Post 911 GI Bill

You have no doubt heard the recent buzz about the Post 9/11 or Chapter 33 GI Bill, which is arguably the most comprehensive education benefit offered to date, allowing many veterans serving our country after September 11, 2001 the ability to pay for school like never before.
As a military student, it pays your school a pre-determined amount for tuition based on the amount of time you served active duty and the state your school is located in.  It also pays a number of other benefits, to include an annual stipend for books and  a percentage of Basic Allowance and Housing, or BAH, depending on how long you served active duty and the BAH rate for the university you are attending. 
You may also be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program, if you have served enough time on active duty and your school is a participant with the program.  The Yellow Ribbon Program serves to give additional funds for tuition for qualifying students whose tuition isn’t fully covered by the Post 9/11 GI Bill. 

Sounds great, right?  But once you transfer from the traditional GI Bill to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you can’t opt back into the traditional Montgomery GI Bill.  So how do you know if transferring to the Post 9/11 GI Bill is the right decision for you? 

The key is contacting the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Determining your eligibility with the VA before making any decisions to switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill is of paramount importance because, as mentioned previously, you won’t be able to go back to your prior GI Bill chapter once you switch.

For starters, you may stand to lose any kickers you may be eligible for with your current GI Bill.  In addition, you may only be allowed a percentage of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits based on your service period.  Also, you may be able to defer the Post 9/11 GI Bill until after you have used the maximum amount of time for your present GI Bill chapter, which may make you eligible for an additional period of benefits after you’ve used your current GI Bill benefits up.  The institution you attend may also play a role in whether or not you should choose the Post 9/11 GI Bill, as you may not be able to use all of your benefits at some institutions or you may not be covered entirely due to tuition costs. 
To determine if the GI Bill is right for you and your education, contact the VA at 1-888-GI-BILL-1. 

David J. Renza is a military enrollment counselor, VA certifying official and adjunct professor at Post University in Waterbury, Connecticut.  You can buy his book: Military Education Benefits for College, here