The new GI Bill passed and the benefits simply rock. See Military.com for full details, but here’s a delish sampling:
The new bill goes well beyond helping to pay for tuition; many veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001, will get full tuition and fees, a new monthly housing stipend, and a $1,000 a year stipend for books and supplies. The new bill also gives Reserve and Guard members who have been activated for more than 90 days since 9/11 access to the same GI Bill benefits.
The old Montgomery GI Bill required servicemembers to pay 1200 bucks (plus an optional $600 kicker) to receive benefits. The new Webb Bill comes free of charge. So, as a hard-charging, masters-hungry young airman, I had been paying into the Montgomery Bill for the past ten months. Today I called the base education office to see if anything could be done for recoupment.
BEO: Hello, Base Education Office how may we help you?
Me: Yeah hi, I’ve got a question about the new GI bill.
BEO: Go ahead.
Me: Well I’ve paid out $1,000 for a service that is now free. And I haven’t used any of the benefits yet.
BEO: Right.
Me: ….
BEO: ….
Me: So uh, can I have my money back?
BEO: We’re not sure.
Me: Aren’t you guys supposed to be the experts here?
BEO: Yeah, but we got most of our information off the internet.
Still a few kinks to work out of the knot, it seems.
And I have a chunk of hard earned dosh floating somewhere in the vaults of the Veterans Administration. I wouldn’t mind having it back, but then again… ’tis the gommument. I ain’t holding my breath.
I’m kinda wondering about that as well. I received backpay when I went from 1606 to 1607 (almost seven large).
I expect it to be at least a year before the VA figures out what they are doing about it. I definitely don’t expect the Ed Centers to have a clue about something that was just signed within the past week.
I recommend making those last two payments, Airman – you’ll probably get them back, but why screw up your finance unnecessarily?
Looks like I am going to grad school when I get back from this deployment. yippee!!!
SSgt OB
I guess I’m getting screwed since I waived my GI bill for student loan repayment.
Nah, Ben. That’s the beauty of it. You serve 3 years post 9/11 and you get the benefits, there’s no buy-in required. If anything you’re better off than those who bought in, since they probably won’t get their money back and we all recieve the same benefit.
What about guys (like me) who used up their GI Bill for college and then served afterward?
How much of your GI Bill did you use? I don’t know what the effect of the new one is going to be, but with Chap 30/1606/1607 you could combine them up to a total of 48 months. So if you got off active duty and reenlisted for 6 years in the Reserves, you could use 36mo. of Chap30 and then 12mo. Chap 1606 (or 1607 if you’d been activated over 90 days).
The VA is going to have a lot of fun figuring this one out – especially since they have issues of their own in getting it right.
John,
Stop picking on the base education folks. Congress developed this, not them. If you read the details, I believe it says this doesn’t go into effect until later summer 2009. Also, those who have paid in already will receive a refund in the form of one additional payment after your other benefits are exhausted. Hope this helps.
Chris…you remember me from Vandenberg…late rental equipment ring a bell? :) Take care, looks like you’re doing well.