We’re here to help.
We asked your fellow veterans who have used the GI Bill for their best tips, lessons learned and things they wished they’d known when they were in your shoes. Here’s what they said.
1. Know what you’re entitled to
The amount of money you receive toward your postsecondary education is determined by how long you served active duty after Sept. 11, 2001.
You have to serve at least 90 days to be eligible at all, and if you served less than 6 months, you’ll only get 40 percent of the benefit. That eligibility percentage increases gradually with time-in-service, maxing out at 100 percent eligibility for people who served 36 months or more.
Air Force veteran Mike Molitoris said the first thing you should do if you’re interested in using the GI Bill is get your official certificate of eligibility from the Veterans Affairs Department, “so you know what you’re dealing with.”
In Molitoris’ case, he is eligible for the benefit at the 90-percent rate, meaning he gets 90 percent of the total $23,671.94 in tuition and fees and 90 percent of the housing and textbook stipends that also come with the Post-9/11 GI Bill. He is currently using the benefit to get his second master’s degree from Creighton University.
Getting that certificate of eligibility, or COE, is key; you’ll need it to use your GI Bill benefits at any school.
“Processing times may delay the delivery of the COE and the sooner they request it, the better,” said David Woods, a former Army combat medic. Woods will be graduating with bachelor’s degrees in political science and Spanish from Georgia Southern University in December. “There are many instances where veterans attempt to enroll, and have not requested their COE, and this delays their start date for their education.”
One other thing to remember is that if you got out of the military before 2013, like Molitoris did, you have 15 years after your last 90 days on active duty to use your GI Bill benefits because they will expire. That expiration date was removed for anyone who left the military after Jan. 1, 2013 under the Forever GI Bill, passed last year.
2. Talk to school counselors
Your VA paperwork can tell you a lot, but the human element can help even more.
Molitoris said that despite having his certificate of eligibility, he didn’t truly understand his benefits until he spoke with a representative in Creighton’s veteran benefits office, who was able to answer even his “stupidest of questions” and helped him come up with a plan to finish his degree before his benefits expire in May.
“I couldn’t stress it enough: Make the time, sit down with them and have them explain what you’re getting involved with — how it works and so forth,” he said.
More Information Here: GI Bill Advice: For Student Vets, From Student Vets
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