GI Bill education benefits to family members may go baby
Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:55 am
https://www.stripes.com/deadline-looms- ... y-1.587343
Starting later next month, some mid-career and senior servicemembers will be unable to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to family members.
New rules the Pentagon put in place last summer take effect July 12, limiting the option to transfer the benefit only to troops who have served at least six years, but not more than 16, and who commit to serve an additional four years.
The date next month also marks the end of a policy exception the Pentagon announced in January to allow troops with at least 10 years of service, but who were ineligible to reenlist for an additional four, to transfer their benefits.
That exception applied to servicemembers affected by mandatory retirement, a career-ending medical problem or failure to gain timely promotion.
House Veterans' Affairs Committee members Reps. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C., Chris Pappas, D-N.H., Conor Lamb, D-Pa., and Max Rose, D-N.Y., left to right, Stand behind a suicide awareness poster at a Capitol Hill press conference in April. On Wednesday, the panel sent 18 bills to the full House for approval, including H.R. 2340, the FIGHT Veterans Suicide Act.<br>Stars and Stripes
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Under previous rules, such troops could still transfer the benefit if they committed to serve for the maximum amount allowed by service policy or statute, even if it was less than four years. The new rules were meant to do away with that provision immediately last July, until the retroactive extension was announced earlier this year.
Servicemembers wounded in combat who have received Purple Heart medals are exempted from the rule changes.
In most cases, the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits cover the cost of in-state public university tuition, plus a monthly housing stipend that can pay for a four-year degree or other educational programs for eligible troops, veterans and family members. Many private schools also offer grants to pay the difference between the cost of public and private school tuition.
There had not previously been a restriction on when servicemembers could transfer education benefits to their family members, once they had served six years.
When veterans’ advocates criticized the new cap at 16 years, military officials said the transfers were intended as a retention tool and not a benefit to careerists.
Earlier this month, during debate of the annual defense authorization bill, the House Armed Services Committee unanimously approved a provision that would allow continued eligibility for senior servicemembers to transfer the benefits to their family members.
The measure must still gain the backing of the full House and Senate before it becomes law.
Stars and Stripes reporter Chad Garland contributed to this report.
wyland.scott@stripes
Twitter: @wylandstripes
Starting later next month, some mid-career and senior servicemembers will be unable to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to family members.
New rules the Pentagon put in place last summer take effect July 12, limiting the option to transfer the benefit only to troops who have served at least six years, but not more than 16, and who commit to serve an additional four years.
The date next month also marks the end of a policy exception the Pentagon announced in January to allow troops with at least 10 years of service, but who were ineligible to reenlist for an additional four, to transfer their benefits.
That exception applied to servicemembers affected by mandatory retirement, a career-ending medical problem or failure to gain timely promotion.
House Veterans' Affairs Committee members Reps. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C., Chris Pappas, D-N.H., Conor Lamb, D-Pa., and Max Rose, D-N.Y., left to right, Stand behind a suicide awareness poster at a Capitol Hill press conference in April. On Wednesday, the panel sent 18 bills to the full House for approval, including H.R. 2340, the FIGHT Veterans Suicide Act.<br>Stars and Stripes
Veteran suicide, 'blue water' benefits among topics addressed in 18 bills OK'd by House panel
House lawmakers question VA’s ability to meet deadline for GI Bill changes
Under previous rules, such troops could still transfer the benefit if they committed to serve for the maximum amount allowed by service policy or statute, even if it was less than four years. The new rules were meant to do away with that provision immediately last July, until the retroactive extension was announced earlier this year.
Servicemembers wounded in combat who have received Purple Heart medals are exempted from the rule changes.
In most cases, the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits cover the cost of in-state public university tuition, plus a monthly housing stipend that can pay for a four-year degree or other educational programs for eligible troops, veterans and family members. Many private schools also offer grants to pay the difference between the cost of public and private school tuition.
There had not previously been a restriction on when servicemembers could transfer education benefits to their family members, once they had served six years.
When veterans’ advocates criticized the new cap at 16 years, military officials said the transfers were intended as a retention tool and not a benefit to careerists.
Earlier this month, during debate of the annual defense authorization bill, the House Armed Services Committee unanimously approved a provision that would allow continued eligibility for senior servicemembers to transfer the benefits to their family members.
The measure must still gain the backing of the full House and Senate before it becomes law.
Stars and Stripes reporter Chad Garland contributed to this report.
wyland.scott@stripes
Twitter: @wylandstripes