Coming home can be hard, but the GI Bill can make it a bit easier.
Those who serve honorably for six months or more are eligible for the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. The act more commonly known as the GI Bill provides educational tuition benefits for active duty service members and veterans.
“As the drawdown (of deployed troops) occurs, we will see more and more veterans taking advantage of the GI Bill,” stated Mr. James Selbe, Vice President of Military Operations at University of Maryland University College. “(We’ll) see veterans returning to school or enrolling for the first time.”
For veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraqi conflicts, the Post 9-11 GI Bill received some updates. In addition to the 36 months of educational tuition benefits at approved undergraduate public schools, it allows a number of other stipends and benefits.
For instance, additional tuition is available for private institutions under the Yellow Ribbon program. In this agreement, the participating institution shares the cost of the GI Bill up to 100 percent.
In addition, the eligibility period has been extended from 10 years (under the previous incarnation of the Montgomery GI Bill) to 15 years under the post-9/11 GI Bill.
Other benefits include up to $2,000 worth of costs covered for one-time licensing or certification, such as obtaining a teacher’s state license, certification as an accountant or licensing as a real estate broker.
There are other benefits still being drafted by the Department of Defense, such as the ability to transfer benefits to a child or spouse. It has also scaled down on the bureaucracy of the system under the Montgomery GI Edition.
“It’s a much more efficient system than it was in the past,” noted Professional Development Program Manager of Marine Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. Ms. Ranza Thurman. “The benefit will be to the service member and to the dependent because it’s much more efficient.”