Gi bill kicker for reservists?

[Meatfoam]

Greetings!

I have been searching the web and asked my recruiter if reservists are eligible for a GI Bill kicker, you know, where you pay some extra money initially, but eventually receive more money for higher education. I cannot find any definitive answers and my recruiter seems to have the same problem.
Another thing: what is the amount of monthly deductions for GI bill eligibility as far as reservists are concerned? And will I take care of that particular paperwork during boot camp or should I have taken care of that with my recruiter?

Thanks for your help!

David

[Da-Chief]

Rservists are not eligible for the GI BILL like Active Duty so the word is no. Recruiter knows this and is playing stupid.

There is a "RESERVE GI BILL" and I will send you the link to it once I get off my wifes computer upstairs.. Expect another answer from me. You don't have to pay to the Reserve GI BILL but you don't get as much.

[crazycajun]

Yep this is how i got messed up with my GI Bill. It was new and I was a reservist before going active duty. Once active duty I started paying in to the GI Bill, 11 months (payments) later they said I didn't qualify and gave me my money back.

At least I got my money back.

[Da-Chief]

Tracy,
They screwed up man, Same thing happened to me I appealed it and I paid my 1200 and now have it. Look into it man before you get out!!

Da-Chief

[Da-Chief]

Hey MeatFoam,
Go to this site, it will answer all your questions..

http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/Info/Text/Reserves/Reserve_Menu.htm

Good Luck!

Chief

[Meatfoam]

Thank you guys for your help. Yes I looked at the VA web site and this way I found out about REAP. However, then I stumbled across NAVADMIN 065/07.
It is a bit confusing to me, I don't know what exactly it means, as it is not the usual civilian jargon I am used to. It mentions something about a MGIB SR Kicker.
Here's the link, check paragraph 8.
http://navyreserve.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/2BA792A4-8889-4933-9E92-54CD00A95383/0/NAVADMIN065_07.pdf

[navyrecruit1984]

Hi, the SR kicker can raise your SR GI Bill benefits up to $23,292 according to this site- http://www.military.com/Recruiting/Content/0,13898,rec_education_kicker,,00.html
which would more than double the benefits. My recruiter told me that we find out whether we're eligible for it and how much we're eligible for at MEPS.

[HMC-FMF-PJ]

I have been searching the web and asked my recruiter if reservists are eligible for a GI Bill kicker,

Okay boys and girls, obviously there is a LOT of confusion here! There are a lot of very fine details for each program and even subject matter experts have difficulty keeping track of everything -- not to mention all the recent & pending legislation/messages that keep changing the rules...

Keeping track of the Active Duty GI Bill is hard enough, but educational benefits for Reservists can be a nightmare to figure out. A lot of people with very good intentions provide "correct" information that is WRONG for your specific scenario.

The current four big GI Bill type educational programs administered by the VA right now are:
[1] Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (Ch 30) (MGIB-AD)
[2] Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (Ch 1606) (MGIB-SR)
[3] Montgomery GI Bill - Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) (Ch 1607)
[4] National Call to Service Incentive Program

Each program has its own set of UNIQUE criteria and rules. Following basic guidelines for one program might totally screw you under a different program, so do your homework on YOUR program.

*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
First off, CazyCajun, listen to Da Chief and go get your educational benfits squared away BEFORE you sign a DD214 (start now). From what little I know, I believe you would qualify for full MGIB-AD benefits once you win your appeal and pay your $1,200. MGIB-AD eligibility is no longer restricted to Initial Period of Active Duty. Unless you declined your educational benefits IN WRITING, you should be eligible for MGIB-AD upon completing 2 years of active service.
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*

The short answer about "KICKERS" is that the MGIB-AD and MGIB-SR both offer kickers for limited time periods and under restrictive conditions to critical personnel in order to help fill manning requirements. The rules and qualifications continually change. As of today's date, SelRes HM-8404 is eligible to apply for the MGIB-SR kicker.

YES THE MGIB-SR HAS A KICKER, but the rules seem to change quarterly and you may or may not be eligible for it. Kickers max out at $350/mo, but the Navy usually do not authorize the max amount and I do not know what the payment would be.

Do the homework and paperwork NOW.

DO NOT WAIT for boot camp or you will likely loose whatever you were eligible for. Boot camp is geared towards training recruits, not researching educational benefits and providing extraordinary personalized attention to administrative dealings.

Generally the Select Reserve pay zero dollars ($0) for their educational benefits under MGIB-SR, REAP, and NCSIP. Payments may be required for MGIB-SR kickers, but I do not think so. Furthermore, virtually all educational benefits disappear the moment you stop drilling (leave reserves) or 14 years from initial eligibility -- whichever is first. Mobilized reservists are able to add the duration of all mobilizations, plus 4 months, to their expiration date. (ie. 8 mo mobilization = 12 mo time extension)

Once you fully qualified for a MGIB-AD or MGIB-SR kicker, then typically that extra money will still be paid if you switch to a different program. (ie. MGIB-SR to REAP)

Start by having your Recruiter read the messages mention earlier in the thread (ie. ALNAVRESFOR 14/00 and NAVADMIN 065/07). Both of those will reference other instructions (ie. NAVADMIN 146/06 and NAVADMIN 085/06) and provide a point of contact for specific questions (ie. Senior Chief Dowd).

Of course the best way to see that your Recruiter reads the messages is to print everything out and bring it in to him. (Make his job easier to get you what you want.)

[Meatfoam]

HMC-FMF-PJ, thank you so much for your detailed response. I will present my recruiter with printouts of the Navadmin. So many benefits that nobody ever tells you about...

Thanks again for your help.

David

[HMC-FMF-PJ]

When checking on the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), be sure to also ask about:
[] Buy-up Program (certain specialties may invest a little more to get paid a lot more in benefits)
[] Kickers (certain specialties may apply to get paid extra benefits)
[] College Fund Program (primarily Army only benefit)

Military.com Learn to Use Your GI Bill
http://education.military.com/money-for-school/gi-bill/learn-to-use-your-gi-bill?wh=wh

VA Educational Benefits
http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/benefits.htm

VA Veterans Benefits Counselor
1-888-442-4551

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents (list of all VA benefits)
http://www1.va.gov/OPA/vadocs/current_benefits.asp

Be sure to check with your State VA office as well. Many states also have misc educational benefits for eligible veterans or family members.

[AndiRRT]

There was an OIF veteran in my respiratory class. I am not gonna even pretend that I know what I am talking about here regarding rules/ regulations and who gets what. However, my husband recieved a GI Bill while we were both in college, and it paid our bills while traditional financial aid paid our tuition, enabling us both to go to school full-time with a child. We were not wealthy, and it was a struggle, but I thank God for that monthly direct deposit he recieved. The classmate of mine was even better off. He had apparently invested into an education fund of some type with the Army so he was able to get a much larger monthly sum while enrolled as a full-time student. I would advise anyone to do what you are doing by learning as much as possible. Even if a man or woman in the military doesn't anticipate going to college, plan for it anyway, as you never know the path your life will take. An ounce of effort now could make a huge difference in your life 5 years from now.

[Da-Chief]

Every service offers the GI Bill for Active Duty, but every service also offers more incentives as well.. Army pays "GREAT" for college if you invest..

V/R
HMC

[HMC-FMF-PJ]

Even if a man or woman in the military doesn't anticipate going to college, plan for it anyway, as you never know the path your life will take. An ounce of effort now could make a huge difference in your life 5 years from now.

EXACTLY!!

Here it is over 16yrs after I joined and only now am I having the military pay for my college. If I have any benefits left over after I get my degree, I'll probably have the military pay whatever is left towards a pilot's license or some other goal I would like to achieve.

The MGIB pays for more than just traditional educational insitutions. If you plan on having a career after the military, it will likely require training, a license, or a degree for you to get hired or promoted (paramedic, fire, police, nurse, hospital tech, dental tech, teacher, mechanic, chef, etc.)

Even if you operate your own business, you can go to school to learn how to run it better or improve the way you manage the finances.

Retiree's can also fund plenty of educational interests or hobbies with the MGIB (wood shop, metal shop, glass blower, chef, pilot, gunsmith, mechanic, webmaster, photography, casino training, etc...)

Hey Da-Chief: What do retirees do anyway???

[HMC-FMF-PJ]

Ever heard this before? Education pays in higher earnings and lower unemployment rates. Go to school and have the military pay for it!!
http://www.bls.gov/spotlight/
http://www.bls.gov/emp/emptab7.htm

[HMC-FMF-PJ]

Among those institutions which are approved by the VA are many vocational, correspondence, certification, business, technical, and flight-training schools; community and junior colleges; and colleges and universities.

[Da-Chief]

I am going to the school of "DAD" right now. :swn:

I start College in January. Gave myself 1 semester off, then I will utilize by GI BILL bennies as well.

:-)

Da-Chief

[Corpsman77Wife]

So what are you going to study in school Chief?

[HMC-FMF-PJ]

Which Chief are you after? I am working on a Business Degree.