Is anyone elligible for the Montgomery GI Bill?

[Guest LumberjackAxe]

I entered AD in 2010, and will be getting out this year. Am I elligible for the Montgomery GI Bill? All the requirements appear to say that I must have "had my pay reduced" by some amount for a year. Anyone have any gouge on this benefit and if it's worth it? For SA, I applied to Grad school in San Francisco to a 3 year program, and I plan on using my Post 9/11 benefits for that. But I also don't want to miss out on the Montgomery if it makes sense.

[BFM this]

Why would you want the MGIB when you should qualify for the P911GIB.

[Guardian]

He’s trying to see if he can get both benefits simultaneously and at the same time.

[Sua Sponte]

If you were eligible for both, you have to pick one. You can’t use both. I personally used the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program (Chapter 31, formerly known as Voc Rehab). They paid for my bachelors and masters. I’m currently using the remainder of my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill for my doctorates. To qualify for VR&E have to have a disability rating of at least 10%. The program covered all tuition (even Georgetown for my masters, which was $4K a class), paid for new laptop, printer, great parking pass for the state school I went for my undergrad, etc. It also pays you a “Subsistence Allowance” which is pretty much BAH.

https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/

If you contributed the original $1,200 into the MGIB and convert to the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, as long as you’re receiving housing allowance once your Post 9/11 runs out, then you’ll receive that $1,200 back. 

[Guardian]

If you contributed the original $1,200 into the MGIB and convert to the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, as long as you’re receiving housing allowance once your Post 9/11 runs out, then you’ll receive that $1,200 back. 

Are you talking about the kicker? So what exactly are you saying? You get your kicker back?

[Sua Sponte]

3 hours ago, Guardian said:

Are you talking about the kicker? So what exactly are you saying? You get your kicker back?

No, the original pay into the MGIB for active duty was $1,200 ($100 a month the first year).

[SocialD]

In this case, I believe you can only use one or the other.  If you've already used some of your MGIB, remember you're only eligible for 36 months of any one GI Bill and a total of 48 months of all GI Bill.  

[FLEA]

10 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:

If you were eligible for both, you have to pick one. You can’t use both. I personally used the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program (Chapter 31, formerly known as Voc Rehab). They paid for my bachelors and masters. I’m currently using the remainder of my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill for my doctorates. To qualify for VR&E have to have a disability rating of at least 10%. The program covered all tuition (even Georgetown for my masters, which was $4K a class), paid for new laptop, printer, great parking pass for the state school I went for my undergrad, etc. It also pays you a “Subsistence Allowance” which is pretty much BAH.

https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/

If you contributed the original $1,200 into the MGIB and convert to the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, as long as you’re receiving housing allowance once your Post 9/11 runs out, then you’ll receive that $1,200 back. 

This is excellent advice. I didn't even know about this program until I talked with a university veterans affairs department recently. You can use this, then still transfer your GI bill benefits to your wife or kids. 

[BFM this]

16 hours ago, BFM this said:

Why would you want the MGIB when you should qualify for the P911GIB.

Makes sense now.

I received my last semester of MGIB benefit in 2001, so I was ineligible for P911GIB...for the most part.  I still have a year of eligibility which I'm planning on using to add rotorcraft to my commercial.  Jus for funsies.

[SocialD]

8 minutes ago, BFM this said:

Makes sense now.

I received my last semester of MGIB benefit in 2001, so I was ineligible for P911GIB...for the most part.  I still have a year of eligibility which I'm planning on using to add rotorcraft to my commercial.  Jus for funsies.

 

I used 31 months of MGIB-SR in the early 2000s.  Talking with multiple VA folks, they say I have to find a way to burn up the remaining 5 months of MGIB, if I want to get the full 12 months of post 9/11 benefit.  If I don't burn it (I can't forfeit it), then I'll only get 7 months of post 9/11 GI bill.  What a jacked up system. 

Sooo....anyone know of any 4-5 month programs that cost about $400/month to blow some MGIB?  Lol. 

Edited February 25, 2022 by SocialD

[BFM this]

5 minutes ago, SocialD said:

 

I used 31 months of MGIB-SR in the early 2000s.  Talking with multiple VA folks, they say I have to find a way to burn up the remaining 5 months of MGIB, if I want to get the full 12 months of post 9/11 benefit.  If I don't burn it (I can't forfeit it), then I'll only get 7 months of post 9/11 GI bill.  What a jacked up system. 

Sooo....anyone know of any 4-5 month programs that cost about $400/month to blow some MGIB?  Lol. 

Can't help you there.  I burned every last month while at school for undergrad.  Yeah, that is a phuked up gotcha.

[Guardian]

Makes sense now.
I received my last semester of MGIB benefit in 2001, so I was ineligible for P911GIB...for the most part.  I still have a year of eligibility which I'm planning on using to add rotorcraft to my commercial.  Jus for funsies.

Having any luck finding a place? It’s hard to find a GI Bill rotorcraft place online.

[BFM this]

3 minutes ago, Guardian said:

Having any luck finding a place? It’s hard to find a GI Bill rotorcraft place online.

https://www.veracityaviation.com/ is where I'm looking at the moment, but I was going to scour the DFW area options before I commit.

[Guest LumberjackAxe]

16 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:

If you were eligible for both, you have to pick one. You can’t use both. I personally used the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program (Chapter 31, formerly known as Voc Rehab). They paid for my bachelors and masters. I’m currently using the remainder of my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill for my doctorates. To qualify for VR&E have to have a disability rating of at least 10%. The program covered all tuition (even Georgetown for my masters, which was $4K a class), paid for new laptop, printer, great parking pass for the state school I went for my undergrad, etc. It also pays you a “Subsistence Allowance” which is pretty much BAH.

https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/

If you contributed the original $1,200 into the MGIB and convert to the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, as long as you’re receiving housing allowance once your Post 9/11 runs out, then you’ll receive that $1,200 back. 

I'm having a hard time finding a list of benefits that includes tuition and subsistence allowance... did you do the "Employment Through Long-term Services Track"? I'm being medically retired and will likely have 100% disability so I'm sure I qualify, if I can save my GI Bill for later I definitely want to do that.

[Sua Sponte]

9 hours ago, LumberjackAxe said:

I'm having a hard time finding a list of benefits that includes tuition and subsistence allowance... did you do the "Employment Through Long-term Services Track"? I'm being medically retired and will likely have 100% disability so I'm sure I qualify, if I can save my GI Bill for later I definitely want to do that.

Yeah, that’s the track I did (which was just called education when I went through ). The way VR&E works through that track is you have to tell the VA what type of employment you want to attain that won’t aggravate your disabilities, which being medically retired at 100% will be pretty wide open.

When I got out in 2017 I was halfway through my bachelors degree. I went back to a state school for a political science degree. I wanted to go to law school, where 98% of political science majors go, however the VA was suspect about going to law school due to the terrible ROI it has ($150K cost to make $60Kish). My other option was getting a PhD to teach political science, which is something I didn’t want to do. The VA had a compromise of paying for a masters, so I picked the most expensive cybersecurity masters I could find, which at the time was Georgetown, which they agreed to pay for.  

The goal was is to get me a job into cybersecurity, but this was 2021 and the economy was getting spun back up and companies had hiring freezes. I ended up getting a job as a military aerospace contractor writing courseware and making a lot more than I would’ve as an attorney, however the education level and school reputation, has unlocked a lot of opportunities for me. I graduated from my masters program this summer and since I’m in a different job sector, the VA just closed out VR&E program as graduated from education. I’m currently working my doctorates (EdD) using my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, because I want to teach as an online adjunct professor. One thing I found out is you cannot have an active VR&E case file opened (in Chapter 31) and then use your G.I. Bill benefits simultaneously. You have to make sure one of them is closed out first, then use the other benefit.

The worst, and sometimes the best, part of VR&E is the counselor you’re assigned. They have a lot of leeway to interpret if they’re going to “pay” for a educational program for employment. Counselors themselves can only approve up to $25K per year in tuition payments, however the district supervisors can approve much higher. That’s how people have gone to law school, medical school, etc. on VR&E. Unlike the G.I. Bill the VA monitors your grades every quarter/semester. You’ll have to send them to your counselor so they can authorize payment. As long as you’re passing your classes, it’s not a big deal. The counselors are also the ones who authorize the housing stipend. The counselors are like any government employee though, monitor their actions and follow up with them, because they are going to make mistakes. When I moved from Washington State to Colorado, my counselor erroneously updated my housing stipend to Denver’s zip code, though I was an online student. That caused a $2,600 overpayment, which was 100% her fault, but I obviously had to pay back. 

Overall, it a great little known program. It does require a lot more following up and monitoring than just using your G.I. Bill. However, by using VR&E to obtain education/employment, then using your G.I. Bill for any follow on education, you’re maximizing your benefits. 

[Sua Sponte]

Also, since your’e at 100%, I believe your dependents (if you have any) are entitled to VA educational benefits as well.

[Guest LumberjackAxe]

11 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:

words

Damn it sounds like you really max performed those benefits. I did find the right regulations that have the subsistence allowance, but it's paltry compared to monthly housing allowance for SF through the GI Bill. But you're saying you did get a housing allowance based on the school's zip code? Was it for an E5 with dependents? Cause if so, then I would absolutely go with this program over the GI Bill, San Fran's housing allowance is $4800/month, which, combined with my pension/disability, would mean I wouldn't have to work which would be great.

[Sua Sponte]

36 minutes ago, LumberjackAxe said:

Damn it sounds like you really max performed those benefits. I did find the right regulations that have the subsistence allowance, but it's paltry compared to monthly housing allowance for SF through the GI Bill. But you're saying you did get a housing allowance based on the school's zip code? Was it for an E5 with dependents? Cause if so, then I would absolutely go with this program over the GI Bill, San Fran's housing allowance is $4800/month, which, combined with my pension/disability, would mean I wouldn't have to work which would be great.

If you have at least one day of Post 9/11 G.I. Bill left, and you have at least one class that’s on campus, then you get the allowance based on zip code. If it’s straight online, you get the online rate, which is like $900ish per month.

If you do VR&E you could give the G.I. Bill to your dependents, or max perform to 48 months of benefits instead of the 36 months the G.I. Bill gives you.

[Guardian]

Max perform 48 months? Please explain.

[Sua Sponte]

1 hour ago, Guardian said:

Max perform 48 months? Please explain.

The maximum educational benefits the VA can offer is up to 48 months. When I first started VR&E in 2017, I had a few months remaining of my Post 9/11. I in essence had to forfeit the remainder of my Post 9/11 to use VR&E. That didn’t matter to me at the time since VR&E was going to pay much longer than what I had left in my Post 9/11. Last year the VA sent me a letter saying I was going to be credited with the remainder of my Post 9/11 again due to their rule change. That’s what I’m using for this semester off my doctorates.

https://military.ggu.edu/blog/things-you-need-to-know-about-48-month-rule?format=amp

[Guardian]

Whoa. Crazy. Thanks!!!