I am an Army reservist. With no break in service, I have been on active-duty since 2003. Since I qualify for the new GI Bill, will I be able to transfer my new GI Bill (education benefits) to my son - a college student?
--Sgt. Maj. Knight
The transferability rules aren’t set yet, so we can’t say for sure. But as the bill is written now, the active-duty requirements apply only to the first-three-years requirement, not the general guidelines for transferability.
So that may mean that reservists with 10 years in service and at least 90 days on active duty will be able to share their tuition benefits and living allowance with spouses and children. But, we won’t know for sure until the Pentagon sets the rules for transfers, which take months.
Regardless the decision, all transferability options won’t come into effect until August 2009, so Sgt. Maj. Knight will have to cover his son’s tuition bills for at least one more year.
I am an active reservist. I
I am an active reservist. I enlisted in January 2001 and I re-enlisted in 2005. I have served 12 months consecutively for part of OEF and various other months for schools and what-have-you. I am curious about how this will effect me right now. Currently I have used my GI Bill and plan to use it in the fall. I am on the 1607 plan. I am curious what the numbers are for the sliding scale and if I will lose in using the new GI Bill. My boyfriend is also a veteran and has served 36 months but a lot of it was for school, so does the time in active service have to be after MOS qualification has been completed? He hasn't used his GI Bill yet as he hasn't had a chance to since he joined because as soon as he came home from school he was activated for part of OEF, so will he be able to apply for the 1607 this fall? I was all for this bill and now it seems that it is hindering soldiers more than helping them. I am so confused. Thanks for your time!
RE: Active reservist
Just a reminder to everyone on these boards -- I'm doing my best to give folks general answers on your situation, but the final decisions aren't with me. The VA and DoD will be the ones who make the final call on individual issues, and that is going to take some time.
Ancrew702, my best guess is that your boyfriend will be eligible for the new GI bill benefits next fall, but not this fall, since the new plan doesn't kick in for a year.
Lawmakers promised that the changes wouldn't result in anyone losing money, so if the partial benefits under the new "Chapter 33" benefits are less than your current GI bill payments, you'll stay under the old plan.
But check with the VA -- they probably don't have answers yet, but they'll have to get them together soon.