Warriors - Spring 2009 - Alaska - Department of Military and ...

Veterans
By Mercedes Angerman
Alaska State Approving Agency
CAMP DENALI, Alaska ... The U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs is well underway in its preparation and implementation
of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as Chapter 33 – the new
GI Bill.
To be eligible for the new benefit, you must have served on
active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, for an aggregate period of at least
90 days. Exceptions are made for individuals discharged because
of service-connected disabilities who served at least 30 continuous
days on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001.
Effective Aug. 1, 2009, the new GI Bill will reflect a myriad
of changes to the way educational benefits are currently delivered.
However, those who are currently eligible under the Montgomery
GI Bill (Chapters 30, 1606 and 1607) can continue to utilize
those benefits after converting to Chapter 33 if they are pursuing
training that doesn’t qualify under the new benefit. As the law
currently reads, election of Chapter 33 is irrevocable.
Some of the highlights of this new benefit are:
• A student must be attending an accredited degree-granting
institution.
• Tuition and fees will be paid not to exceed the maximum
in-state tuition and fees in your state’s public institution of
higher learning (tuition and fee payments will go directly to
the institution).
• A monthly housing allowance* is given based on the Basic
Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents (paid
directly to the student). *Active duty members, anyone
training at half-time or less and those pursuing training
solely by distance learning are not eligible for the monthly
housing allowance.
• An annual books and supplies stipend of $1,000 is paid
proportionately based on enrollment.
• A one-time rural benefit payment is available for eligible
individuals.
This new bill is highly complex, and this information does not
reflect all the intricacies of the requirements to participate. The
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Web site, www.gibill.va.gov,
Educational Benefits. Mercedes Angerman, left, Alaska State Approving Agency,
and Marge Pylant, Central Texas College, discuss the approval process for veterans
educational benefits at the Education Center on Fort Richardson. Angerman is the program
coordinator for approving post secondary education and training in Alaska for those using
GI Bill educational benefits. Photo: Gary Bond, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
has a letter to veterans further describing the program, as well as
all the up-to-date information regarding eligibility and implementation.
It is very important that
prospective students be
diligent in asking questions
of the VA regarding their
particular educational goals
and how this new benefit melds
with those goals.
Questions should be directed
through the VA Web site, as
listed above, or by calling the
education toll-free line at
(888) 442-4551. ■
24 Securing the State, Defending the Nation WARRIORS • Spring 2009