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Using the Post-9/11 GI Bill – Tips to Make the Most of Your Benefits (Podcast 014)
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Many veterans who served after Sept.11, 2001, are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
In this podcast, we walk you through Post-9/11 qualification and explain what it covers, including how to determine the maximum tuition rates and your basic allowance for housing (BAH).
We also discuss how to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill. All you need to do is qualify for the benefit and be accepted to your school. Your school will do virtually everything else!
Our guest for this podcast is Anthony Tran, a U.S. Air Force veteran who successfully used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to complete three master’s degree programs. Anthony used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to make himself more marketable in the workforce by switching from the automotive industry to the aerospace industry. Today, he is a successful entrepreneur who runs the website and podcast Marketing Access Pass, where he provides internet marketing training and services to help other entrepreneurs successfully launch their own businesses.
How the Post-9/11 GI Bill Was Created
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is an improvement over previous versions of the GI Bill, which hadn’t kept pace with the rate of college tuition increases. Its creation helped veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq transition into the civilian sector without taking on student debt.
Why the Post-9/11 GI Bill Is Better than the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB)
The Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty provides tuition assistance to veterans and service members who buy into the program. Full-time students receive a flat rate of $2,150 per month, effective Oct. 1, 2021 (see current MGIB rates), which they must use to pay their tuition.
Benefits with the Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve are lower. A full-time student receives $407 per month (effective Oct. 1, 2021).
The Post-9/11 GI Bill, on the other hand, is free to veterans who qualify. It covers up to the most expensive in-state tuition rate in the state where your school is located. The Department of Veterans Affairs pays the tuition directly to the school. Veterans also receive an annual book stipend and a monthly housing allowance equivalent to the “E-5 with dependents” basic allowance for housing rate.
The VA website lists maximum tuition and fee benefits for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
To find BAH rates, use the “E-5 with Dependents” rate for the ZIP code of the school location. Here is a BAH calculator.
Most veterans will receive higher benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill is better than the MGIB. Our GI Bill Guide explains the details.
Using the Post-9/11 GI Bill
Using the Post-9/11 GI Bill is very easy. You need to qualify for the program, obtain a letter of verification from the VA and get accepted to your school. After that, the educational institution will take care of all the paperwork.
Qualifying for the Post-9/11 GI Bill:
Veterans must serve at least 90 days after Sept. 10, 2001, to qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, according to the VA. They must serve 36 months to qualify for the full benefit unless they received a Purple Heart or are discharged due to service-connected disabilities.
Here is the tiered eligibility percentage, according to the VA:
| Length of Service | Percentage of Maximum Payable Benefits |
|---|---|
| At least 36 months | 100% |
| At least 30 continuous days on active duty and honorably discharged due to a service-connected disability | 100% |
| Received a Purple Heart after Sept. 10, 2001 | 100% |
| At least 30 months, but fewer than 36 months | 90% |
| At least 24 months, but fewer than 30 months | 80% |
| At least 18 months, but fewer than 24 months | 70% |
| At least 6 months, but fewer than 18 months | 60% |
| At least 90 days, but fewer than 6 months | 50% |
Members of the National Guard and reserves qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill if they served “at least 90 aggregated days of active service after September 10, 2001,” according to the VA. Active service includes Title 10 (active duty) or Title 32 (National Guard duty), as well as time when a reservist is ordered to active duty for medical care or evaluation.
Eligibility Verification Process
The VA needs to verify your service dates and your discharge rating to determine if you are eligible to receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Apply online through the VA site, or call the VA at 888-442-4551 to request a paper application to submit by mail or in person. Approval takes an average of 30 days, according to the VA. Once the VA approves your application, you’ll receive a Certificate of Eligibility in the mail.
Give this to the VA certifying official at your school, and the school will take care of all the admin work. You don’t have to worry about the tuition.
You should start receiving MHA the next month. You will need to verify your enrollment with the VA at the end of each month, which you can do by text or email.
How to Use the Post-9/11 GI Bill to Improve Your Career Opportunities
In the podcast, Tran discussed how he used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to move from the automotive industry into the aerospace industry. While there were some similarities between the two industries, he needed to make his resume more attractive when changing industries. Obtaining another master’s degree helped pave the way to a successful career change.
You can do the same thing. Education by itself isn’t a magic bullet that will get you hired immediately, but it does help make your total package more attractive.
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