IAVA and VA News: VA to start accepting New Post 9/11 GI Bill Applications on May 1st 2009

Yeah!! I finally get to use my benefits.. Da-Chief will be a full times student after August 1st, I will be a 43 year old “FRESHMAN” in College, they better be ready for me!

Post 9/11 GI Bill

Dedi–Dedi–Dedi-Dedication
Here you go, from the VA’s GI BILL Website:

Starting May 1, 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs will begin accepting applications for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The application form is available online.

The form requires that individuals currently eligible for another education benefit make an irrevocable election from their existing program to the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Typically individuals who are eligible for more than one benefit may use a combined total of 48 months of entitlement. Therefore, for those individuals eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) program, please be advised that if you have entitlement remaining under the MGIB, the number of months of Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement you will be eligible for will be equal to the number of months remaining under MGIB. However, if you exhaust all of your MGIB entitlement, then you may be entitled to a maximum of 12 additional months of entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Starting May 1, 2009 VA will begin processing applications for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and you will receive a letter explaining VA’s decision regarding your eligibility for the program. Payments for the Post-9/11 GI Bill will not be processed until August 1, 2009.

Click here to access the application form which includes instructions for submitting completed applications.

Now of course in full Governmental function, The link provided does not work.. FEHH!!!! MAJOR FAIL! Keep checking back as I am sure it will soon.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Below is the release from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) on the GI Bill, they were a major force in helping us get this legislation passed:

IAVA is pleased to see that the VA adopted many of our recommended changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill regulations. The recently published final regulations addressed over half of IAVA’s top concerns. These changes are worth thousands of dollars to veterans who will be using this new benefit, and specifically include:

• Ensuring that school health insurance programs are covered by the new GI Bill.
• Encouraging private universities and colleges to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program by increasing flexibility:
  • Allowing separate schools within a college to participate
  • Removing restrictive requirements on how schools fund the program
• Allowing spouses/dependents to benefit from a servicemember’s enlistment kickers.
• Clearly defining when a servicemember with readjustment issues can leave school and not be billed for courses not completed.

We were also grateful to see the VA include GI Bill eligibility for officers of the Public Health Service (PHS) and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and clarify that other forms of financial aid will not affect GI Bill benefits.

While a majority of these regulatory changes were pro-veteran, IAVA still has some concerns with the regulations that should be addressed immediately. For example:

• Unfair prohibition on transferring benefits to children between the ages of 18-26
• Denying enlistment kickers to part-time students and distance learners
• Denying the Montgomery GI Bill buy-in refunds to part-time students and distance learners

To learn more about the Post-9/11 GI Bill, click here.

Please use these resources to better help you negotiate these waters.