College Blog

1. The Post 9/11 GI Bill and “Break Pay”

The original Montgomery GI Bill offered “break pay,” the ability to receive pay during “no class” increments under 56 days. This was designed to give students continual financial support during larger lapses such as winter intersessions (the time between fall and spring semester).

Students that are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill are required to be in continuous school to get continuous benefits; fortunately, most schools offer summer and winter intersession courses, and typically only one or two classes need to be taken during those small timeframes to qualify for full-time enrollment.

Read more on “break pay” and the Montgomery GI Bill.

2. College Fund or Reserve Kicker Qualification and the Post 9/11 GI Bill

Students that were promised the College Fund when they joined (also known as a “kicker” or “Reserve Kicker”) will still qualify for this under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. If eligible, the student will be paid the kicker each month as an addition to their housing stipend. Students that are not receiving a housing stipend due to:

• Being an active duty service member;
• Being a veteran training at half time or less; and.or
• Being a distance learner,

will still receive their monthly kicker.

Read more about the College Fund and how it is incorporated into the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

3. The “Buy Up” Program and the Post 9/11 GI Bill

Students that elected to participate in the “Buy Up” program during the Post 9/11 GI Bill will not receive an increased amount ($600 buy-up) paid under chapters 30 or 1607. Furthermore, they will not be refunded this amount under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Read more about the “Buy Up” Program.

4. Refund of the Montgomery GI Bill Enrollment Fee with the Post 9/11 GI Bill

Students that were previously enrolled in the Montgomery GI Bill and have elected to switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill will be refunded the $1200 Montgomery GI Bill enrollment fee. The specific way this works:

All Montgomery GI Bill (chapter 30) contributions, excluding $600 “Buy Up,” will be refunded at a proportional amount [based on the number of months remaining under MGIB at time of Post 9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33) election] of the basic $1200 contribution. This refund will be included in the last monthly patment when chapter 33 entitlement exhausts.

Individuals who do not exhaust entitlement under chapter 33 will not receive a refund.

5. Post 9/11 GI Bill and Tutorial Assistance

Like the Montgomery GI Bill, the Post 9/11 GI Bill offers up to $1200 ($100/month) for tutorial services.

Read more about the tutorial service coverage here.

6. Eligibility for Post 9/11 GI Bill in Lieu of Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserver

A specific question presented on the VA website: I have qualifying active duty service in a regular component after September 10, 2001. When I was discharged, I signed a 6-year contract as a member of the Selected Reserve. On August 1, 2009, I will be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserver. Can I elect the Post 9/11 GI Bill by giving up MGIB-SR instead of MGIB, even if I was never called-up for active duty from the Selected Reserve after September 10, 2001?

The answer to the question is as follows:

If you are eligible for MGIB and/or MGIB-SR on 8/1/2009, and you meet the eligibility requirements for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you must trade in either MGIB or MGIB-SR to receive the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. You may trade in the MGIB-SR even if you were not called for active duty fro mthe Selected Reserver after 9/10/2001, and have no qualifying active duty associated with your Selected Reserve Service. If you trade in MGIB-SR to become eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you will retain eligibility to MGIB under the rules established in that program.

You cannot, however, receive benefits for more than one program at any given time, and you cannot receive more than a maximum of 48 months of benefits under any combination of VA benefit programs.

7. ROTC Grads and the Post 9/11 GI Bill

Graduates from a ROTC academy qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. However, the time spent in the ROTC program does not count towards the time served requirements, so prospective students will have to sign obligation of service for benefits.

Read more about ROTC students and the new GI Bill.

8. The Post 9/11 GI Bill and Taxes

Similar to undergraduate student loans, the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits are not taxable. Any veterans’ benefits paid under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should not be reported as income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

9. The National Call to Service Program as a Supplement to the Post 9/11 GI Bill

For prospective college students looking for additional benefits beyond the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the National Call to Service program allows students to qualify for one of the following incentives:

1. Cash bonus of $5,000
2. Repayment of a qualifying student loan not to exceed $18, 000
3. Entitlement to allowance equal to the 3-year monthly chapter 30 rate for 12 months ($1,034 effective Oct 1, 2005)
4. Entitlement to allowance equal to fifty percent of the less than 3-year monthly chapter 30 rate for 36 months (Fifty percent of $840 effective Oct. 1, 2005)

In order to be eligible for this supplemental financial aid, the prospective college student must fulfill the following criteria:

1. First, after completion of initial entry training, individuals must serve on active duty in a military occupational specialty designated by the Secretary of Defense for a period of 15 months.
2. After this, and without a break in service, these individuals must serve either an additional period of active duty as determined by the Secretary of Defense, or a period of 24 months in an active status in the Selected Reserve.
3. After completion of this period of service, and also, without a break in service, the remaining period of obligated service specified in the agreement will be served as follows:
   • on active duty in the armed forces
   • in the Selected Reserve
   • in the Individual Ready Reserve
   • in Americorps, or another domestic national service program jointly designated by the Secretary of Defense and the head of such a program

Read more about the National Call to Service here.

10. Following Further Changes to Post 9/11 GI Bill

In addition to the news provided by the Online Education Blog, the Veterans Benefits GI Bill Blog provides updates on the current military education happenings and Post 9/11 GI Bill quirks and news.