going to bat for our veterans massachusetts town agents va educational benefits welcome

GOING TO BAT FOR OUR VETERANSGOING TO BAT FOR OUR VETERANS

Massachusetts Town Agents

VA Educational Benefits

Welcome


#1 Recommendation

Know & Understand the GI Bill

Web Site!

It will help you to answer the veterans’ questions!


http://www.gibill.va.gov

This is the web site.

Provide it to the veterans!

It will make your work easier!


To Open An VA Educational Claim

Veteran must submit a VA Form 22-1990 (Application for Educ.

Benefits). Veterans can do this online.


To Reopen An Educ. Claim:

A veteran must submit a VA Form 22-1995 (Request Change of Program

or Place of Training)


Any Further Questions About His/Her Enrollment

The Veteran must contact the Certifying Official at the School to

confirm his/her enrollment certificate was submitted to the VA.


Actions of Certifying Officials

The Certifying Official Can Contact The ELR for VA Action on the Claim

or:


Two Step Process for VA Educational Benefits

Step 1.) Establish the Veteran’s Eligibility For VA Education

Benefits by the submission of a VA Form 22-1990 by either mail or

online


VA Regional Processing Center is located at:

130 South Elmwood Avenue

Buffalo, NY 14202-2478 (for

“snail mail” processing)


Step 2.) Veterans and the Schools’ Certifying Officials

After submitting his application, the VA will send a Certificate of Eligibility to the

Veteran. If the Veteran is eligible, the School’s Certifying Official will submit a

VA Form 22-1999 (Enrollment Certificate) to the VA for processing.


What Happens When a Claimant Applies?

TIMS

AuthorizerU. S. Treasury

Austin, TX

Claimant

RPO

VCE

Enrollment Cert.(VA Form 22-1999)


How Long Does It Take To Process An Enrollment Cert.?

Timeliness fluctuates. Right now timeliness is great. Original timeliness is 13.8 days and Reopened ones are

6.7 days. The timeliness increases around the end of July through early October because of the fall enrollment.

Same situation during January to March. The best thing schools can do is to submit enrollment information 120

days before the term and to submit multiple terms on the same enrollment.


Different Chapter Veterans Benefits MGIB Active Duty Chapter 30 Veterans Educational Assistance Program Chapter

32 (VEAP). Dependent’s Educational Assistance Chapter 35

(DEA). MGIB Selected Reserve Chapter 1606. Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP)

Chapter 1607 Vocational Rehabilitation Chapter 31


Chapter 30 (MGIB-AD)

• First entered active duty on or after July 1, 1985 or entered active duty before Jan 1, 1977 and remained on active duty until after July 1, 1985.

• Paid $1200 to participate.

• Initial term of service was 2 years or more.

• Honorable discharge.

• High school diploma or GED prior to applying for benefits.


Chapter 32 (VEAP)

• First entered active service between January 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985.

• Contributed funds to a VEAP account.

• Has funds remaining to use.

• Benefit amount depends on amount contributed.

• Discharge can be anything other than Dishonorable.

• Very few veterans in this program.


Chapter 35 (DEA)Spouse, surviving spouse, or dependent children of

a claimant who:• Died on Active Duty in the line of duty,• Died from a service connected disability,• Died while having a service connected disability

evaluated as permanent in nature,• Is rated as 100% permanently and totally service

connected disabled, or • Was held captive as a POW or was MIA for

more than 90 days.


Chapter 35 (DEA)

Entitlement is 45 months of full time payments.

Delimiting date is:

• 10 years from date of eligibility for spouses.

• 20 years from date of eligibility for surviving spouses.

• 8 years from date of eligibility for children.


Chapter 1606 (MGIB-SR)• First entered Guard/Reserves on or after July 1,

1985.• Remain in an active drilling status with a Unit.• Must have a minimum 6 year obligation.• Completed Initial Active Duty for Training.• Have a high school diploma or GED before

applying for benefits.• Chapter 1607 may revert back to 1606 after

discharge for # months activated + 4 months


Chapter 1607 (REAP)• For Reservists called to active duty under a Title

10 contingency operation after 09/11/01, and who served 90 continuous days or more.

• National Guard eligible under Sec 502(f), Title 32.

• Benefit pays a portion of the MGIB Active Duty rate depending on activation period.

• Members must remain in their component to use benefits.

• May revert to remaining 1606 upon discharge.


Chapter 1607 (REAP)

• New rules apply based on new legislation.

• Delimiting date of 10 years under certain conditions.

• $600 Buy-up authorized.

• Eligibility retained during breaks in service.

• 80% Rate for REAP under new conditions

• May receive Accelerated payment.


Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation)

• Program for disabled veterans

• Voc Rehab Counselor works with veteran

• Testing process determines eligibility

• If eligible, veterans receives full tuition, fees, books, & approved supplies.

• Veteran also receives monthly subsistence payment

• This a great program for eligible veterans!


Additional $600 MGIB Buy Up

Claimants eligible for Chapter 30 Active Duty under MGIB Category I benefits are eligible to contribute an additional $600 while on active duty. This will give the claimant as much as an additional $150 per month for full time training. ($1.00 per month for each $4.00 contributed.)


Other Funds

VA refers to these as “kickers.” There are kickers for chapters 30, 32, 1606 and 1607.

College funds are also paid with VA benefits.

Dollar amount established by DOD.

Prorated for non completion of contract (chapter 30).

Paid in addition to monthly benefits.

Prorated monthly for less than full time training.


Federal Tuition Assistance Benefits available to:

Active Duty & AGR service persons (Army - www.GoArmyEd.com)

Army National Guard (www.nationalguardbenefits.com)

Army Reserve (https://rcms.ocar.army.pentagon.mil/education)

Air Force Reserve

Navy Reserve

Coast Guard Reserve

Program varies by component

Pays tuition and fees (normally 100%)

Student applies IAW component policies

Student provides approval to school – school only reports to VA the classes not covered by Tuition Assistance.


Tuition Assistance Top Up

(Chapter 30 Only)“Top up” this is the portion of school cost that DOD TA doesn’t cover. VA pays top up for any course paid by DOD. These courses do not have to be approved for VA benefits.

Claimant applies on VA 22-1990.

Requires Education Officer Signature.


EntitlementThe amount of monthly full-time benefits a claimant

will receive. • Up to 36 months for MGIB.• Up to 48 months for combined benefit types.

(Example: If a claimant used 36 months under MGIB chapter 30, they may use an additional 12 months of Chapter 1606 or 1607 benefits.)

• Entitlement is charged one day for each day of full-time training.


Delimiting Date• Different than entitlement.• The amount of time a claimant has to use his/her

education benefits from their eligibility date.• Benefits are stopped on the delimiting date.• No need to keep submitting enrollments.


Delimiting Dates• Chapter 30 – 10 years from date of discharge.• Chapter 1606 – 14 years from eligibility date on

NOBE effective Oct 1, 1992 and later.• Chapter 1606 – 10 years from eligibility date on

NOBE effective Sept 30, 1992 and earlier.• Chapter 1607 – 10 years from date of discharge

under certain conditions.• Chapter 32/34 – Call the VA 1-888-442-4551• Chapter 35 – Varies from date veteran became

100% disabled or deceased.


References for Veterans

• Education Benefits – 1-888-442-4551

• www.gibill.va.gov

• www.gibill.va.gov – “Ask a Question”

• General Info – 1-800-827-1000

• Direct Deposit – WAVE or 1-877-838-2778

• www.fafsa.ed.gov


Apprenticeships and VA Educ. Benefits

Veterans can use their Educational Entitlement to train as apprentices for

carpenters, plumbers, different trades and occupations.


VA Apprenticeships and Public Safety Positions

More and More Local Fire and Police Departments Are Seeking Approval As VA Training Facilities For Their

Veteran Recruits.


For additional information on VA education benefits, contact:

Tom Coleman, ELR, Boston, MA

Telephone #: 617-303-4264

Email: [email protected]


For information on VA approved apprenticeship programs in

Massachusetts, contact

Charles A. Pace, ELR, VARO,

Providence, RI

Telephone Number 401-223-3762 or

Email: [email protected]


What about Chapter 33, the new“Post-9/11 Veterans’ Education

Assistance” Act????August 1, 2009 is the effective date.


For additional information,Inform the Veteran to see the VA

web site at:www.GIBILL.va.gov

for the most current information


What about Chapter 33, the new “The Post-9/11 Veterans’

Education Assistance Act”?Please visit www.GIBILL.va.gov

for the most current information.


Welcome to the GI BILL web sitePresident Bush has signed into law the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. Check back often for updates. Sign-up to receive e-mail messages as new information is added on this new program to our Frequently Asked Questions page. it's easy and only takes a minute. We have added an RSS feed for Post-9/11 GI Bill Information. Check our RSS page for more information.

Direct veterans to this website for the most recent information on Chapter 33 benefits.

going to bat for our veterans massachusetts town agents va educational benefits welcome

Documents

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veterans questions

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