New GI Bill (it applies to post 9/11 veterans, not just new enlistees)

[itsaparent]

There is a lot of information on http://gibill2008.org/faq.html
(just guessing on how to insert a link...sorry if it didn't work)


There are new GI Bill benefits in a bill that has passed and according to one source I read Bush has said he will not veto it.
In-state tuition, books and a monthly stipend...



There is a place at GIBill2008.org to send a note to President Bush to sign the bill.
Congratulations to those who get to use this GI Bill.

[JustinHEMI05]

Wow thanks for the info and link! I was wondering if I would get to take advantage of it.

Justin

[Preciousblue1965]

Looks pretty interesting. 

There are a lot of questions that I would need to get answered about it though. 

Thanks for the link.

[arduousartifice]

Also, one section of the bill deals with private schools.  If tuition is over the in-state amount, the school and the government may have a program worked out where the school provides money for your tuition, and Uncle Sam matches it, on top of the in-state amount, with each covering up to 50% of what was not covered by the regular GI bill (section 3317).  So any school in the country can be "free" now.

And the nuke bonuses rise again.  Zone A has double since I joined; I bet it could triple over the course of my six.

[Preciousblue1965]

From what I gathered it looks like they are getting away from the system of mailing ther Servicemember the monthly checks and just sending them straight to the school.  Also it seems that we would be getting a monthly BAH like Check based on E5 w/ Dependents for the area you are in.  Lastly, we would be getting a refund on the 1200 we paid in if we qualify under this new program.  I think I got all that right.

[93-383]

From what I gathered it looks like they are getting away from the system of mailing ther Servicemember the monthly checks and just sending them straight to the school.  Also it seems that we would be getting a monthly BAH like Check based on E5 w/ Dependents for the area you are in.  Lastly, we would be getting a refund on the 1200 we paid in if we qualify under this new program.  I think I got all that right.

From what I have read and heard I don't think we get the 1200-1800 buyin money back. Wich kinda sucks but then again this is a major improvment to the benifit.

[JustinHEMI05]

From what I have read and heard I don't think we get the 1200-1800 buyin money back. Wich kinda sucks but then again this is a major improvment to the benifit.

Uh... they can happily keep my 1200 if they approve this. Hell, the investment was still a terrific one so I am happy either way.

Justin

[Preciousblue1965]

Uh... they can happily keep my 1200 if they approve this. Hell, the investment was still a terrific one so I am happy either way.

Justin

If you look at the site provided by the the first post, then look at the section under "How does this GI bill Compare to the other" or something like that, look at the bottom of the page at the subnote "ix" and it states that

"ix] S.22/H.R.5740 removes the initial buy-in for GI Bill benefits. In addition, for anyone who has served after 9/11 and has already bought into their GI Bill benefits, this legislation will refund the amount of their buy-in. "

So I guess that mean we get some back?

[JustinHEMI05]

If you look at the site provided by the the first post, then look at the section under "How does this GI bill Compare to the other" or something like that, look at the bottom of the page at the subnote "ix" and it states that

"ix] S.22/H.R.5740 removes the initial buy-in for GI Bill benefits. In addition, for anyone who has served after 9/11 and has already bought into their GI Bill benefits, this legislation will refund the amount of their buy-in. "

So I guess that mean we get some back?

Nice find!! That would be nice too of course. But if my current GI bill debacle is any indication, it will be many months if not years before we saw a dime of that after being signed into law. They really need to hire at least one more processor.

Jusitn

[Cycoticpenguin]

Uh... they can happily keep my 1200 if they approve this. Hell, the investment was still a terrific one so I am happy either way.

Justin

I agree

Also, to add to this, GI bill can be transferred to dependents easier too! My wife can now go to college

[PapaBear765]

According to my newsletter from June 30:

Today, history was made.

Just this morning, President Bush signed the new GI Bill into law. Since we are only a few days away from celebrating the 4th of July, this milestone is a fitting way to honor our veterans who have bravely served this nation.

IAVA has led the fight for the new GI Bill from the beginning, and your dedication over the past year and a half ensured that our lawmakers kept it a top priority. Over 20,000 of you called your representatives in Congress, spread the word in your communities and signed the petition at www.GIBill2008.org. Thanks to your hard work, we finally achieved our goal.

Generations of veterans to come will benefit from this bill. Your support in this fight has been overwhelming—very few bills in recent history have received such an outpouring of public support. Together, we can be extremely proud of this victory.

In a few days, we'll let you know more about this remarkable bill and how IAVA plans to help veterans take full advantage of these new benefits.

Thank you for standing with IAVA throughout this fight.

Sincerely,

Paul Rieckhoff
Iraq Veteran
Executive Director
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

[JustinHEMI05]

Sweet! Where is my refund?  Oh wait, I am still waiting for benefits under the first program. Gee, I hope they don't make a mess of things transitioning. The VA is clearly under staffed and under funded as it is and now they have to make a switch? Ugg.

Justin

[rlbinc]

Don't worry, some administrator is busy right now figuring out how to hose millions of veterans out of their eligibility.

Those of us who had a Vietnam Era GI Bill remember when they "offered" conversion to the Montgomery GI Bill with a lower benefit in the 80's.
The Vietnam Bill had ten years of eligibility - but oops - the VA discontinued payment 12/31/89 even if you got out in 85, 86, 87, 88, or 89.
Somehow, beyond the VA's ability to provide explanation, that worked out to less than ten years post service eligibility.

It wasn't a total waste - it sure was a good deal when we enlisted in the 70's.

[Gamecock]

Don't worry, some administrator is busy right now figuring out how to hose millions of veterans out of their eligibility.

Those of us who had a Vietnam Era GI Bill remember when they "offered" conversion to the Montgomery GI Bill with a lower benefit in the 80's.
The Vietnam Bill had ten years of eligibility - but oops - the VA discontinued payment 12/31/89 even if you got out in 85, 86, 87, 88, or 89.
Somehow, beyond the VA's ability to provide explanation, that worked out to less than ten years post service eligibility.

It wasn't a total waste - it sure was a good deal when we enlisted in the 70's.

I understand your sarcasm....

But, in todays media environment, do you really think it will fly for some VA administrator to hose soldiers/sailors out of their benefits???  I sure don't.  I think everyone can rest safe knowing that they have been given a great deal. 

I wish now that I hadn't used up my eligibility already.

[Preciousblue1965]

I understand your sarcasm....

But, in todays media environment, do you really think it will fly for some VA administrator to hose soldiers/sailors out of their benefits???  I sure don't.  I think everyone can rest safe knowing that they have been given a great deal. 

You would think that, but after the fall out over the Walter Reed Medical center, why would people still want the government to run the health care system.   

[rlbinc]

But, in todays media environment, do you really think it will fly for some VA administrator to hose soldiers/sailors out of their benefits???  I sure don't.  I think everyone can rest safe knowing that they have been given a great deal. 

I never thought hosing a veteran out of benefits should fly. They had to prove it to me and they did.
There is no such thing as a good deal - until the check clears.
Rest safe? Not while Congress is in session and elections are coming.

We were promised $445 a month for 45 months plus $60 per dependent. It sounds paltry, but to put it in the present day we'll inflate that by the CPI from 1975 to present...(stand back folks - its a nuke with a calculator...)

That comes to $1851.72 for 45 months plus $249.67 per dependent.
I had a wife and a daughter - so in my case the benefit should have been $105,797.70 in todays dollars.

Not quite Harvard, but with a scholarship and a grant, it wasn't unheard of.

Have you figured out why they cancelled it?
Had 2 million Vietnam Era veterans used it, the tab would have been 211,595,400,000.
Admittedly - 211 Billion is a tad steep for any non-welfare program benefit.

The DoD can make these promises (that it hands off to an under funded VA) only if the benefits are not easily utilized. Hence the professional and timely manner that GI Bill benefit claims are processed and paid. They're hoping the exasperated and broke veteran will drop out - and try something else.

Private Forrest Gump: "...they said it was a million dollar wound, but the Army must keep that, I've never seen a penny of that money..."

[PapaBear765]

I spent a lot of time trying to find the actual bill that Bush signed.  Finally found a website with the actual law.  It's 94 pages long; I've printed it and will read it tonight on my 12-hour mids shift on shore duty.

Here's the link:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h2642enr.txt.pdf

[93-383]

I spent a lot of time trying to find the actual bill that Bush signed.  Finally found a website with the actual law.  It's 94 pages long; I've printed it and will read it tonight on my 12-hour mids shift on shore duty.

Here's the link:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h2642enr.txt.pdf

On my Adobe it starts on page 36 (the stuff before it is misc funding for "other" projects)

[NukeLDO]

The military.com newsletter today contained something I hadn't seen before in all the run-up to actual passage of the bill.  There's a one-liner about dependent children of long-serving servicemembers being able to attend state schools free.  Anyone heard anything about that?  Not to look a gift horse in the mouth...but thats even better than transferring benefits as now allowed.  Hope they figure out how to administer this soon though...my oldest starts college next year!

[93-383]

The military.com newsletter today contained something I hadn't seen before in all the run-up to actual passage of the bill.  There's a one-liner about dependent children of long-serving servicemembers being able to attend state schools free.  Anyone heard anything about that?  Not to look a gift horse in the mouth...but thats even better than transferring benefits as now allowed.  Hope they figure out how to administer this soon though...my oldest starts college next year!

section 3319 of the above link taks about the dependant benifit transfer. From what I get out of it, requirements will involve members reenlisting at or around thier six year point to extend their commitment beyond 10 years. There is however language that allows the Sec Def to detimine the qualifications for eligibility.


From the VAs website FAQ
If you are a member of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009, the Department of Defense (DoD) may offer you the opportunity to transfer benefits to your spouse or dependent children. Please contact DoD or your military service branch for more information.

[PapaBear765]

I gathered from my reading last night that in order to understand what's changed you need to read this new stuff in conjunction with the old stuff.  You can look up the old stuff at:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/

This new law is written in PATRIOT ACT format, basically: delete old sentence, replace with new sentence...modify old sentence to read as new sentence..." etc.  So when the new law refers to sections or subparagraphs that don't appear to exist, they're in the old stuff.

For example: the new law (from the link in my previous post) doesn't define "institution of higher learning" but refers to section 3452(f).  That's in Title 38 Part III Chapter 34 Subchapter 1 Section 3452, from the link in this post.

[PapaBear765]

section 3319 of the above link taks about the dependant benifit transfer. From what I get out of it, requirements will involve members reenlisting at or around thier six year point to extend their commitment beyond 10 years. There is however language that allows the Sec Def to detimine the qualifications for eligibility.

From the VAs website FAQ
If you are a member of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009, the Department of Defense (DoD) may offer you the opportunity to transfer benefits to your spouse or dependent children. Please contact DoD or your military service branch for more information.

It says 6 years or "the years of service as determined in regulations pursuant to section (k)."  I can't find section (k) in the new law or the old one, can you?

[93-383]

It says 6 years or "the years of service as determined in regulations pursuant to section (k)."  I can't find section (k) in the new law or the old one, can you?

''(k) SECRETARY CONCERNED DEFINED.—Notwithstanding section
101(25), in this section, the term 'Secretary concerned' means—
''(1) the Secretary of the Army with respect to matters
concerning the Army;
''(2) the Secretary of the Navy with respect to matters
concerning the Navy or the Marine Corps;
''(3) the Secretary of the Air Force with respect to matters
concerning the Air Force; and
''(4) the Secretary of Defense with respect to matters concerning
the Coast Guard, or the Secretary of Homeland Security
when it is not operating as a service in the Navy.

[Gamecock]

Looks like it isn't as good as advertised.....

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/07/military_gibill_benefits_070708w/

[withroaj]

It still seems like a great deal even if we have to wait.  Us nukeeler folks probably can't complain too much anyway.  We've got combat vets out there that can have my place in line for any benifits out there.  We can stay in safely while we wait for the upgrade to take effect.