Reserve educational benefits

[wink]

Some of you know I have been around awhile. When I started there was no GI Bill. Our Educational benefit was called VEAP. VEAP is gone and apparently did not convert to anything else. So, I don't have any educational GI benefits for my active duty service. And, it appears I don't seem to qualify for any Reserve program. I never had a 6 year contract. I was in the Reserves from about 1985 to 2007 with no broken service so can't show I entered service to qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill. I know I don't qualify for REAP. Am I missing something? Do I have this right? 27 years of combined service and I don't rate some kind of educational benefit?

 

[SLB]

Try looking into the post 9/11 GI bill. You might have enough active time as a reservist post 9/11 to qualify for some benefit.

 

[zab1001]

Did you pay in on VEAP?

 

[HAL Pilot]

Once upon a time they had a VEAP to GI Bill conversion. I did it. I've forgotten how it worked though.

 

[wink]

Try looking into the post 9/11 GI bill. You might have enough active time as a reservist post 9/11 to qualify for some benefit.

Nope. I was already out of a mobilization billet so no one came looking for me and I couldn't find a good fit to volunteer for. I didn't even get annual AT at that point.

Did you pay in on VEAP?

I did. Supposedly they mailed me a check for my contributions when I didn't use it within 10 years of leaving active duty.

Once upon a time they had a VEAP to GI Bill conversion. I did it. I've forgotten how it worked though.

Yeah. Since my first post I have researched a good bit more. Turns out the first conversion opportunity simply said you had to be on active duty on some date in 1996. Well I was selres by then so it left guys like me out. They caught onto that loop hole and a later law said if you simply had a VEAP account in OCT of 2000 you could pay $2700 to enroll in the Montgomery GI Bill. At that point I was in a VTU and didn't drill at the RESCEN but the NRD. Either they never contacted me about it because they often forgot I existed ( which was often and I admit I appreciated that) or I was already disenrolled from VEAP because the 10 year mark had passed and supposedly a check returned my money. Looking back, I am not sure I would have paid the $2700. I was already in the airlines, didn't need flight training or a post grad degree. But now that I am approaching retirement and am bored with the airline flying circus, I am looking to expand my volunteer hobby cop gig and move from the left seat of the helo to the right. That helo training is mighty costly and I was looking for a GI flight training benefit to burn. I will just have to convince my wife that I need the money like many of her friends need it for a boob job. Helo training will be my mid life crisis plastic surgery.

 

[Flash]

I am wondering if one of the service organizations like the American Legion or VFW would be able to help you out? They mainly do disability assistance but also say they help with others benefits like education.