Gi Bill Benefits For Afghanistan Vets: Understanding Eligibility And Opportunities

The GI Bill is a program that provides educational benefits to qualifying veterans and their family members. These benefits can be used to cover the costs of college, graduate school, and training programs. To be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, veterans must have served on active duty after September 10, 2001, for at least 90 days. The Montgomery GI Bill is another program that offers benefits to those who have served at least two years on active duty and meet certain other requirements. In addition to these programs, there are hundreds of other programs and scholarships available to help veterans afford a college degree.

Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits eligibility

The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) is an educational assistance program enacted by Congress for individuals with active duty service after September 10, 2001. The program provides up to 36 months of education benefits, including tuition and fee coverage, a monthly housing allowance, and a stipend for books and supplies. To be eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, you must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• You served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, either all at once or with breaks in service.
• You received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service.
• You served for at least 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001, without a break in service, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability.
• You are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying Veteran or service member.

In addition, if you are no longer on active duty, you must have received an honorable discharge. It's important to note that you can only use one education benefit for a period of service and cannot switch to a different benefit after choosing one.

The amount of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits you receive depends on the school you attend, your length of active-duty service since September 10, 2001, and the number of credits or training hours you are taking. To access these benefits, you will need to apply, and you may be eligible for a maximum of 48 months of benefits, although many applicants qualify for only 36 months.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill can provide significant financial assistance for those seeking to advance their education and training, helping them achieve their personal and professional goals while saving money on their degrees.

Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty eligibility

The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) program provides up to 36 months of education benefits for college, business, technical or vocational courses, distance learning, apprenticeship/job training, and more. The total value of this benefit is over $84,000, and these benefits adjust every year.

To be eligible for the MGIB-AD program, you must meet the following requirements:

• You contribute $100 a month for the first 12 months you are on active duty, or qualify under the Veterans' Educational Assistance Program conversion.
• You have completed high school or have an equivalency certificate before you apply for benefits.
• You have served at least two years on active duty.
• You received an honorable discharge from active duty.

It is important to note that you do not qualify for the MGIB-AD program if:

• You declined the program in writing upon entry to active duty.
• You were commissioned through a service academy (e.g. West Point, Air Force Academy, Naval Academy).
• You commissioned through a Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship and received more than $3,400 per year in ROTC scholarships.

If you choose to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill instead of the MGIB-AD program, you cannot switch back to the latter at a later date.

Additional education benefits

Afghanistan veterans may be eligible for a range of additional education benefits. These include:

Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

The Edith Nourse Rogers Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Scholarship provides added benefits for eligible veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill or dependents using the Fry Scholarship. If you are enrolled in an undergraduate STEM degree program or have a STEM degree and are working towards a teaching certification, you may be eligible.

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon Program helps to cover higher out-of-state, private school, or graduate school tuition that the Post-9/11 GI Bill doesn't cover. If you receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and your school participates in this program, you may be eligible.

Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD)

MGIB-AD can help you pay for education and training programs. If you have served at least two years on active duty, you may be eligible.

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)

MGIB-SR offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits. If you are a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, you may be eligible.

National Call to Service Program

This program allows you to choose an education benefit as an alternative to the Montgomery GI Bill. If you performed a period of national service, you may be eligible.

Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

VEAP is a $2-to-$1 government-match program for educational assistance. If you entered service for the first time between January 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985, and put money into a VEAP account, you may be eligible.

State Veteran Education Benefits

Veterans pursuing educational goals are usually eligible for "educational assistance for students" in most states. Educational benefits for veterans and their dependents, particularly the children of deceased and disabled veterans, are also available in some states.

Scholarships, Veterans Discounts, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Federal Student Aid

In addition to the GI Bill, you may be eligible for scholarships, veterans discounts, vocational rehabilitation, and federal student aid, loans, and grants.

Education and training covered by GI Bill

The GI Bill can be used to cover a variety of education and training programs. This includes undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as non-college degree programs such as trade schools, vocational schools, and specialized skill training schools. For example, the GI Bill can be used to cover the cost of emergency medical training, barber/beautician school, and computer network administrator training.

The GI Bill can also be used for on-the-job training and apprenticeships, as well as entrepreneurship training to help start or improve a small business. Additionally, the GI Bill can provide financial assistance for correspondence training and independent and distance learning.

The specific benefits and amount of coverage will depend on the type of GI Bill program and the school or training program. For example, the Post-9/11 GI Bill offers different benefits than the Montgomery GI Bill programs. The GI Bill can also provide additional benefits, such as a monthly housing allowance, money for books and supplies, and assistance with moving costs for those who live in rural areas.

It is important to note that there are eligibility requirements for the GI Bill, and individuals should check with the relevant government sources to determine their eligibility and understand the specific benefits they may receive.

Applying for the GI Bill

Firstly, determine your eligibility. To be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you must have served on active duty after September 10, 2001, for at least 90 days, either continuously or with breaks in service. Alternatively, you may be eligible if you received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged, or if you served for at least 30 continuous days and were discharged with a service-connected disability.

Next, gather the necessary documents and information. This includes your Social Security number, bank account details, and education and military history. You will also need basic information about the school or training facility you plan to attend.

Then, you can begin the application process. Go to the VA's website and click the "Sign In" button in the top right corner. If you don't already have an account, you can create one with either ID.me or Login.gov. Once you have logged in, you can access the application for benefits in the "Education" section of your homepage. The application will be pre-filled with your name and military information, and you will need to fill in some additional basic information.

After submitting your application, you will instantly receive a certificate of eligibility, which you can use to show schools or training programs as proof of your GI Bill benefits.

You can also use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to find schools, training programs, certification programs, and employers approved for GI Bill use, as well as to see how much money you will receive.

Frequently asked questions