GI Bill

[0630RestrictionMuster]

Can someone please explain how eligibility works for academy grads? I get it doesn't apply for time spent working off a commitment from the academy but what the academies so slyly leave out of the public eye is that there isn't just a singular commitment. It can be 5 years or 10 depending on service or designator. I guess my question is will i be eligible for GI Bill benefits 5 years after graduating? Additionally what if under terms of medical discharge/retirement? There is so much not publicized about this.

 

[Capt MJ]

Can someone please explain how eligibility works for academy grads? I get it doesn't apply for time spent working off a commitment from the academy but what the academies so slyly leave out of the public eye is that there isn't just a singular commitment. It can be 5 years or 10 depending on service or designator. I guess my question is will i be eligible for GI Bill benefits 5 years after graduating? Additionally what if under terms of medical discharge/retirement? There is so much not publicized about this.

It’s all on the va.gov site, and the specifics with SAs and ROTC are spelled out. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a VA program, not DOD, which is why you don’t see much about it on DOD websites or the parent agencies for the non-DOD. There have been changes to it since it first came out, and since the primary source is not DOD but the VA, that’s where to go for updates.

I’ll look for the link for you, but I believe it’s 36 months of AD after the initial ADSO is satisfied, to earn 100% of the benefit. Lesser amounts of AD earn lesser %. Each state also has its own state veterans’ department or agency, which offer benefits unique to the state, and separate from the VA. Often that includes educational benefits. You can find those by searching your state.gov website.

There are several methods of obtaining a Master’s while on AD, covered extensively on other threads, using Tuition Assistance and after-hours or online school, or full-time AD options. Of course, they usually come with additional ADSO “payback” time, which might run concurrently or consecutively with original ADSO.

Here’s the link:

https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/factsheets/education/Post-911_General_info.pdf

The SA mission is to produce officers according to their mission mandates, and inform applicants and graduates of the associated service obligation for the bachelor’s degree, commission and officer specialty. It’s up to the JO to do the work and research post-grad programs, in-service and post-service. It’s all out there on Service and VA websites.

 

[0630RestrictionMuster]

It’s all on the va.gov site, and the specifics with SAs and ROTC are spelled out. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a VA program, not DOD, which is why you don’t see much about it on DOD websites or the parent agencies for the non-DOD. There have been changes to it since it first came out, and since the primary source is not DOD, that’s where to go for updates.

I’ll look for the link for you, but I believe it’s 36 months of AD after the initial ADSO is satisfied, to earn 100% of the benefit. Lesser amounts of AD earn lesser %. Each state also has its own state veterans’ department or agency, which offer benefits unique to the state, and separate from the VA. Often that includes educational benefits. You can find those by searching your state.gov website.

There are several methods of obtaining a Master’s while on AD, covered extensively on other threads, using Tuition Assistance and afternoon-hours or online school, of full-time AD options. Of course, they usually come with additional ADSO “payback” time, which might run concurrently or consecutively with original ADSO.

Thank you Capt MJ, at this point I don't see a career in the military and want out. Using the GI Bill for a masters to make that a better transition would be helpful. The website doesn't specify if that means 5 years plus 3 for 100% or in my case wings+6 years+another 3 years. The latter seems ridiculous to me.

 

[Capt MJ]

Copied from the link. Bolding mine. The 36-month counter starts after you finish whatever your initial ADSO is.

I can’t tell where you are in your uniformed time, but a miniumum example is SWO out of USNA, then 36 months, for 100% benefit at 8 years. You should definitely research your state benefits. Some states are very generous.

It’s a trade between military member, the more they invest in you, the more time in uniformed years you invest in repayment. Thus it has always been.



Note: Active duty service time required by graduates of a service academy or ROTC does not count toward the three years necessary to qualify for full benefits.
If you served fewer than 36 months, your percentage of benefits ranges from 40 to 90 percent:
• 90percent:30totalmonths,includingactivedutyinentrylevelandskilltraining • 80percent:24totalmonths,includingactivedutyinentrylevelandskilltraining • 70percent:18totalmonths,excludingactivedutyinentrylevelandskilltraining • 60percent:12totalmonths,excludingactivedutyinentrylevelandskilltraining • 50percent:sixtotalmonths,excludingactivedutyinentrylevelandskilltraining • 40percent:90ormoredays,excludingactivedutyinentrylevelandskilltraining

 

[Capt MJ]

As far as medical discharges, separations, retirements, and post-sep benefits, that’s all the VA. Too complicated with too many variations to discuss here.

There are many who do not get to use the Post 9/11 GI Bill for time in service reasons. An Honorable discharge is also required. A General Discharge under honorable conditions doesn’t get it, I believe.

I am in no way an expert. Research at the primary sources is key. If you can find a VSO, Veteran Service Officer, in a county office or the local chapter of American Legion, VFW, DAV, AMVETS, etc., these folks are VA-certified to advise.

 

[Capt MJ]

And - don’t get fixated on the GI Bill post-service. Note I said “concurrent or consecutive” required years.
I know many Navy pilots who used Tuition Assistance to do an online Master’s, and the payback years ran concurrently with the existing service obligation. They got out at their regular ADSO completion time, Master’s in hand. One pilot I know did law school as a shore-based instructor pilot. Hard, but he got it done.

I used TA as an O-1 to get my first Master’s in Business, and the payback period started as soon as I reported the degree completed, running concurrently with my initial service obligation. My second Master’s, at Naval Postgrad School in Ops Logistics, I owed 2 for 1 after completion. I had completed my initial ADSO, but couldn’t ask to resign until I completed the payback period that started the day I graduated from NPS. Eighteen month school, 36 month payback.

You’ll want to research current TA policy. If retention is good, TA not as good. If retention dipping, TA rates better.

 

[UHBlackhawk]

As far as medical discharges, separations, retirements, and post-sep benefits, that’s all the VA. Too complicated with too many variations to discuss here.

Understatement of the year. Navigating the VA can be... interesting.

 

[OldRetSWO]

GI Bill/VA relative to Service Academies have always been "interesting". From where I sit, the VA sets out some pretty
nice bennies that apply to all and implements them and then someone suddenly realizes that SOME people, especially
Service Academy folks are getting a sweet deal already and they try to limit access to the VA benefits.

Example: When I started at USNA, the "Old" GI Bill was in effect and the requirement was 180 days active duty which
qualified people for what were then the full benefits. Time at a Service Academy was considered to be Active Duty due
to Green ID Card, subject to UCMJ, etc so basically, if you did 6 months at a Service Academy, you could leave and then
use the GI Bill. Then Congress killed that GI Bill and changed it to the contributory VEAP and this took effect in (I think)
January of 1977. Further, the bill defined that time at the Service Academies did NOT count toward the GI Bill.

By then, both the classes of 77 and 78 were past 2 for 7 and had had multiple classmates quit and use the GI bill but
effective as of the start of the new program, everyone else was no longer qualified. More importantly to those of us who
were staying, everyone in the military before the new program started were "grandfathered" into the old program but
since our time at the SAs now didn't count, we were not.

At some point after this transpired, individuals and then some organizations tried to appeal this because we'd come in
and then accepted a commitment (2 for 7) under the old system but were not grandfathered like everyone else. Lots of
us went on to grad school, some paying our own way and others using the much less generous VEAP program. Finally, In
the early 90's, we suddenly were offered a chance for reimbursement of expenses from the VA in recognition of what
we'd missed for costs up through 89 or 90.

 

[sheriff3]

DS was 4 year a AROTC grad. Here is his plan for the future... He will stay in at least 90 days after his initial commitment in May 2021 to earn 50% of the cost for his MBA. Depending on the economy he may even stay a little longer until things settle down. 0-3 pay and BAS/BAH pretty good gig for a single 26 year old with no debt!

 

[beyond]

Note: Active duty service time required by graduates of a service academy or ROTC does not count toward the three years necessary to qualify for full benefits.

Little known secret about USMMA is we actually start accruing service the day we graduate. Any title 10 time after graduation counts towards the GI bill.