Proposed Transferability Policy for Post 9/11 GI Bill Published Aug. 5, 2009 By Eileen Lainez Defense Press Office -- Background: · The Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post 9/11 GI Bill) was passed by Congress last year and goes into effect Aug. 1, 2009. The Dept of Veterans Affairs administers and manages the Post 9/11 GI Bill; the DoD manages the transferability provision. The act expands educational benefits for military veterans who have served on or after Sept. 11, 2001, and, although the Montgomery GI Bill remains in effect, effectively subsumes that program. · Main provisions include tuition and fees equal to 100 percent of the most expensive undergraduate education at a public university (or a portion thereof for those who haven't served 3 years on active duty since Sept. 10, 2001.) Members not on active duty will also receive a living stipend, equivalent to the basic allowance for housing for an E-5 with dependents (equivalent to the cost of a 2-bedroom townhouse rental in the school's zip code) and a $1,000 annual stipend for books and supplies. · Those serving on active duty or the Selected Reserves on or after Aug. 1, 2009 may be eligible to transfer their benefits to their spouse or children, provided they've served six years and elect to serve an additional four years. Approved policy allows transferability for those career members who are not able to serve an additional four years, due to service needs or policies (retirement eligible, high year tenure, etc). Goals: · Inform eligible service members of the rules and procedures for transferring their Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. · Educate service members on where to go (VA Web site) for more information on Post 9/11 GI Bill eligibility and application procedures. · Ensure alignment in Legislative and Public Affairs notifications, themes and messages. · Communicate DoD's need for transferability provision: a force management tool to retain quality servicemembers, allowing those who've earned these valuable benefits to share with their families. Observations & Assumptions: · There will be significant interest within our internal audience; care should be taken to ensure accurate information is portrayed. · Expect pushback from those not eligible for transferability - anyone who has separated or retired before 1 August 2009. Process: · Maximize opportunities for key P&R communicators to build awareness and understanding of the transferability provision - why it's needed and how to transfer. · Coordinate messaging with VA, OASD PA Internal Communication, and the services to ensure message consistency and unity of effort. · Utilize multiple media and internal communication vehicles to most effectively and efficiently reach eligible service members. Top Line Talking Points: · Transferability will help us continue to recruit and retain highly qualified American youth. · Transferability provides a tool to address the force management goals of the services, while allowing career service members to share the benefits they've earned with their families. · Transferability has been one of the most requested benefits from the field and fleet, and especially from family advocacy groups. · It is important to note that the services support the pursuit of a college degree while serving, through generous Tuition Assistance programs. · The Department of Veterans Affairs administers the program, and has more details on its Web site: http://www.gibill.va.gov/ ELIGIBILITY · To qualify for transferability under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, service members must have served six years on active duty or in the Selected Reserve, and must commit to another four years. · Approved policy allows transferability for career members when the service needs do not support four additional years of service. · Eligible career service members may transfer all or part of their earned benefits to their spouses and/or children. POST 9/11 GI BILL FACTS AND STATS · The Post-9/11 GI Bill requires no enrollment; eligibility is gained by qualifying active duty service. · Service members may be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill if they served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, and they are still on active duty, or were honorably discharged, retired, or transferred to the reserves. · Eligible veterans, enlisted and officer, who served on or after Sept. 11, 2001, will be eligible for the cost of tuition and fees, not to exceed the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution. [The percentage of benefit is based on length of active duty service; 40% after 90 days of service, 100% after 3 years] · Those servicemembers not on active duty (including spouses of non-Active Duty servicemembers and all children) may also receive a living stipend equal to the basic allowance for housing rate for an E-5 with dependents, and an annual $1,000 books stipend. · VA implements the program and manages usage/budget. The VA pays the tuition bills and stipends. The DoD implements the transferability provision. Questions and Answers: Q1. How do servicemembers determine their eligibility for the Post 9/11 GI Bill? A1. The VA manages the program and determines eligibility. Recommend servicemembers visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/ for further information. Q2. What is the status of the transferability policy? A2. The transferability policy has been approved. Servicemembers may view the policy at: http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2009/0409_gibill/ Q3. How do eligible servicemembers apply to transfer their benefits? A3. Beginning June 29, 2009, eligible service members may make transfer designations by visiting this Web site: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB Q4. Can a service member use part of the benefit, and transfer part? A4. Eligible servicemembers may use part of the benefit, and transfer other portions to a spouse and/or children. Q5. Is this program only open to enlisted members? A5. Officers and enlisted personnel are eligible to use and transfer the Post 9/11 GI Bill, provided they served at least six years on active duty or in the Selected Reserves since Sept. 11, 2001, and commit to four additional years (unless service policy or statute prevents them from serving the additional four year commitment). Q6. For those retirement-eligible personnel who fall under the temporary rules allowing less than four additional years, when do their commitments start? A6. Personnel who fall under the temporary rule have their additional time commitment begin the date the transfer election is approved. Q7. Why do retirement-eligible personnel not have to serve an additional four years? A7. The temporary rule for retirement-eligible personnel was developed to maintain the normal flow of retirements, avoiding a mass extension of senior service members, and drastically altering the planned force profiles with significant impact on promotions. Q8. Are servicemembers who have retired or separated eligible to transfer their benefits? A8. By law, only those serving on active duty or in the Selected Reserve on 1 Aug 09 are eligible to transfer their benefits. Those with a retirement date of 1 Aug 09 will not be eligible, as their last day on active duty would be 31 Jul 09, and their first day on the retired rolls would be 1 Aug 09. The services are addressing this issue now. Q9. When can a servicemember make transfer elections for his/her family members? A9. Service members can only make elections while on active duty or in the selected reserve. After separation or retirement, the service member can still make changes to the percentages allowed.