R 031822Z MAR 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 129/10
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MR//
SUBJ/POST 9-11 GI BILL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/HR2642/YMD:20080630//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/OSD-PR/YMD:20090622//
NARR/REF A IS PUBLIC LAW 110-252, THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2008.  TITLE V OF POST 9-11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2008.  REF B IS DIRECTIVE TYPE MEMORANDUM, 09-003:BILL.//
POC/MR. VERNON TAYLOR/GS14/-/-/TEL:7037849550//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THIS MARADMIN PROVIDES ANSWERS TO THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POST 9-11 GI BILL.
2.  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
       A.  WHO IS ELIGIBLE?  IF YOU SERVED AT LEAST 90 AGGREGATE DAYS ON ACTIVE DUTY AFTER SEPTEMBER 10, 2001, YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR POST 9-11 GI BILL BENEFITS.
       B.  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.
       C.  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.
       D.  WHAT DOES THE POST 9-11 GI BILL COVER?  YOU MAY RECEIVE BENEFITS FOR ANY APPROVED PROGRAM OFFERED BY A SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES THAT IS AUTHORIZED TO GRANT AN ASSOCIATE OR HIGHER DEGREE.  VISIT THE VA WEBSITE AT WWW.GIBILL.VA.GOV/GI BILL INFO/ PROGRAMS.HTM TO VERIFY THE PROGRAM AT YOUR SCHOOL, OR PROGRAM AT THE SCHOOL YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, IS AN APPROVED PROGRAM ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
       E.  ARE SERVICE ACADEMY/ROTC SCHOLARSHIP COMMISSIONED OFFICERS ELIGIBLE FOR THE POST 9-11 GI BILL?  OFFICERS FROM THESE COMMISSIONING SOURCES CAN QUALIFY FOR THE POST 9-11 GI BILL.  BUT, TIME SPENT SATISFYING THEIR INITIAL ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE OBLIGATION DOES NOT COUNT TOWARDS THE SERVICE NECESSARY TO QUALIFY FOR THE BENEFITS.
       F.  HOW DOES THE POST 9-11 GI BILL COMPARE TO THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL (MGIB)?  THE POST 9-11 GI BILL PAYS BENEFITS BASED ON ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE PERFORMED AFTER SEPTEMBER 10, 2001.  BENEFITS ARE TAILORED TO A VETERANS SPECIFIC SCHOOL AND LOCATION.  MGIB BENEFITS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE ELECTED UPON ENLISTMENT AND REQUIRES A 1200 PAYROLL DEDUCTION.  MGIB RATES ARE BASED ON THE ENLISTMENT CONTRACT AND THE COURSE LOAD TAKEN REGARDLESS OF THE INSTITUTIONS TUITION/FEES AND LOCATION.
       G.  HOW MUCH IS THE POST 9-11 GI BILL WORTH?  BENEFITS ARE CALCULATED ON THE LENGTH OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE AFTER SEPTEMBER 10,
2001 BASED ON:
             (1) THE AMOUNT OF TUITION AND FEES CHARGED UP TO THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN-STATE PUBLIC COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM.
             (2) A MONTHLY STIPEND EQUAL TO THE BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING (BAH) AMOUNT PAYABLE TO AN E-5 WITH DEPENDENTS IN THE SAME ZIP CODE AS THE INSTITUTION. THE HOUSING ALLOWANCE IS NOT PAID TO INDIVIDUALS ON ACTIVE DUTY, NOR TO THOSE PURSUING EDUCATION/TRAINING AT HALF TIME OR LESS OR TO INDIVIDUALS TAKING STRICTLY ONLINE COURSES.
             (3) A YEARLY STIPEND OF UP TO 1000 FOR BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
       H.  ARE SERVICE MEMBERS WHO DECLINED THE MGIB OR VEAP WHEN THEY ENTERED THE SERVICE ELIGIBLE FOR THE POST 9-11 GI BILL?  YES, IF THEY HAVE POST SEPTEMBER 10, 2001 SERVICE OF 90 DAYS OR MORE.
       I.  WHAT HAPPENS TO MY COLLEGE FUND IF I ELECT TO CONVERT MY ELIGIBILITY FROM MGIB TO THE POST 9-11 GI BILL?  THE COLLEGE FUND AMOUNT WILL BE CARRIED OVER TO THE POST 9-11 GI BILL BENEFITS.
       J.  IF THE 1200 MGIB CONTRIBUTION IS REFUNDED AT THE END OF MY 36 MONTHS OF BENEFIT USE, DO I ALSO GET MY 600 BUY UP CONTRIBUTION BACK?  NO.  THE POST 9-11 DOES NOT MAKE A PROVISION FOR THE REFUND OF THE 600 BUY UP.  IF AN ELECTION IS MADE TO CONVERT TO THE POST 9-11 GI BILL, ANY CONTRIBUTION TO THE BUY UP WILL NOT BE CARRIED OVER TO THE NEW BENEFIT.
        K.  IF I ATTENDED SCHOOL PRIOR TO THE POST 9-11 GI BILL EFFECTIVE DATE OF AUGUST 1, 2009, WILL I BE ABLE TO RECEIVE RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS ONCE THE BENEFITS GO INTO EFFECT?  NO, THERE WILL BE NO RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS FOR THE POST 9-11 GI BILL.
        L.  WHAT IF I USED ALL MY CHAPTER 30 MGIB BENEFITS?  AM I STILL ELIGIBLE FOR THE NEW POST 9-11 GI BILL?  IF ALL 36 MONTHS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED, THE SERVICE MEMBER MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR 12 MONTHS OF POST 9-11 BENEFITS.
        M.  ARE MILITARY RETIREES AND RESERVE SERVICE MEMBERS ELIGIBLE FOR THE POST 9-11 GI BILL?  YES, IF THEY HAVE POST SEPTEMBER 10, 2001 FEDERAL ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE OF AT LEAST 90 DAYS.
        N.  WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION?  GO TO: WWW.GIBILL.VA.GOV.      
3.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY NF6 (SES) T. R. LARSEN, DIRECTOR, PERSONAL AND FAMILY READINESS DIVISION.//