Federal Veteran Benefits

The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. There are four categories of eligibility for Chapter 30.

Category 1: for those who first entered active duty after June 30, 1985, and did not decline the MGIB in writing upon entry into active duty. Veterans should have paid $1,200 into their fund at the time of enlistment.

Category 2: for those with remaining entitlement under the Vietnam Era GI Bill®

Category 3: for those who were involuntarily separated for certain reasons or those who were separated under the VSI (Voluntary Separation Incentive) or SSB (Special Separation Benefit) program.

Category 4: for former Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) participants who elected to convert to MGIB during the open window periods, and for a small group of National Guard members who were given a brief opportunity to elected MGIB.

Requirements:

• Receive a fully honorable discharge.
• Complete high school, obtain an equivalency certificate, or complete 12 hours toward a college degree, before you apply for benefits.

Exceptions

If the veteran did not complete the required period of service, he or she may still be eligible if he or she were separated early for one of the following reasons:

• Convenience of government
• Service connected disability
• Hardship
• Medical condition that veteran had before service
• A physical or mental condition that interfered with performance of duty and did not result from misconduct on their part
• Reduction in force (RFI)

Eligibility

Veterans have up to 10 years from the last date of separation from active duty, or when the veteran uses all their monthly entitlement, whichever is earlier. Entitlement is up to 36 months of full-time education benefits regardless of how long the veteran served.

Rates:

Rates are based on enrollment status and increase every October. For current monthly rates, please click here.

Application:

• Veterans must complete the 22-1990 or click here for the VonApp online.
• Veteran must have an active savings or checking account for direct deposit.
• Veteran must provide our Veterans Office with a DD214 Member-4 copy.
• Veteran must provide our Veterans Office with the VA's letter of eligibility of benefits.

The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program assists veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs. This service is established with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC). The VRC and veteran will create a rehabilitation plan that will specify an employment or independent living goal, identify intermediate goals, and outline services and resources that VA will provide.

Requirements:

• Have received, or will receive, a discharge that is other than dishonorable,
• Have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% or a memorandum rating of 20% or more from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Eligibility

Entitlement to services is established if the veteran has an employment handicap and is within his or her 12-year basic period of eligibility and has a 20% or greater service-connected disability rating. If the service connected disability rating is less than 20%, or if the veteran is beyond the 12-year basic period of eligibility, then a serious employment handicap must be found to establish entitlement.

Rates:

Rates vary based on veteran’s enrollment status and number of dependents. For current rates, please click here.

 Application:

•  Apply for VR&E services with VRC. 
               LaBarbara Philpot
               521 W. Main Street Suite #105
               Belleville, IL  62220
               P: 618.239.0087
               F: 618.239.0099
               E: labarbara.philpot@va.gov
•  The VRC will provide the veteran with a letter of eligibility which must be brought to our Veterans Office.
• The Veteran must also provide our Veterans Office with a DD214 Member-4 copy.

Veterans who served at least 90 days aggregate days on active duty after September 10, 2001, and still on active duty or were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability after serving 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001 are eligible for Post 9/11 benefits.

Veterans receive a percentage of the following payments:

• Tuition and fee payment based on chart below,
• Monthly housing allowance that is equal to:
  • The basic allowance for housing payable for the zip code of your school to a military E-5 with dependents for students pursuing resident training
  • One half of the BAH national average for students training solely by distance learning*
  • The national average BAH for students pursuing training at foreign school
  • Books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000 per year 

Eligibility

Generally, veterans may receive up to 36 months of entitlement under the Post 9/11 GI Bill®. Veterans will be eligible for benefits for 15 years from last period of active duty of at least 90 consecutive days.

Application

• Veterans must complete the VA Form 22-1990 or click here for the VonApp online.
• Veteran must have an active savings or checking account for direct deposit.
• Veteran must provide our Veterans Office with a DD214 Member-4 copy.
• Veteran must provide our Veterans Office with the VA's letter of eligibility of benefits.

*NOTE: Post 9/11 veterans maybe eligible for other educational benefits. Please see the Veterans Coordinator before choosing Post 9/11 and relinquishing other benefits you may be eligible for.

Survivors and Dependents Assistance provides education benefits to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or who died while on active duty as a result of a service related condition.

Eligibility

Children who are determined eligible have until the age of 26. In certain instances, it is possible to continue receiving benefits after the age of 26. Entitlement is up to 45 months of full-time education benefits.

Spouses may have up to 10 years of eligibility which begins on the date the VA determined he or she was eligible. For surviving spouses (spouses of service members who died on active duty) benefits end 20 years from the date of death. Entitlement is up to 45 months of full-time education benefits.

Rates:

Rates are based on enrollment status and increase every October. For current monthly rates, please click here.

Application:

• Dependents must complete the VA Form 22-5490.
• Dependent must provide our Veterans Office with the VA's letter of eligibility of benefits.

The MGIB-SR program is a monthly benefit for the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve consists of the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.

Requirements:

• Have a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve signed after June 30, 1985. If veteran is an officer, he or she must have agreed to serve six years in addition to the original obligation.
• Complete the initial active duty for training (IADT)
• Meet the requirement to receive a high school diploma or equivalency certificate before completing IADT.
• Remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit.

Restrictions:

Veterans who elected to have their total service in the Selected Reserve credited toward establishing eligibility under the Montgomery GI Bill®-Active Duty may not use their MGIB-SR. However, if the veteran obligates another six years in the Selected Reserve, he or she can be eligible for both the MGIB-AD and the MGIB-SR.

Eligibility

Veterans may receive benefits until his or her eligibility period ends or when the veteran uses all their monthly entitlement, whichever is earlier. Entitlement is up to 36 months of full-time education benefits regardless of how long the veteran served. Eligibility ends the day of separation from Selected Reserve.

Rates:

Rates are based on enrollment status and increase every October. For current monthly rates, please click here.

Application:

• Veterans must complete the 22-1990 or click here for the VonApp online.
• Veteran must have an active savings or checking account for direct deposit.
• Veteran must provide our Veterans Office with a DD214 Member-4 copy.
• Veteran must provide our Veterans Office with the VA's letter of eligibility of benefits.  

The transferability option under the Post 9/11 Bill allows Service members to transfer unused benefits to their spouses or dependent children.

Requirements:

Any member of the Armed Forces (active duty or Selected Reserve, officer, or enlisted) who is eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill®, and:

• Has at least six years of service in the Armed Forces (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of approval and agrees to serve four additional years in the Armed Forces from the date of election.
• Has at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of approval, is precluded by either standard policy (Service or DoD) or statute from committing to four additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute.
• Is or becomes retirement eligible and agrees to serve an additional period of service on or after August 1, 2012. A Service member is considered to be retirement eligible if he or she has completed 20 years of active Federal service.

Such transfer must be requested and approved while the member is in the Armed Forces.

Eligibility

Veterans have up to 10 years from the last date of separation from active duty, or when the veteran uses all their monthly entitlement, whichever is earlier. Entitlement is up to 36 months of full-time education benefits regardless of how long the veteran served.

Eligible Dependents

An individual approved to transfer an entitlement to educational assistance under this section may transfer the individual’s entitlement to:

• The individual's spouse.
• One or more of the individual’s children.
• Any combination of spouse and child.
• A family member must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) and be eligible for benefits, at the time of transfer to receive transferred educational benefits.

A child's subsequent marriage will not affect his or her eligibility to receive the educational benefit; however, after an individual has designated a child as a transferee under this section, the individual retains the right to revoke or modify the transfer at any time.

A subsequent divorce will not affect the transferee’s eligibility to receive educational benefits; however, after an individual has designated a spouse as a transferee under this section, the eligible individual retains the right to revoke or modify the transfer at any time.

Exceptions

If the veteran did not complete the required period of service, he or she may still be eligible if he or she were separated early for one of the following reasons:

• Convenience of government
• Service connected disability
• Hardship
• Medical condition that veteran had before service
• A physical or mental condition that interfered with performance of duty and did not result from misconduct on their part
• Reduction in force (RFI)

Application:

1) The servicemember must first connect to the milConnect portal application through this link:
2) To transfer benefit months to a family member, do the following:

• Locate the name of the appropriate family member in the table.
• From the Months drop-down list, select the number of months (0 to 36) to transfer.
• Optionally, enter an End Date in YYYY-MM-DD format.

3) Once transfer Months have been assigned to the family members, the servicemember must submit a transfer request for approval by doing the following:

• Select the “Post-9/11 GI Bill® Chapter 33” radio button in the Select the educational program from which to transfer benefits section.
• Select all the boxes in the Transferability of Education Benefits Acknowledgements section to indicate that you have read and understand each statement.
• Click the Submit Request button.

4) Once your transfer request is approved, your request data is sent to the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Each family member must first apply for a certificate of eligibility from the DVA before they can use their transferred benefits. Once the DVA receives the request data and VA Form 22-1990E, they will be able to process the family members’ requests to use their benefits.

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) Program is a career development and employment assistance program sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD). MyCAA helps military spouses purse a license, certificate, certification, or Associate's Degree necessary for gainful employment in a high demand, high growth portable career field and occupation.

Training and Education Financial Assistance: MyCAA provides a maximum education benefit of $4,000 with an annual fiscal year cap of $2,000 to assist eligible military spouses in acquiring a professional credential needed to meet their Portable Career goal.

For more information about MyCAA, please call 800.342.9647 or see the MyCAA Fact Sheet.

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship amends the Post 9/11 GI Bill® to include the children and surviving spouses of military personnel who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001. Eligible children and spouses attending school may receive tuition and fees plus a monthly living allowance and book stipend under this program. The program offers up to 36 months of education benefits. For more information or to apply, please visit the GI Bill® Website and see the scholarship Fact Sheet.

Eligibility

Children and surviving spouses of military personnel who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, are eligible for the benefit. A child may be married or over 23 and still be eligible.

Eligible Children:

• Are entitled to 36 months of benefits at the 100% level
• Have 15 years to use the benefit beginning on his/her 18th birthday
• May use the benefit until his or her 33rd birthday
• Cannot use benefit before age 18, even if he or she has completed high school
• Are not eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program

Eligible Spouses:

• Are entitled to 36 months of benefits at the 100% level
• Have 15 years to use the benefit from the date of the Servicemember's death
• Must forfeit eligibility for Survivor and Dependents' Education Assistance (DEA) Program (Chapter 35)
• Spouse becomes ineligible if remarried