Federal and State Veterans Benefits Update ILASFAA Fall Workshops: Saving the Day with Financial Aid November 2017

Presented by Kent Ketter (CAPTAIN AMERICA) IDVA-Veterans Education and Training Section (VETS) November 16, 2017 ILASFAA Fall Workshops: Saving the Day with Financial Aid November 2017

IDVA-Veterans Education and Training Section (VETS) IDVA-Veterans Education and Training Section (August 2015) State Approving Agency MIA/POW Scholarship and Educational Opportunities for Children Grant Will provide seamless services to eligible dependents as they progress through three programs: Educational Opportunities Grant Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance MIA/POW Scholarship

IDVA-Veterans Education and Training Section (VETS) Administrator Dan Wellman (Springfield) State Approving Agency Melissa Cushman (Springfield) Kent Ketter (Bloomington) Enrique Cabrera (Joliet) Andrew Pieper (Wheaton) Tiffany Perry (Chicago) MIA/POW Scholarship and Educational Opportunities Grants Tracy Kimmel (Springfield)

Educational Opportunities Grants Provides financial aid ($250) annually to each child between the ages of 10 and 18 years of a veteran who died or became totally disabled as a result of service in the Armed Forces during war, until such individuals are no longer eligible for induction under the Universal Military Training and Service Act. The financial aid applies to a state educational institution of elementary grade, high school or vocational training school.

MIA/POW Scholarship The State of Illinois provides an education scholarship for the dependents of veterans who are either Missing In Action, a Prisoner of War, died while on active duty, 100% disabled due to service connected disabilities or died as a result of a service connected disabilities. 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 (MIA/POW Scholarship) establishes the benefit and 95 Ill. Admin Code 116 (MIA/POW Scholarship) provides the rules governing the administration and eligibility of dependents.

Illinois State Approving Agency Mission Protecting the integrity of the GI Bill for 70 years Approve programs of education and training Conduct compliance surveys Provide technical assistance (training) to facilities Outreach services to veterans 105 ILCS 5/30-14.2 (MIA/POW Scholarship) establishes the benefit and 95 Ill. Admin Code 116 (MIA/POW Scholarship) provides the rules governing the administration and eligibility of dependents.

Saving the Day with Financial Aid GI Bill® Impact in Illinois Total Number of GI Bill Recipients in Universities, Colleges, and Vocational Schools 30 31 33 35 1606 1607 Total October 2016 1536 10910 1205 1579 72 15302 April 2016 1677 1 13132 1282 1782 121 17995 October 2015 1845 115 11828 1165 1714 186 16853 April 2015 2015 726 13640 1271 1655 251 19558 October 2014 2212 797 13864 1273 1702 268 20116 April 2014 2364 768 13535 1314 1575 349 19905 April 2013 3898 763 14353 1222 1446 474 22156 These numbers do not include GI Bill Recipients in Illinois enrolled in apprenticeship and OJT programs. Illinois is the number one provider of apprenticeship and OJT programs in the nation. Saving the Day with Financial Aid

Saving the Day with Financial Aid GI Bill® Impact in Illinois Top 20 Universities, Colleges or Vocational Schools with GI Bill Benefit Beneficiaries DeVry University Online 1304 DeVry University-Keller Graduate School 345 American Intercontinental University 956 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 321 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 602 University of Illinois at Chicago 309 Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville 591 College of Lake County 298 Southwestern Illinois College 572 Universal Technical Institute of Illinois 255 Western Illinois University 458 McKendree University 247 Northern Illinois University 451 Illinois Central College 238 Chamberlain College of Nursing 401 Moraine Valley Community College 226 College of Dupage 388 William Rainey Harper College 209 Illinois State University 357 Loyola University Chicago 206 Data from December 2016 Saving the Day with Financial Aid

Saving the Day with Financial Aid GI Bill® Impact in Illinois Economic Impact of GI Bill 30 32 33 35 1606/1607 Total FFY16 $24,184,162 $5980 $249,763,389 $11,206,089 $7,395,912 $292,555,532 FFY15 $30,332,513 $5619 $235,172,404 $10,493,863 $8,035,616 $284,040,015 FFY14 $47,837,321 $5475 $239,013,032 $11,561,005 $8,332,713 $306,749,546 FFY13 $44,951,092 $8216 $220,997,149 $585,098 $9,011,721 $274,968,178 FFY12 $40,215,314 $19,600 $192,133,249 $8,355,228 $8,382,795 $249,106,186 Saving the Day with Financial Aid

Forever GI Bill® Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act The 15 year time limitation for using Post 9/11 is eliminated for veterans who left AD on or after 1/1/13 and qualifying dependents (Fry children who became eligible on or after 1/1/13 and all Fry spouses). Time that a reservist was ordered to AD to receive authorized medical care, be medically evaluated for disability or complete a DoD health care study on or after 9/11/01, now counts as AD toward Post 9/11. An individual may use this entitlement to pursue a course of education beginning on or after 8/1/18. Service members and honorably discharged veterans who were awarded a Purple Heart on or after 9/11/01 will be entitled to Post 9/11 at the 100% level for up to 36 months, effective 8/1/18.

Forever GI Bill® Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act Recipients of the Fry Scholarship and Purple Heart will be covered under the Yellow Ribbon Program, effective 8/1/18. AD Service members may use the Yellow Ribbon program effective 8/1/22. Eliminates the 40% benefit level and expands the 60% level under Post 9/11. Aggregate service of 90 days but less than 6 months of AD now qualifies at the 50% level. Aggregate service of at least 6 months but less than 18 months of AD now qualifies at the 60% level – effective 8/1/20.

Forever GI Bill® Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act Service Requirements (after 9/10/01 serve an aggregate of) % of Maximum Benefit Payable 36 months 100 30 Continuous days on AD (must be discharged with a service-connected disability or receive a Purple Heart, eff 8/1/18) At least 30 months, but less than 36 mo. 90 At least 24 months, but less than 30 months 80 At least 18 months, but less than 24 mo. 70 At least 6 months, but less than 18 mo. 60 At least 90 days, but less than 6 mo. 50 Saving the Day with Financial Aid

Section 702 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, requires VA to disapprove programs of education for payment of benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill-CH 30 at public Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs) if the school charges qualifying Veterans and dependents tuition and fees in excess of the rate for resident students for terms beginning after July 1, 2015.

Section 702 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 A Veteran who lives in the state where the IHL is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more. An individual using transferred benefits who lives in the state in where the IHL is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor’s discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.

Section 702 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 The in-state tuition A person described in Provisions in Section 702 previous slide will retain Do not apply to those on covered individual status Active duty or to students as long as he/she remains Using transferred Post- continuously enrolled 9/11 GI Bill benefits from (other than during A Service member still on regularly scheduled breaks Active duty. Between terms) at the public IHL.service of 90 days or more.

Kent (CAPTAIN AMERICA) Ketter GI BILL Specialist Bloomington, Illinois 61701 (309) 661-7506 kent.ketter@illinois.gov Saving the Day with Financial Aid