As military servicemembers prepare to separate from their enlistment or commission, typically, they go through a death-by-PowerPoint style briefing called Transition Assistance Program (also known as TAPS). It is reportedly both helpful and unhelpful, depending on the veteran’s base of separation. I have the utmost respect for the bases that take well-informed care of service members transitioning into veterans, and I extend a heartfelt apology to those who did not gain much value. If you were looking forward to gathering insight on using the educational benefits but found it underwhelming or uninformative, please allow me to fill in that gap. For this blog, let us assume a veteran is discharged after four years of honorable service and wants to attend a college or university.
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Post 9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33):
I would argue that specifically, the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) is one of the most prominent reasons why citizens join the world’s greatest military force. Chapter 33 offers a range of benefits, including 100% tuition and fee coverage, a monthly housing allowance (MHA), up to $1,000 per year for books and stipends, and transferability to dependents in the future.
The average federal student loan debt as of recently is $39,075. However, with Chapter 33 benefits, veterans could bypass this requirement if they graduated within 36 months of their initial enrollment. The monetary logistics are relatively simple: The education institute sends the number of classes the veteran is enrolled in to the VA, then the VA sends the tuition amount (in conjunction with the number of classes) to the education institute. To ensure timely processing, the veteran needs to request their certification to be generated and sent to the VA, with the education institute’s respective veteran service office, as soon as they enroll for their class. Throughout the semester, the student veteran’s account could indicate a payment overdue status, but that is nothing to worry about. Educational Institutions are obligated not to send student veteran account balances to collections or report them to the credit bureau, as the VA is known to make delayed payments. If you or a veteran is pressured to make payments, please seek assistance from your respective Veteran Service Offices or the VA.
Veterans will also receive a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) at the rate of E5 with dependents. Veterans using Chapter 33 for the first time often get confused by this, so allow me to elaborate. Regardless of the rank (E3, E4, E6, E7, O1, O2, etc.) at which the veteran separates from active duty, the veteran will receive the E5 with a dependent rate for their MHA. Please note that the total MHA amount varies by semester credit hours and location. In Houston, Texas, for example, if a student veteran were to take the full 12 semester credit hours, they would receive a total of $2136. However, if they were to take only nine credit hours, the student veteran would receive $1602 (Full-time rate $2136 × ¾ because 9 out of 12 credit hours = $1602).
Student veterans will also receive up to $1,000 a month for their books and supplies. The stipend amounts to approximately $41.67 per semester credit hour, and the total is prorated based on the percentage of benefits and the total number of semester credit hours taken.
Veterans who separated from active duty on or after January 1, 2013, are automatically opted into the Forever G.I. Bill program. This program allows veterans to have their spouse or dependents (between ages 18 and 26) to use Chapter 33 benefits in case the veterans do not wish to use them. For a more in-depth understanding of Chapter 33 benefits, please visit the va.gov website.
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Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) (Chapter 31):
Veterans, if you have never heard of VR&E (Chapter 31), I implore you NOT to skip this section. This is a benefit TAPS rarely discusses, and I often get confused about why, especially if you have at least a 10-percent VA disability rating.
Chapter 31 is designed for veterans who have a disability that prevents or limits them from working their jobs. For example, if a veteran has back pain in their VA disability rating, but they work as a warehouse stocker, that job will amplify their back pain. Chapter 31 is for precisely that; for a veteran to seek a job that will not amplify their disabilities.
Let us review the benefits – Chapter 31, like Chapter 33, offers the same MHA and tuition benefits. However, there are some key differences in requirements and benefits.
First, if the veteran uses Chapter 31 benefits, they will be able to retain their Chapter 33 benefits. Theoretically, if a veteran graduates with a bachelor’s degree using only Chapter 31, they can then use Chapter 33 to pursue a master’s degree. Or, even better, if the veteran proves to the counselor that they cannot find an entry-level job despite graduating, there is a slight chance that the counselor could approve Chapter 31 usage until the veteran gets their master’s. In this case, the veteran can transfer Chapter 33 benefits to their spouse or dependents if they enlisted after September 11, 2001.
Second, the veteran will need a Chapter 31 counselor. The counselor will help the veteran to decide what they want to do career-wise and support them throughout their education journey. Upon applying for Chapter 31 benefits, the veteran will need to wait for about a month to hear back from the VA. After the first meeting with the counselor, they will provide the veteran with a few tasks. Every counselor is different; however, the most typical requirements include career dream-sheets, WEAMS verification, and enrollment in a desired educational institution. Do not be intimidated, though, because although it may seem like a daunting task, the tediousness will pass. An investment in time for the prerequisites will be worth the overall experience.
Third, upon satisfactory completion of the counselor’s requirement, the veteran can start attending the desired educational institute. As mentioned earlier, the MHA and full- tuition coverage are the same as Chapter 33. Chapter 31 does not provide a monthly stipend; however, if the veteran needs to purchase textbooks or supplies, they will receive a PO Number. This PO Number is essentially a ‘magic number’ that could allow the veteran to purchase textbooks and supplies without having to pay out of pocket.
Lastly, as stated earlier, you need to have a disability rating of at least 10%. Out of 5,225,420 veterans, 5,217,939 veterans have a disability rating of at least 10%. That is a 99.86% chance that a veteran meets the minimum disability requirement to apply! If you do not know, contact the VA to create an account and check your disability rating.
If you previously applied for a disability rating increase with the VA and were unsuccessful, we know that you are not alone; In fact, it is unfortunately too common. Many claims fall apart because of vague language, lack of analysis, or missing documentation. At Marc Whitehead & Associates, we want to help you and other veterans get the rating you deserve. We understand the importance of your VA disability benefits to you and your family. If you think your disabilities are worsening due to your current job, and you don’t have a rating, our team can help you secure the benefits you’ve worked so hard to obtain.