HUGE MGIB improvement for post 9/11 veterans!!!!

I just ran across this, if you are a post 9/11 veteran like I am, this could change a lot about your educational future, it will certainly change mine dramatically. The President has really hooked veterans up on this one (compared to how the MGIB was previously). Improvements include:

You get the full tuition $$, up to the most expensive tuition of the state you're attending.

You also get BAH at the E-5 rate (with dependents) as long as you are in school over half-time.

$1000/year stipend for books

This is a HUGE improvement over what we have now. I will probably finish my Bachelor's, then wait until August 2009 (when the program starts) to begin my Master's, hopefully at Tulane.

http://www.gibill.va.gov/S22/Post_911_Factsheet.pdf

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Comments

darkerosxx

Very nice.

I remember McCain opposed this, saying it would harm Armed Forces retention rates. So sad....we need to support education for our vets.

whistler

Giving credit to the President and not to Senator Webb and Senator Hagel is interesting. Since the President threatened to veto the passed bill but since the bill passed with a apparently veto proof majority and the support frokm mthe general public the President was forced to change his mind. Of course he didn't give credit to either Webb or Hagel but instead tried to give credit to Senator McCain who couldn;t even be bothered to vote for or against the bill. Instead Senator McCain prefered to raise some funds in California that day.

A much needed bill that hoepfully will help alot of vets get started/restarted.

IA-Daigakusei

Right.. it has been signed into law and will take effect on Aug. 1st of 2009. The issue with that is that it only applies to those vets that are post 9/11, meaning if you got out on 9/10/2001.. you're out of luck.

I am happy with that vets, like myself, will have better educational benefits though. That's what we need.

The VA will pay for certifications and licenses and it will not be deducted from your overall benefits.

They will also pay the full amount of your school and will send the money to the school to take care of the tuition. Also, you will have 15 years to use your benefits instead of 10.. but that does not restart the clock on your benefits.. For example, I finished in 2003, so my benefits are set to expire in 2013, well with the new plan.. they would expire in 2018.

Also, the BAH is only for those students that are going to school in a traditional method, going to school on an actual campus. That means that if you are taking classes online.. (Univ. of Phoenix, UMUC, American Military University, etc.) then you will not receive housing benefits. Also, it's been said that it is best for those students that are taking classes online to stick with the original GI Bill instead of signing up for the newer one.

The new GI Bill's pay out is different according to how much time you served.

For example, I will stay with the old GI Bill because I am attending a non-traditional school so it doesn't benefit me to switch over.

I have no praise for Governor Bush signing the G.I. Bill.. He and Sen. McCain didn't support the bill at first.. This sort of thing should've happened a while ago for those Vietnam vets.. I finished my time in 2003.. so no, I'm not a Nam vet.. I love my benefits, but I do believe the VA could do more for its vets.. Especially all of those young service members that are losing limbs or have disabilities.. Sometimes, the VA is like a black hole.. you send something to them and it gets lost in the shuffle..

I might have to see about getting a job with the VA so I can change how things are run over there.. Nothing against the VA employees, but our vets should be treated a little bit better than just another case file in their daily 9 to 5.

pwjohnston

whistler wrote:

Giving credit to the President and not to Senator Webb and Senator Hagel is interesting. Since the President threatened to veto the passed bill but since the bill passed with a apparently veto proof majority and the support frokm mthe general public the President was forced to change his mind. Of course he didn't give credit to either Webb or Hagel but instead tried to give credit to Senator McCain who couldn;t even be bothered to vote for or against the bill. Instead Senator McCain prefered to raise some funds in California that day.

A much needed bill that hoepfully will help alot of vets get started/restarted.

Some just can't help, but to be brainwashed by the Reich.

I hope every vet who can take advantage of this does.

brad-

learningtofly22 wrote:

The President has really hooked veterans up on this one (compared to how the MGIB was previously).

President Bush didnt want it it to pass. He said "it sends the wrong message"...stating that they dont want to encourage soldiers to get out when their time is up. Thank Senator Webb for fighting the president to pass that after being vetoed.

IA-Daigakusei

I, too, hope everyone takes advantage of it. I wish I had started to use my GI bill earlier.. I'm using it now though. I should be finished with my degree soon and enough time to start on my Master's and finish it and still have benefits left over.

I always tell people to use their benefits.. We paid into it so we might as well use all of it that we can.

networker050184

I think this is a great improvement and I can't wait for next year to start pulling my BAH!

LarryDaMan

networker050184 wrote:

I think this is a great improvement and I can't wait for next year to start pulling my BAH!

You'll have to wait until August 2009, at least. Nice benefits, but it will be an administrations nightmare.

I have 7 months of my GI BILL left, so I will enter a Master's program next year to milk every cent from them!

learningtofly22

I am currently going "nontraditional" for my Bachelor's, and was planning on doing the same for the MBA. In light of these developments, I'm changing my plans drastically. If Tulane will have me, that is.....

IA-Daigakusei

Like you, I am a "non-traditional" student. I'm overseas and attend college on the bases, but currently all of my courses are online because they do not teach some of the subjects in the classroom (face - to - face). Actually, all of my major classes are done online due to the lack of teachers to teach the courses on this base.

So, I will not receive the BAH. You might want to check out www.military.com they have information on the new G.I. Bill, but they lack having information for students that take classes online though.