Post 9/11 GI Bill Transferability

[BaconUSMC]

Wanted to poll the masses to find out if anyone on the reserve side has transferred benefits to their spouse / kids. From what I understand, reservists need to sign a four year contract (AR or SMCR) of some sort to be permitted to transfer. I know the active guys are all doing page 11 / 13 entries, then the VA is allowing them to transfer, but not sure how to do it with reserves.

On a related note, my belief is that if an individual is eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill because of active duty service, then joins the reserves, they have a total of 48 (vice 36) months of total benefits. If anyone can clarify this I would greatly appreciate it. Bacon

 

[HH-60H]

On a related note, my belief is that if an individual is eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill because of active duty service, then joins the reserves, they have a total of 48 (vice 36) months of total benefits. If anyone can clarify this I would greatly appreciate it. Bacon

That doesn't sound right. Are you confusing people who got MGIB first and then got the 9/11 GI Bill?

 

[BaconUSMC]

HH60 thanks for the reply...Yes, I believe I am confusing it with combined benefits for original (Chap 30) GI Bill and Post 9/11 (CHap 33) GI Bill. In any case, I used 3 months of my original GI Bill (737 type rating), and just transferred everything to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, and unsure how to determine when I get the additional 12 months. The VA says I have 33 months remaining..?

Any insight on the reserve transferability? I used VONAPP to transfer my benefits and have not signed anything with the service to make an obligation. VONAPP did permit me to transfer to dependents though. Bacon

 

[Clux4]

Wanted to poll the masses to find out if anyone on the reserve side has transferred benefits to their spouse / kids. From what I understand, reservists need to sign a four year contract (AR or SMCR) of some sort to be permitted to transfer. I know the active guys are all doing page 11 / 13 entries, then the VA is allowing them to transfer, but not sure how to do it with reserves.

On a related note, my belief is that if an individual is eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill because of active duty service, then joins the reserves, they have a total of 48 (vice 36) months of total benefits. If anyone can clarify this I would greatly appreciate it. Bacon

Since you are a Naval Aviator, your time on Active Duty after 9/11 is more than adequate to meet the requirement. That four year policy is for guys freshly off the bus. As long as you have served 90 days or more ISO of OIF/OEF, then you are qualified.
Here is a MARADMIN that talks about it. All you need is a Statement of Understanding in your OQR. A copy is mailed to HQMC who will in turn send it to VA. Call this number if you have further questions 703-784-0523.

Hope that helps.

 

[BaconUSMC]

Clux,
Thanks for the info. A lot of the reservists at my unit are running around trying to figure this one out, specifically with the SMCR. I've done the SOU but my admin section is unclear on what to do with it. We're giving them a little bit of time to get caught up, then we'll make sure they get it into the OQRs. Thanks again for the post. Bacon

 

[HercDriver]

I think we might be mixing up two things...I'm guessing you are eligible already for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, but the requirement to sign up for four years is for the ability to transfer your benefits to a family member.

 

[Clux4]

I think we might be mixing up two things...I'm guessing you are eligible already for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, but the requirement to sign up for four years is for the ability to transfer your benefits to a family member.

Herc,
You bring up a good point. Yes, the 4 years applies to the guys that do not have a minimum of 10 years in service. Basically, they want you to commit to serving Uncle for 10 years. 6 years for you to qualify for it and then another 4 if you want to transfer. Bacon most likely has more than 10 years of Active Service (well I hope), so it does not apply to him.

Hope it clears things up

 

[HH-60H]

Herc,
You bring up a good point. Yes, the 4 years applies to the guys that do not have a minimum of 10 years in service. Basically, they want you to commit to serving Uncle for 10 years. 6 years for you to qualify for it and then another 4 if you want to transfer. Bacon most likely has more than 10 years of Active Service (well I hope), so it does not apply to him.

That's not quite right. If you have 10 years and cannot, due to statute or service regulations, obligate for another 10 years, then you must obligate for the max time allowed. If you have 10 years and can obligate for another 4, then you must.

#1 Has at least 6 years of service in the Armed Forces on the date of election and agrees to serve 4 additional years in the Armed Forces from the date of election.

or #2

Has at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces (active duty and/or selected reserve) on the date of election, is precluded by either standard policy (service or DoD) or statute from committing to 4 additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute,

http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/CH33/Transfer.htm

 

[Clux4]

I fail. Good catch!

 

[boobcheese]

That's not quite right. If you have 10 years and cannot, due to statute or service regulations, obligate for another 10 (4?) years, then you must obligate for the max time allowed. If you have 10 years and can obligate for another 4, then you must.

#1 Has at least 6 years of service in the Armed Forces on the date of election and agrees to serve 4 additional years in the Armed Forces from the date of election.

or
#2 Has at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces (active duty and/or selected reserve) on the date of election, is precluded by either standard policy (service or DoD)
or statute from committing to 4 additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute,

I recall reading that same verbiage, in a NAVADMIN I think, and while I wasn't sure if I read it correctly it just doesn't sound right. From my initial understanding if you were entitled to benefits under the post 9/11 GI Bill and you had either served, or obligated yourself to, 10 yrs then you could transfer the bennies to your family. From that policy it sounds as though even if you have already done the full 10 yrs you have to commit to another four in order to make the swap. I hope I'm reading it wrong.

While it may be a "good" way of squeezing a few extra years out of someone who was on the fence, it sounds like its going to really screw some guys who may not be clear on the rules and don't plan ahead. In my personal situation, I have been in almost 11 yrs and just submitted the paper work for a bonus that will keep me in until my 16-17 year mark (a large part of which will be a concurrent payback for grad school). At this point I'm going to do 20, no question. However, if I fail to plan ahead and make the transfer at my 16 yr point, it sounds as though I may owe uncle some extra time if I want to transfer the bennies to my children.

While I can understand asking for a minimum of a 10 year commitment to qualify for such a generous benefit, I don't see the logic in requiring an extra four years to from the point that you swap them over. Are they really going to charge people 4 years just to sign a page 13?

Man, I thought my phone company sucked trying to charge me a BS activation fee on my new phone. At least with them I could talk to a manager and get the fee waived.

 

[Clux4]

I will be honest with you, there is a lot your spouse and kids will be getting from this deal. As usual, there is no free lunch. It is funny you thought all that was required was 10 years. That is the same response I got from the VA adviser over the phone. I do not think they themselves are up and running on this transferability issues. Maybe that will changes in the future.
To be quite honest, I will say hold on transfer because there is alot the GI Bill is giving that this new deal is not. Once you change, you are not able to revert.

 

[boobcheese]

I will be honest with you, there is a lot your spouse and kids will be getting from this deal. As usual, there is no free lunch. It is funny you thought all that was required was 10 years. That is the same response I got from the VA adviser over the phone. I do not think they themselves are up and running on this transferability issues. Maybe that will changes in the future.
To be quite honest, I will say hold on transfer because there is alot the GI Bill is giving that this new deal is not. Once you change, you are not able to revert.

I'm not looking for a "free lunch" and will plan accordingly so that is a non-issue for me. I just don't undertand why people would essentially be penalized with an extra commitment above and beyond the 10 years if they don't make the swap to their dependents at least 4 years prior to when they plan on getting out whether that be at 10 years or 20.

 

[HH-60H]

While I can understand asking for a minimum of a 10 year commitment to qualify for such a generous benefit, I don't see the logic in requiring an extra four years to from the point that you swap them over. Are they really going to charge people 4 years just to sign a page 13?

The logic is that this benefit is being used as a retention tool. So, if you want to transfer it to your family, the Navy wants you to stay in for another 4 years.

In fact, DoD policy frames it as such:

It is DoD policy:
...

That transferability of education benefits be used by the Military Services to promote recruitment and retention.

 

[boobcheese]

The logic is that this benefit is being used as a retention tool. So, if you want to transfer it to your family, the Navy wants you to stay in for another 4 years.

In fact, DoD policy frames it as such:

I get that this is being offered partly, if not completely, as a retention tool much like receiving retirement if you serve 20 years. The difference, and the part that I have issue with, is that the election to share with dependents has to be done 4yrs prior to getting out. It seems like a back door way to get a few more years out of someone who may not have been entirely clear on the minutia of how the program works. I foresee many a sailor coming up on retirement thinking that their kid's college fund is in the bag only to attend a TAPS class and realize that they have to put in 4 more years due to the simple fact that they didn't sign a page 13 at the right time.

 

[BaconUSMC]

Good discussion points...I appreciate the posts. A few things have come up with folks in my unit. 1) Your additional four year timeline starts when you fill out the transfer of eligibility form (TEB) on the website. The SOU you have to fill out to put in your record asks for the date that appears on the site. Many of us are completing the website first, then letting our admin shops catch up in order to start the clock.

"Gouge" from a few folks is to allot 1 month of benefits to a dependent, which will start the timer. Then, whenever you have a better grasp on what to give to which dependent, you can always go back into the site and give one kid some, another kid some, and the wife the rest...or whatever. You can always make changes...from giving all to one kid or taking all the benefits back. The only things you can't do is go back to the original GI Bill (Chap 30) after selecting post 9/11 (Chap 33), or get out of your four year commitment. Correct me if you see any problems with this. Bacon