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GI Bill MailbagReporter Leo Shane answers readers’ questions about new veterans education benefits being considered by Congress. |
Can I get the living allowance and my spouse's BAH?
Posted July 9th, 2008 by leoshaneI just separated from the military after completing 5 years active duty and my husband is still active duty. I am currently receiving my GI Bill benefits to pay for my education (which is barely enough). What about the veterans that are married to active duty personnel, will we also receive $1,000 monthly for housing and living expenses?
-- S. Aylor
According to the VA, there is no bar to both spouses receiving some form of BAH under current rules. So if an Army husband is active duty and his retired Navy wife is going to school under the new GI bill rules, they can receive his BAH and her GI bill living allowance at the same time.
The only blocks to the living allowance are if veterans are enrolled part-time as students, if they're enrolled in distance learning classes, or if active-duty folks use the benefit while still in the ranks. In that last example, they'd be receiving BAH anyway, so another living allowance on top of that would be exceedingly generous.
If a servicemember transfers their benefit to a spouse or child, those same rules apply: If he's still on active duty, the dependants can't get the living allowance. But since dual military couples can get two BAH payments, they'll see the extra money here.
activated reservist education benifits
Question: I am a reservist (with 24 years in the military) with 3 years deployment since 2001. I used 31 months of the Montgomery Bill (approximatly $150/month) to get my BSN. I have been told that no one can have more then 48 months of all programs together which would be great but I have not seen it in writting. Do I have 5 or possibly 17 months of the new plan that goes into effect Aug 09? Thank you,LT Lynette Robinson, USN NC LRMC
RE: Education benefits
The new bill specifies only 36 months of academic benefits, which translates into four years for an undergraduate degree. That means you should still have five months of benefits left, but definitely not 17 months.
RE : Education benefits
Not necessarily. A Reservist/NG can still qualify for REAP for additional months of educational benefits if say they have exhasuted the old GI Bill they had from prior active service but have deployed since 9-11 as a Reservist which seems to be the case these days. So yes a combination of REAP, GI Bill, etc. cannot exceed 48 months and yes you can still get paid the new rate. On 1 AUG 2009, according to the GI Bill website and my VA counselor who is in the know, all educational programs (REAP, 1607, etc.) get folded into the Post 9-11 benefit package (i.e. stipend for books, housing allowance, etc.). A Reservist could hypothetically use up their 36 months of GI Bill entitlements they had from prior active service this school year, request a change of program to REAP entitlements from Post 9-11 call-ups before the '09 school year and receive an additional 12 months of benefits under the Post 9-11 Bill. You'll have to do your own individual math to see how it would work out for you. The catch is that you still have to be an active member in drilling status to be elegible. So if your lookin to hide out on ING status, 'forget about' a few drills or are on IRR then dont look forward to a few more months of benefits since the verification loopholes will be squared off by next school year.
RE : additional benefits
Yes, you should have 17 more months of entitlement left since 31 + 17 = 48 with a combination of REAP and GI Bill at the new rate if you waited out until Aug of 2009 to start school. The GI Bill website covers this, you see it in actual writing when you change programs from GI Bill to REAP. Dont forget that REAP and everything else pays out at the new Post 9-11 benefit rate on 1 Aug 2009.
RE: additional benefits
Shockratees --
Sounds like you and your VA contact already have a good handle on how to to get the most out of this system. I can't say that I follow all of it, but it sounds like something worth investigating for folks in this position.