Other Federal, State, or Local Education Programs and Options Element 38

PURPOSE To inform Sailors of other education options available to them during their transition.

RESOURCES DoD MWR Libraries Navy College Office / Voluntary Education (VOLED) Student Veterans of America (SVA) Forever GI Bill

DoD MWR Libraries As of 1 Apr 2018 this resource is available ONLY for Air Force, Air National Guard Service Members, and their families.

NAVY COLLEGE OFFICE Has professional counselors (via phone or chat) that will help Sailors, retirees, and adult family members make the most of their education opportunities Utilize the VOLED Wizard which is a series of 5 steps that will assist a Sailor navigate their higher education journey.

VOLED Each of the 5 steps address a specific phase of the overall process and recommend that Sailor begin with step in their education journey: Step 1: Explore Education and Career Paths Step 2: Receive Counseling from Navy College Office Step 3: Research, Select School and Develop a Plan Step 4: Secure Tuition Assistance or other Funding Step 5: Execute your Plan

STUDENT VETERANS OF AMERICA Provide veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation Supports a network of over 1,300 schools and over 500,000 student veterans Since 2011 has awarded over $1M in scholarships to 111 SVA scholars. Career Readiness Standard to “contact” SVA for transitioning Sailors planning on attending college

Refund of the Montgomery GI Bill $1,200 buy in for Post 9/11 GI Bill Who is eligible? Enlisted on Active Duty after 30 Jun 1985 or served at least 2 years of AD and 4 years of SELRES after 30 Jun 1985 may qualify to receive a refund of $1200 per Post 9/11 GI Bill Chapter 33

Refund of the Montgomery GI Bill $1,200 buy in for Post 9/11 GI Bill What are the requirements to get a refund? - Must have elected to use Chapter 33 by relinquishing benefits under Chapter 30 - Only Service Member can receive refund - Must be receiving a housing allowance at the time entitlement exhausted to receive refund Note: The $600 buy up is NOT refundable

FOREVER GI BILL President Trump signed the Harry W. Colmery (creator of GI Bill of Rights in 1944) Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (AKA Forever GI Bill) on August 16, 2017 Is not a new GI Bill benefit but improves existing education benefits from deficiencies addressed since passage of Post 9/11 GI Bill in 2008

Transfer of Post 9/11 GI Bill Best Practices Transfer at least 1 month of educational benefits to eligible dependents listed in DEERS as soon as you are eligible Follow steps in OPNAVINST 1780.4 Enclosure 2

Termination of 15 Year Time Limit Change: Eliminates the 15 year time limit on the use of benefits Who is affected? All members discharged on or after 1 Jan 2013 and their dependents (for SELRES this is the date of last discharge of 90 continuous days on AD or greater. If no single period of 90 continuous AD days, then last day of AD for the period of service the member reached 90 days of total qualify active duty. When is the Effective Date? Immediately

Pro-Rated Benefits for Exams Change: Benefits will be charged a pro-rated amount of monthly entitlement, vice the current full month, for any nation test (GRE, GMAT, etc) or test required for licensing/certification that is VA approved. Who is affected? All beneficiaries. When is the Effective Date? 1 Aug 2018

Yellow Ribbon Expansion Part 1 Change: GYSGT Fry Scholarship and Purple Heart recipients become eligible for Yellow Ribbon benefits. Who is affected? Purple Heart and Fry Scholarship recipients who received payments after 11 Sep 2001 When is the Effective Date? 1 Aug 2018

Yellow Ribbon Expansion Part 2 Change: Active duty service members become eligible for Yellow Ribbon benefits. Who is affected? All service members enrolled in a program of education leading to a degree on more than half-time basis. When is the Effective Date? 1 Aug 2022

Purple Heart Equity Change: Certain Purple Heart recipients eligible for full Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits regardless of their length of active duty. Who is affected? Recipients awarded on or after 11 Sep 2001 When is the Effective Date? 1 Aug 2018

School Closure Eligibility Restoration Change: Restores benefits when schools close unexpectedly; continues benefit payments for veterans whose term or program was interrupted due to closure; Veterans may continue receiving benefit payments through end of the term, quarter, semester in which school closes or for up to 120 days after closure, which ever is less; and 5 days after notification of school closure the VA will notify GI Bill users to describe the impact and provide their options. Who is affected? Students affected by closure (applies to closures after 1 Jan 2015) When is the Effective Date? 14 Nov 2017

5th Year STEM Scholarship Change: VA Scholarship to provide additional GI Bill funds to help a veteran complete a STEM undergraduate degree > 128 semester hours. Must be at least 50% through STEM degree and expect GI Bill benefits to be exhausted before completing program. Scholarship pays for 9 additional months of the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit ($30k max) Who is affected? Veterans Only and not transferable When is the Effective Date? 1 Aug 2019

Independent Study Program Change: Authorizes use of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to pursue independent study programs. (VA to publish further guidance or update) Who is affected? All beneficiaries When is the Effective Date? Immediately

High Technology Pilot Program Change: VA authorized a 5 year pilot program to allow veterans to enroll in high technology courses, such as coding boot camp. VA will publish amplifying information as they contract with these organizations Who is affected? All eligible beneficiaries When is the Effective Date? NLT 1 Feb 2019

Reservist Eligibility Increase Change: Active duty service of at least 90 days but less than 6 months increases benefits from 40% to 50% and service of at least 6 months but less than 12 months increases benefits from 50% to 60%. Effective increase of $2,300 a year in tuition Who is affected? Reservists and National Guard members whose service commenced on or after 11 Sep 2001 When is the Effective Date? 1 Aug 2020

Reserve Post 9/11 GI Bill Eligibility Change: Periods of Active Duty under Title 10 U.S.C Sections 12304, 12304(a) and 12304(b) are now qualify Active Duty service for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. Who is affected? All Reservists activated under these conditions. When is the Effective Date? Retroactive calculation for periods of service back to 30 Jun 2008; Payable beginning 1 Aug 2018

GI Bill for Former REAP Beneficiaries Change: Certain Reserve Component members who lost benefit eligibility with the repeal of the Reserve Education Assistance Program may be eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill. (VA to publish further guidance or update) Who is affected? Reservists and National Guard members who lost REAP benefits when repealed on 25 Nov 2015. When is the Effective Date? Immediately

Reserve Medical Orders Equity Change: Time spend on active duty authorized by Title 10 U.S.C. Section 12301(h) now counts as qualifying Active Duty service for Post 9/11 GI Bill. Who is affected? Reservists and National Guard members activated on or after 11 Sep 2001. (Verify DD214) When is the Effective Date? Time accrual back dates to 11 Sep 2001 – payments based on increased eligibility calculation to begin on 1 Aug 2018

Housing Stipend Adjustment Part 1 Change: Living stipend based on the location of the campus where the individual attends the majority of their classes vice the home location of the institution. Who is affected? Students initially enrolling in an educational program When is the Effective Date? 1 Aug 2018

Housing Stipend Adjustment Part 2 Change: Incorporates BAH rate change formerly excluded in FY15 NDAA. Will align housing stipend with reduced E-5 with dependents BAH. This is a reduction in housing stipend. Who is affected? All beneficiaries receiving housing allowance who first start using benefits on or after the Effective Date. When is the Effective Date? 1 Jan 2018

Pro-Rating Activated Reservist Housing Stipend Change: VA must prorate GI Bill housing stipend for reservists who perform Active Duty during the middle of a month. (Currently, reservists using Post 9/11 benefits and who perform Active Duty during any part of a month lose the entire month of housing stipend. Who is affected? Reservists using Post 9/11 GI Bill When is the Effective Date? 1 Aug 2018

Transferred Benefits for Survivors Change: Allows a veteran to transfer remaining months of entitlement to another eligible dependent if the original transferee dies before they can use all the benefits. Allows a dependent to transfer remaining entitlement to another dependent after the death of a service member or veteran. Who is affected? All eligible beneficiaries whether the transferor is still a member of the armed forces or has separated when transfer is executed. When is the Effective Date? Use of entitlement is effective on 1 Aug 2018; Applies to deaths retroactive to 1 Aug 2009

DEA Program Changes Change: Decreased benefit months from 45 to 36 Increased monthly payment amounts Who is affected? DEA beneficiaries When is the Effective Date? Reduced months effective 1 Aug 2018; Increase payments 1 Oct 2018

REFERENCES DoD MWR Libraries: Navy College Office: www.nelnetsolutions.com/dod/ Navy College Office: https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/ Student Veterans of America: www.studentveterans.org MGIB $1200 Refund: https://gibill.custhelp.va.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/949/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNTI0NjYzMjQzL3NpZC9qM1BQNDNMbg%3D%3D Forever GI Bill: https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/forevergibill.asp

QUESTIONS?