1. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION March 24, 2015 Specific Topics of The Post-9/11 GI Bill The Post-9/11 GI Bill ®

2. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Overview  Basic Terminology  Eligibility and Entitlement Issues  Programs and Benefits Payable  Yellow Ribbon Program  Transfer of Entitlement (ToE)  Fry Scholarship 1

3. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Reminder This presentation is general in nature and is not intended to be applied to every individual in the same manner. 2

4. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Basic Terminology  Debt Management Center (DMC)  Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)  Institution of Higher Learning (IHL)  Long Term Solution (LTS)  Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)  Non College Degree School (NCD)  Post 9/11 GI Bill ® (CH33)  Regional Processing Office (RPO)  Transfer of Entitlement (ToE) 3

5. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Eligibility and Entitlement Issues Eligibility Criteria:  Served on active duty on or after 09-11-01  Served a minimum of 90 aggregate days (excluding entry level and skill training) Exception: Service Connected Disability: established if served at least 30 continuous days on active duty and discharged for a Service Connected Disability. Veteran will qualify at the 100% benefit level.  Benefit level is based on the length of service (see Eligibility Matrix) 4

6. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Eligibility and Entitlement Issues Eligibility: Types of Service  As of August 1, 2009 to Present: Active duty served as a member of the Armed Forces or as a result of a call up order to active duty from a reserve component under section 688, 672(d), 12301(a), 12301(d), 12301(g), 12302, 12304 of Title 10, or section 712 of Title 14 is qualifying active duty service  As of October 1, 2011 to Present: VA began paying benefits to members of the Army National Guard and Air National guard for qualifying service under Title 32 including:  Full Time service in the National Guard for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training  Activations in support of a national emergency under section 502(f) of Title 32  Benefits retroactive back to August 1, 2009 (or the claimant’s election date) 5

7. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Eligibility and Entitlement Issues Title 32 Service may qualify if:  Classified Title 32 and AGR (Active Guard and Reserve)  Classified Title 32 and Full Time National Guard (FTNG) ADOS/ADSW that was: - Under a National Emergency; and - Declared by the President; and - Federally Funded; and - 502(f); and - Operation Noble Eagle; and - Mobilized from 09/11/01 – 05/31/02 6

8. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Eligibility and Entitlement Issues Active Duty Exclusions Include:  Service Academy Contract Period (5 year obligation)  ROTC contract period under 10 U.S.C. 2107(b) (4 year obligation)  Service used for purpose of loan repayment (3 year obligation)  Service terminated due to an erroneous or defective enlistment 7

9. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario  Dave applied for Ch33 benefits and indicated on his application that he received an ROTC Scholarship. The contract indicates that the scholarship was under Section 2107(b).  Should the obligated period of service be included in the eligibility determination? 8

10. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario Answer:  No, Dave’s obligated period of service will be “excluded” from the determination of eligibility since his contract indicates 2107(b). (Refer to slide 7) 9

11. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Eligibility and Entitlement Issues In order to Maintain Eligibility:  Must continue on active duty; or  Be honorably discharged  Be discharged or released with Under Honorable Conditions (UHC) prior to January 4, 2011 for:  Existed Prior to Service (EPTS)  Hardship (HDSP)  Condition Interfered with Duty (CIWD) 10

12. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Post-9/11 GI Bill Eligibility Matrix Post-9/11 GI Bill ® Eligibility Matrix Aggregate Service Requirements in Days (after 9/10/01 an individual must serve an aggregate of) Payment Tiers Percentage 1095100 30 Continuous Days with a Disability Discharge100 910-109490 730-90980 545-72970 365-54460 180-36450 90-17940 11

13. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Eligibility and Entitlement Issues What do we mean by the term aggregate?  We add together all creditable service periods and arrive with a total length of service.  For example, if a soldier has two or more creditable service periods, eligibility would be based on the total of those service periods. 12

14. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario  Suzie served a total of 27 months of service. Of those, 120 days were entry level training.  With 810 days of total aggregate service, she would qualify at the 80% benefit level.  Excluding entry level training leaves her with 690 days which would qualify her at 70%.  Which level would VA pay benefits? 13

15. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario Answer  Since Suzie qualifies at both the 80% and 70% benefit level, VA can only pay her at the maximum 70% benefit level due to the entry level training being excluded. 14

16. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario  William served a total of 4 months and 19 days (139 days) of aggregate service. Of those, 2 months and 8 days (68 days) were entry level training.  At what level would VA pay benefits? 15

17. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario Answer  An individual with 139 days of creditable service qualifies at the 40% level.  The 68 days of entry level training must be excluded from service.  139 days minus the entry level training (68 days) leaves 71 aggregate days of service.  William does not qualify for benefits. (reference slide 11) 16

18. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Eligibility and Entitlement Issues Period of Eligibility – Delimiting Date  Generally, individuals will remain eligible for benefits for 15 years from:  Date of last discharge; or  Release from active duty service of at least 90 continuous days  If eligibility is based on aggregate service of less than 90 continuous days, individuals will have 15 years from the last period of service used to meet the minimum service requirements for eligibility 17

19. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario Period of Eligibility – Delimiting Date  Joan served on active duty from 3/9/01 to 4/10/05, and was released with an honorable discharge.  She was called up on 6/15/05 and received an honorable discharge on 10/10/05.  What is Joan’s delimiting date? 18

20. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario Answer  Joan’s delimiting date is 10/11/20.  Her eligibility period ends on 10/11/20 because her last qualifying period of service was at least 90 consecutive days and ended on 10/10/05. 19

21. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Entitlement Period of Eligibility:  Generally 36 months of entitlement  Limited to 48 months of entitlement under 2 or more education programs (with the exceptions of Transfer of Entitlement transferees)  For example, an individual elects ch33 and relinquishes ch30. They are only entitled to the remaining months of ch30 benefits.  May not receive concurrent benefits under: Nation Call to Service, Chapters: 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, or Chapter 1606(a), 1606, 1607, or section 903 of title 10, or the hostage relief act of 1980; or the omnibus diplomatic security and antiterrorism act of 1986 20

22. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Elections  Students eligible for Chapters: 30, 1606, or 1607 on or after August 1, 2009 and on their election date, must relinquish a benefit to receive Chapter 33. Students eligible for more than one benefit only have to relinquish one benefit.  Relinquishment: once the student “gives up” the selected benefit of his/her choice, the student cannot use that benefit again  Chapter 33 Elections are irrevocable; however:  Elections can be withdrawn or changed if the RPO receives the request BEFORE issuing a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) or payment to the claimant -Election withdrawal requests may be received by phone calls, internet inquiries, etc. - Changes, however, must be received in writing 21

23. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATIONScenario  Mary qualifies for 36 months of Ch1607 benefits and has previously used 35 months of these benefits.  Mary decides to relinquish Ch1607 benefits in order to receive Ch33 benefits  Mary is not eligible for any other education benefits.  How many months of Ch33 benefits will the individual receive? 22

24. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATIONScenario Answer  Since Mary is eligible for ch33 and relinquished 1607, she is eligible for a maximum of 48 months. Maximum 48 Months Ch1607 Entitlement Used -35 Months Remaining Entitlement ch33 13 Months 23

25. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario  Steve qualifies for 36 months of ch30 benefits and has used 10 months of these benefits.  Steve is eligible on 8/1/09 and has decided to relinquish ch30 benefits in order to receive ch33 benefits.  How many months of ch33 benefits will Steve receive? 24

26. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario Answer  An individual that relinquishes ch30 to receive ch33 is only entitled to the remaining months of ch30 benefits. Original ch30 Entitlement 36 Months Ch30 Entitlement Used -10 Months 26 Months 25

27. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® Tuition and Fees  The tuition and fees payment is paid directly to the school  Paid on behalf of the student when the school’s enrollment certification is processed  Payment is prorated by the student’s benefit level 26

28. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® Tuition and Fees Changes as of 8/1/2011  The in-state, undergraduate state maximum amounts for tuition and fees will no longer apply  Public School net in-state tuition and fees are fully reimbursable  The Yellow Ribbon Program can be used to cover the un-met charges (e.g. out-of-state charges at public schools) *  Private school costs are capped at $20,235.02 annually (example: from August 1, 2014 through July 31, 2015). Cap adjusts each year.  The Yellow Ribbon Program still exists for costs above the cap rates * Note: Under section 702 of PL 113-146, all chapter 30 & 33 veterans and TOE/Fry dependents must be treated as in-state students for purposes of tuition and fees 27

29. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® Kickers Changes as of 8/1/2011  Allows VA to pay Ch30 and Ch1606 kickers on a monthly basis instead of a lump sum at the beginning of the term  Kickers will be paid regardless of rate of pursuit or eligibility for the Monthly Housing Allowance 28

30. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)  Active duty personnel (including those on terminal leave) and their spouses utilizing transferred entitlement are not eligible for the housing allowance  Once separated from active duty, students (and their spouses) will become eligible to receive the monthly housing allowance on the first day of the month following separation, or the first day of the next term 29

31. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario  Louis is currently enrolled in an IHL from 1/5/15 to 5/8/15  Louis is released from active duty effective 3/24/2015 with an honorable discharge  What date should Louis expect to receive his MHA if eligible for housing? 30

32. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Scenario Answer  Louis should expect to receive his MHA on 4/1/15 if eligible for housing  Payments would be generated towards the end of April 31

33. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® MHA and Rate of Pursuit (RoP)  Rate of pursuit applies specifically to Chapter 33 and differs from training time  VA calculates rate of pursuit by dividing the number of credit (or credit hour equivalents) being pursued by the number of credit considered to be full-time by the school  The resulting percentage is the student’s rate of pursuit  The housing allowance is paid if the student’s rate of pursuit is greater than 50% 32

34. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATIONScenario  Emily is enrolled in 6 credits (or credit equivalents), and 12 credits is considered full time  (6 ÷ 12) = 50% RoP  Is Emily going to receive a housing allowance for 6 credits?  No, because if the rate of pursuit is 50% or less, then the student doesn’t receive the housing allowance however; If pursuit is more than 50%, the student receives the housing allowance  (7 ÷ 12) = 58% RoP. The RoP is more than 50% here so the student will receive MHA. 33

35. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® MHA Changes as of 8/1/2011  Allows those who are eligible for both Chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, and Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® benefits can choose the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s ® monthly housing allowance rate instead of the Chapter 31 subsistence allowance.  Must have applied for ch33 and have remaining entitlement. 34

36. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® MHA Changes as of 8/1/2011  U.S. In-Residence: The applicable Basic Allowance for Housing rate will be multiplied by the rate of pursuit rounded to the nearest multiple of 10  Foreign In-Residence: The national average of all Basic Allowance for Housing rates will be multiplied by the rate of pursuit rounded to the nearest multiple of 10  Example 1: An individual at a rate of pursuit of.54 will receive 50% of the applicable BAH rate (subject to the eligibility tier level)  Example 2: An individual at a rate of pursuit of.85 will receive 90% (subject to the eligibility tier level) 35

37. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® MHA Changes as of 10/1/2011 Distance Learning and the Housing Allowance  Individuals only enrolled in distance learning courses will be eligible for a monthly housing allowance equal to 50% of the national average of all Basic Allowances for Housing. MHA National average is currently $754.50  Basic eligibility requirements for Monthly Housing Allowance benefits remain unchanged 36

38. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® Books and Supplies Stipend Changes as of 10/1/ 2011  Individuals enrolled in a degree program while on active duty will be eligible for the Books & Supplies stipend of up to $1,000.00 per academic year  The rules for calculating Books and Supplies payments are the same as those for Veterans  For NCD Schools, Apprenticeship, and OJT Programs a lump- sum Books & Supplies stipend in an amount equal to $83 for each month  Payment prorated for partial months and benefit level 37

39. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Payable Under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill ® Rural Benefit  The rural benefit is a one-time, lump-sum payment of $500  Requires completion of VA Form 22-0848  Issued directly to students who reside in a county with six persons or fewer per square mile who physically relocate at least 500 miles to attend a school, or relocate by air (any distance) when no other land-based transportation exists 38

40. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Programs Payable Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill Programs Payable Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill ®  Correspondence training  Cooperative training  Entrepreneurship training  Flight training  Independent and distance learning  Institutions of higher learning (IHL) undergraduate and graduate degrees  Licensing and certification reimbursement (LAC)  Vocational/technical training, non-college degree programs (NCD)  National testing reimbursement  On-the-job training (OJT)  Tuition Assistance top-up (TA)  Tutorial assistance  Vocational/technical training 39

41. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Yellow Ribbon Program Enrollments beginning prior to August 1, 2011:  Allows individuals to incur less out-of-pocket expenses while attending a school whose tuition & fees exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition & fee rate at an IHL school  Institutions can contribute up to 50% of the un-met expenses and VA will match the same amount as the institution for the students who qualify for the program 40

42. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Yellow Ribbon Program Enrollments beginning ON or AFTER August 1, 2011:  Public School: Yellow Ribbon Program contributions can be applied to the difference between in-state and out-of state net tuition and fee charges (since in-state costs are covered under the Post-9/11 GI Bill ® for Public schools).  Private School: After the $20,235.02 cap is exhausted for the current academic year, the Yellow Ribbon Program contributions can be applied to any potential shortfalls in the first semester and/or in the remainder of the academic year. 41

43. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Yellow Ribbon Program Schools Involvement in Eligibility:  Must provide contributions during the current academic year and all subsequent academic years in which the student maintains satisfactory progress, conduct, and attendance  Must determine what amount of tuition and fees will be contributed for the Yellow Ribbon participants  Must report how many individuals will be allowed to participate in the program each academic year  Provide contributions to eligible students on a first-come first-serve basis  Must make contributions toward the program on behalf of the individual in the form of a grant, scholarship, etc. 42

44. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Yellow Ribbon Program Who is eligible:  Individuals entitled to the 100% benefit rate (based on service requirements)  Spouses and children using Transfer of Entitlement (ToE) benefits when entitled to the 100% benefit rate Note: ToE children are eligible for Yellow Ribbon if the sponsor is eligible at the 100% benefit level, regardless of the sponsor’s active duty status Who is NOT eligible:  Individuals on active duty  ToE spouses when the Transferor or Service Member is on active duty 43

45. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Transfer of Entitlement What is ToE?  A component of the Post-9/11 GI Bill ®  Allows the Service Member to transfer unused Post-9/11 GI Bill ® benefits to children and spouse Who authorizes transfer of benefits?  Secretary of Defense (when the Coast Guard is operating as a service of the Navy)  Secretaries of Army, Navy, or Air Force  Secretary of Homeland Security (for Coast Guard) 44

46. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Transfer of Entitlement  To be approved to transfer benefits, Service Member must-  Be in Armed Forces (active duty or Selected Reserve) on or after 08/01/09; and  Have completed 6 years in the Armed Forces; and  Reenlists for 4 more years or has at least 10 years of service 45

47. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Transfer of Entitlement  An individual approved to transfer benefits may-  Transfer up to 36 months of benefits  Transfer to spouse, child, or children in any amount the transferor has available  Revoke or modify a transfer request of any unused benefits unless the transferor’s 15-year eligibly period has ended.  Not transfer benefits to a new dependent once the transferor is no longer a member of the Armed Forces 46

48. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Transfer of Entitlement  Spouses-  May use after the transferor completes 6 years in the Armed Forces  Paid at transferor’s rate – cannot be paid Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) or Books and Supplies Stipend if the transferor is on active duty when the spouse is receiving benefits.  Can, unless the transferor revokes the transfer, continue to use benefits if divorced after the transfer  Can use benefits up to transferor’s 15-year eligibility period expires unless transferor specifies an early ending date – Under law, benefits are not marital property and are not subject to division in a divorce or other civil proceedings 47

49. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Transfer of Entitlement  Children-  May be transferred to an unmarried child who has not reached the age of 18 or, if in school, before child is 23 years of age  May use after the transferor completes 10 years in Armed Forces  To commence training, a child must have:  Attained age 18; or  Completed requirements of secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate)  Receives Monthly Housing Allowance provided RoP is greater than 50%  May use until age 26 (even if transferor’s 15-year eligibility period ended)  May continue to use benefits after marriage 48

50. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Transfer of Entitlement Important: The transferor and individual (spouse/child) using transferred entitlement are jointly liable for an overpayment of Chapter 33 benefits 49

51. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Fry Scholarship (child) What is the Fry Scholarship?  Effective 8/1/09, it provides benefit eligibility for children of active duty members of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001*  Eligible children:  Have 15 years to use the benefit beginning on their 18th birthday or before 18 if graduated from high school  May use the benefit until their 33rd birthday  If eligible for chapter 30, 1606 or 1607, must relinquish a benefit  Are entitled to 36 months of benefits at the 100% level  Are not eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program 50

52. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Fry Scholarship (spouse) Effective for terms beginning on or after 1/1/15:  Fry Scholarship to also provide benefits for a surviving spouse  Eligible spouses:  Have 15 years to use the benefit beginning on the date of the Service Member’s line of duty LOD Post-9/11 death*  Generally, loses eligibility if they remarry  Are entitled to 36 months of benefits at the 100% level without Yellow Ribbon  Must make an irrevocable election beginning after January 1, 2014, when eligible for both Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) and Fry Scholarship benefits.  And if eligible for chapter 30, 1606 or 1607, must relinquish a benefit 51

53. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION Questions? www.benefits.va.gov 52