as you served at least 24 months you are eligible. The payments, however, will be prorated for your time served. So go for it. It’s a great opportunity to meet people, have fun, and learn some really good information. Not only that, but you’ll be more marketable once you obtain that degree. The next section below is a general guide to securing your benefits in a timely fashion.

Here’s a little extra advice: get to know your VA certifying official really well, even before you are admitted into your school of choice. That person can be an indispensable resource. They will not only serve as the liaison between the VA and you for your monthly payments, but he/she will also help you navigate the often daunting school bureaucracy.

This all may appear to be a huge mountain of information in front of you, but take heart, once you actually start the process it gets easier each semester you complete, so have fun and enjoy school. Hell you deserve it.

Forms

• Application for VA Education Benefits (Form 22-1990) (pdf link) or you may fill out and submit your application online.
• Application for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Form 22- 5490) (pdf link) or you may fill out and submit your application online.
• Disabled Veterans Application for Vocational Rehabilitation (Form 28-1900) (pdf link) you must submit this application first to your nearest Veterans Administration office before attending the school you choose.

Information for Reservists and/or Active Duty Members

In this time of conflict in the world, all universities are aware that you may be activated or deployed for military duty at any time. They know that you have many personal matters to take care of when you are anticipating military activation or deployment. Please remember to take special care in handling your school records. This checklist was designed in order to provide information and advice on maintaining your school records as you prepare for activation or deployment.

Leaving School: Alert your instructors during the term when you think you might be leaving school for redeployment. Discuss with them possible options for completing course requirements if you leave during the semester.

Term Withdrawal: If you need to withdraw from all of your courses, you will need to complete a Term Withdrawal Form. Please read the form instructions and submit the form to the appropriate office, depending on your withdrawal date.

Financial Aid: If you are receiving financial aid, grants, or loans, contact the Financial Aid Office of your school about your term withdrawal and obtain any paperwork that you will need to complete if your deployment is longer than one semester.

Montgomery GI Bill or Reservist GI Benefits: Contact the VA office as soon as possible if you are receiving GI Bill or Reservist GI benefits and you withdraw from your classes. Note that your enrollment certification will be terminated, and notifying the VA office promptly will help to prevent an overpayment of benefits, which you will have to pay back.

Leave of Absence: If you think you will be away for more than one semester, complete a Leave of Absence Request with the educational institution so that you can maintain your catalogue rights. Your “catalogue rights” consist of the year that you enrolled at whatever particular university. So, let’s say that you enrolled at ABC university in 2001; on you first semester in 2002, you got activated and deployed to Iraq. You would go to the administration request, complete, and submit a Leave of Absence Request; when you came back from deployment you will still be eligible to graduate under the requirements of the year you enrolled, in this case 2001.

Provide the university with your mailing address: The educational institution will send correspondence to you during your leave that may require your attention. If you need to change your address with the educational institution go to the admissions department, and make sure they have your correct address.

Types of attendance

If you do not want to attend school as a full-time student you do not have to. Be mindful, however, that your monthly check will be less than if you attend full time. This means if you attend as a half-time student (6 units per semester) your monthly payments will be less than a full-time (12 units) student. The attendance is classified as full-time (12 units), three quarters-time (8 units), half-time (6 units), or less than half-time (3 units). You should also realize that if you take more than 12 units, you may get out of school sooner, but you will not receive any more than the standard monthly payment for 12 units.

Paid Grades

The Department of Veterans Affairs requires that students maintain “satisfactory progress” towards their degree and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. See “Satisfactory Progress” below. All “unallowable” grades will result in an over-payment due back to the VA. The VA does allow grades of Incomplete in which case students have one year to complete the coursework.

Satisfactory Progress

Students receiving federal veterans education benefits will have their benefits terminated if they complete any two consecutive terms with an academic action other than Good Standing, even if the level of achievement does not result in dismissal from the educational institution.

Major and Minors

The Department of Veterans Affairs allows payment for double majors and minors. All majors and minors must be declared for payment of courses in those majors or minors. You can have as many majors and minors as you want (or that the school will allow) and still be able to receive your monthly payments. You will not receive double payments for double majors, however, payments are based on the number of units you take. (See types of attendance above.)

Concurrent Enrollment

Students receiving veterans educational benefits may attend two or more colleges at the same time, as long as it is all in pursuit of a single educational goal and by so doing can expedite their graduation. Students are responsible for having the supplemental school(s) send Form 315, Supplemental/Concurrent Enrollment Form to the parent college or institution that is awarding the degree.

Address Change

To ensure that you continue to receive your VA benefit checks, certifications, and other important VA and/or university information, EVERY TIME YOU MOVE you must be sure to contact the Veterans Affairs Regional Processing Office at 1-888-442-4551 and give them your new address. You must also inform the school of your new address, usually at the administration office.

Financial Aid

If you are getting VA benefits this may affect your level of student aid; most veteran students do qualify for financial aid. Pick up a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the school’s Financial Aid office and make an appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor, or you can file online. The Federal Financial Aid will be discussed in detail later on in this website.

Monthly Self-Verifications

Almost everyone receiving Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty benefits, as well as those in the Selected Reserve, must verify their enrollment each month to receive payment for that month. Your enrollment can be verified on the last calendar day of the month by using our Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) at www.gibill.va.gov/wave or by calling the toll-free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone line at 1-877-823-2378.

Changing Your Certification

If there is a change in your program or enrollment (adding, dropping, or withdrawing from a class) which will affect your training time, you should contact your educational institution’s Veterans’ Certifying Official. If you have any questions about whether a change will affect your training time, please contact your school’s Veterans Certifying Official for clarification.

End of Benefit

The VA will pay for an entire semester if you have at least one or more days of benefits remaining at the beginning of that semester. Consequently, when you are planning your semesters, you may want to be careful about skipping a semester in receiving benefits, if in doing so it will deplete the remainder of your benefits, or changing your type of attendance with respect to the GI Bill payments. Dropping your payments to half-time or three quarters-time for a semester or two, will actually push your end of benefits date out further. Remember, though, that once you reach the 10 year mark after the date you exit the military you become ineligible to receive benefits. This applies only to persons receiving the Montgomery GI Bill (Active, Selected Reserve, Etc).

Some Practicalities Concerning the Montgomery GI Bill

So you have the GI Bill and you are accepted, admitted, and enrolled into the school of your choice, but you realize you are strapped for cash. Do not lose heart you have gone too far to give up now. First talk with the administration office and your VA Certifying Official at your school. Tell them your situation, and more often than not the school will work out a payment plan with you.

The payments do not begin to flow the moment you start classes. The payments are disbursed at the beginning of each month, but only after you have completed the first month of the semester. Sounds confusing, well, the VA can be that way. In other words, payments come at the beginning of the month for the prior month.

Federal Financial Aid (and State) General Information

You may be able to obtain educational benefits from other sources as well as the Montgomery GI Bill; some states also offer veterans educational benefits. Be careful, however, about loans. They may seem like “free” money, but you have to pay them back, unlike the Montgomery GI Bill assistance. Even if you are not contacted about paying back school loans after you have left school, or even sometimes years later, you will still owe money, with interest, and the government will eventually locate you. For detailed information and to apply for a loan, scholarship, or grant, go either to your school’s Financial Aid office or go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

There are two sources of financial aid: the federal government and the state government. The federal government uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. This is used for both grants and loans. Grants are money given to you for you education that does not need to be paid back. Loans, on the other hand, must be paid back Another good source for information and applying for student aid is the financial aid office or www.studentaid.ed.gov.

Paying back loans: IMPORTANT

If you take out a loan you have to pay it back. Many people have been ruined by not paying back school loans. The lending institution may not track you down as soon as you complete school, but in time, even years later. They will find you and you will have to pay back the loan. Later on, if you want to buy a house or a car and need to take out a loan, your past delinquency on the student loan may prevent you from getting the house or car loan.

State Educational Benefits

On top of the federal veterans benefits, you are also entitled to state benefits. These vary from state to state and there are differing requirements for eligibility. You may see each state’s veterans educational benefits and requirements by going to the web address below.

Next to be discussed is residency issues. When you exit from the military, the state associated with your home of record is considered the state your official residence. For example, if you were discharged in Washington then you could claim residency in that state, and have it afforded you shortly thereafter provide you discuss that matter with that state’s Department of Veterans Affairs.

National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) website; just click on State VA Departments and you will be automatically sent to the list of states with their respective DVA websites.

As with many things in life there is a caveat. In this case, the rules and benefits may have changed and that change may not be reflected in the information on the Web site, so you will have to be prepared for this possibility. Hell, I can’t even guarantee that everything you read here is completely correct and up to date.

California Dependents Education Assistance (CHP 35)

The dependent child, spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of a service-connected disabled or deceased veteran may be entitled to tuition and fee waiver benefits at any campus of the California State University system, University of California or a California Community College.
To obtain eligibility requirements and assistance in applying for these valuable benefits, please contact your local County Veterans Service Office, your school’s veterans office, or call CDVA at (916) 503-8397. When the form is completed, contact your nearest County Veterans Service Office. For a complete list check http://www.cacvso.org/

If you are receiving VA Education Benefits under Chapter 35 (Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance), you are not eligible to receive the California Dependents Education Assistance under Plan A. See the instructions for the California Dependents Education Assistance for details about Plans B and C and minimum eligibility requirements.

The tuition and fee waiver benefits provided by this program cover only the State Fee, not campus-based fees, such as health care, or housing costs.
This benefit is applicable to one academic year only and must be renewed each academic year. Generally, the academic year starts in the fall and ends at the end of the spring semester / quarter.

This site is devoted to Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. It is the start off point to begin the whole process.

www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/index.htm

This site is devoted to other types of Educational Benefits available to veterans.

www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/benefits.htm

On this page the veteran verifies each month of each semester, in order to receive his/her educational benefit.
https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/default.cfm

Tells you monthly compensation rates for any type of institution (college, technical school, vocational training).
http://www.gibill.va.gov/

http://www.horatioalger.com/scholarships_military/index.cfm

Horatio Alger Military Scholarship is specifically for veterans of OIF/OEF

The Horatio Alger Association seeks to assist students who have demonstrated integrity, perseverance in overcoming adversity, strength of character, financial need, a good academic record, commitment to pursue a college education, and a desire to contribute to society.

www.newdirectionsinc.org

New Directions provides a wide variety of services for homeless veterans, including job training and placement, parenting and money management classes, legal and financial assistance, counseling, remedial education and resources for alumni. Residents leave New Directions with a job, housing, a savings account, computer skills, renewed self confidence and the support of mentors and peers. Such a transformation takes hard work, motivation and accountability, but the results are life-altering — and for many veterans, life-saving.

www.sentinelsoffreedom.org

Mission is to provide life-changing opportunities for men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who have suffered severe injuries and need the support of grateful communities to realize their dreams.

www.mcsf.com

Mission is to provide financial assistance in the form of scholarships for higher education to deserving sons and daughters of Marines and children of former Marines, with particular attention being given to children whose parent was killed or wounded in action. Beginning in 2004, Toyota committed to funding a $1.25 million endowment for “Toyota Scholars”, which awards scholarships worth $5000 to students every year in each of Toyota’s 12 regions across the United States. In 2006, Toyota increased the endowment to $1.65 Million in order to provide scholarships in our four Lexus areas.