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GI Bill Transferability Rules – Transferring to Dependents

23 Jun, 2009 GI Bill
GI Bill Transferability Rules – Transferring to Dependents

Updated June, 2011

How Do I Transfer My GI Bill?

We continue to receive a steady stream of emails asking how to transfer GI Bill benefits to dependents. In fact, even though the GI Bill transfer rules were established back in June of 2009, we still get more questions and comments about transferring GI Bill benefits than just about any other topic.

The goods news is that GI Bill transferability rules have been ironed out and are, at least for the moment, relatively clear.

The bad news is that the rules for transferring Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits are so restrictive that transferability is not available for many service members.

How to Transfer GI Bill Benefits to Dependents

Not all service members are eligible for transferring GI Bill benefits to their dependents. Service members interesting in allocating benefits to their spouses or children must first apply for the GI Bill education benefits transferability (TEB) program.

Who is Eligible to Transfer their GI Bill?

Any member of the armed forces (active duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted) on or after August 1, 2009, who is eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, and:

  1. 1. Has at least six years of service in the armed forces on the date of election and agrees to serve four additional years in the armed forces from the date of election.
  2. 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 or statute from committing to four additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute, or is or becomes retirement-eligible during the period from Aug. 1, 2009, through Aug. 1, 2013.
  3. 3. Is or becomes retirement eligible during the period from August first, 2009, through August first, 2013. A service member is considered to be retirement eligible if he or she has completed 20 years of active duty or 20 qualifying years of reserve service. Additional rules regarding retirement are below:
  • For those eligible for retirement on Aug. 1, 2009, no additional service is required.
  • For those who have an approved retirement date after Aug. 1, 2009, and before July 1, 2010, no additional service is required.
  • For those eligible for retirement after Aug. 1, 2009, and before Aug. 1, 2010, one year of additional service after approval of transfer is required.
  • For those eligible for retirement on or after Aug. 1, 2010, and before Aug. 1, 2011, two years of additional service after approval of transfer are required.
  • For those eligible for retirement on or after Aug. 1, 2011, and before Aug. 1, 2012, three years of additional service after approval of transfer required.

But, being eligible for GI Bill transfer to dependents isn’t quite enough, as your dependents will also need to be eligible to receive your GI Bill benefits.

Who is Eligible to Receive Transferred GI Bill Benefits?

Service members who are eligible to transfer their GI Bill benefits to dependents can give them to individuals who are:

  1. 1. The service member’s spouse
  2. 2. One or more of the service member’s children
  3. 3. Any combination of the service member’s spouse and child

Yes, you read numbers 2 and 3 correctly, you CAN split GI Bill benefits up between multiple recipients, including between your spouse and a child, your spouse and multiple children, or multiple children.

However, the following rules also apply:

An eligible family member must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) and be eligible for benefits, at the time of transfer to receive transferred educational benefits.

A child’s subsequent marriage will not affect his or her eligibility to receive the educational benefit; however, after an individual has designated a child as a transferee under this section, the individual retains the right to revoke or modify the transfer at any time.

A subsequent divorce will not affect the transferee’s eligibility to receive educational benefits; however, after an individual has designated a spouse as a transferee under this section, the eligible individual retains the right to revoke or modify the transfer at any time.

In our minds, it sounds like if you decide to transfer your GI bill benefits to your wife, but later get a divorce, you can revoke those benefits at a later date. And if you decide to transfer your GI bill benefits to your kids, but later decide you’d rather use them yourself, you can revoke them at a later date.

Additional Stipulations Regarding GI Bill Benefits Transfers

Eligible service members may transfer up to the total months of unused Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, or the entire 36 months originally allocated to them if the member has used none of them (unless the DoD/DHS has set a limit on the number of months an individual may transfer).

Dependents use of your transferred GI Bill education benefits is subject to the following conditions:

For Spouses Receiving Transferred GI Bill Benefits:

  • Spouses may start to use transferred GI Bill benefits immediately
  • Spouses may use the transferred GI Bill benefits while the service member remains in the Armed Forces, or after the service member’s separation from active duty.
  • Spouses are not eligible for the monthly stipend or books and supplies stipend while the service member who transferred benefits to them is still serving on active duty.
  • Spouses who received transferred GI Bill benefits may use them for up to 15 years after the service member’s last separation from active duty. (Yes, transferred GI Bill benefits do have a time limit for spouses!)

For Children Receiving Transferred GI Bill Benefits:

  • Children may start to use the transferred benefits only after the individual makin gthe transfer has completed at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces. (A severely limiting factor)
  • Children may use the transferred benefits while the eligible individual remains in the Armed Forces or after he or she has separated from active duty.
  • Children may not use the transferred benefits until they have attained a secondary school diploma (high school diploma) or an equivalency certificate (like a GED), or reached the age of 18 years old.
  • Children using transferred GI Bill benefits are entitled to the monthly stipend and books and supplies stipend even if the service member who transferred benefits to them is still on active duty.
  • Children who receive transferred GI Bill benefits are not subject to the 15-year delimiting date, but they may not use transferred GI Bill benefits after they have reached the age of 26. (Meaning there is still a time limit, though it is a little more complicated than the time limit imposed on spouses).

Applying for GI Bill Education Benefits Transferability (TEB)

Service members interested in transferring their GI Bill benefits to dependents will need to visit the Transferability of Education Benefits (TEB) website: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB/.

More Specific Transferability Rules & Regulations

In certain cases, individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria listed above can gain eligibility by signing up for voluntary service extensions. This program was made available to allow GI Bill benefit transferability for early retirees. This program may or may not still be available, however, as it was originally announced prior to the unveiling of transferability rules.

Transferring GI Bill Education Benefits After Retirement

Veterans have flooded our inbox asking questions about the rules of transferability for GI Bill benefits after they’ve already retired, and we have bad news about that possibility. In most cases, it appears that Veterans are not able to transfer their Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits after they’ve retired, because transferability rules stipulate that this must be done while on active duty or reserve service.

The rule that service members must still be in the military to transfer their benefits is being applied in all cases, under all circumstances (as far as we have heard) even though many Veterans have stated that they were never told of this rule before retiring. It’s an unfortunate situation, especially as it affects so many Veterans, but at the time of this writing we are not aware of any possibilities for avoiding it.

However, due to negative feedback and a surge of support for service members facing this particular issue, this rule may soon be changed. Congressman Jason Chaffretz (R-UT) recently proposed a bill (H.R. 2002) to expand transferability rules to cover those military members who have been retired due to disability or medical reasons (which is not supported under the current stipulations). If this legislation is passed, this would significantly expand the number of service members who are able to transfer their benefits and it would be especially important to those service members who are wounded during active duty and are forced to retire before they can set up their GI Bill dependent transfer.

Under the current rules, if you have already transferred your GI Bill benefits to a dependent before retiring, but need to re-allocate those benefits to another dependent after retirement, there is a process for accomplishing this feat. According to a letter written in June 2009 by the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense William J. Carr, you can re-allocate your benefits by sending a letter to the VA to request it. Here is the exact text from the relevant part of that letter (found on paragraph 3.g.(2)(b) on page 17):

“The modification or revocation of the transfer of entitlement under this paragraph shall be made by submitting notice of the action to both the Secretary of the Military Department concerned and the Secretary of the Veterans Affairs. Addition, modifications, or revocations made while in the Armed Forces will be made through the TEB website. Modifications or revocations after separation from the Armed Forces will be accomplished through the DVA.”

If anyone has more up-to-date information regarding post-retirement GI Bill family transferability rules, please do not hesitate to contact us, as we’d love to update this page for the benefit of the community. We understand that this is a major concern, and we are doing our best to stay on top of this constantly changing situation.

Using Transferred GI Bill Education Benefits

Receiving your transferred GI Bill benefits is only half the battle – the rest involves selecting which school and what degree program you want to apply them to. To maximize the return on your investment, we suggest contacting admissions advisers from the Top 25 Military Friendly Colleges, since they’re specifically focused on supporting students utilizing GI Bill education benefits.

Remember that you are working with a limited budget; most of the time transferred benefits are not enough to cover the entire cost of your education, so be wary of which college you decide to attend, and make sure to get the best deal on your degree. Speak with as many Colleges and Universities as you can before determining who to spend your money and time with, as this decision could save (or cost) you many thousands of dollars!

To be sure that you’re receiving the highest quality degree at the best price, we suggest speaking with the admissions advisers at our favorite military friendly schools: Jones International University, Colorado State University Global Campus and Robert Morris University. Each of these schools offers support programs developed exclusively for military students, so you can rest assured that they’ll be capable of answering each of your questions. For additional school options, please view our list of the 25 Best Colleges for Military Students.

Our Original Post – June, 2009:

Family transferability rulings legislation for the Post 9/11 GI Bill is certainly among the most confusing that readers the new GI Bill will likely encounter . While the Department of Defense made announcements on their intended rulings for family transferability in May, these plans have not been fully implemented, despite this widely being recognized as one of the most anticipated amenities the new GI Bill has to offer.

Fortunately, the Veterans Benefits GI Bill blog has good news. The Department of Defense has at last announced that family members can register for transferability to their dependents on June 29.

Most benefactors of this provision to the Post 9/11 GI Bill will receive $75,000 to $90,000, the Pentagon estimates.

Bob Clark, the Defense Department’s assistant accession policy director and the official working on this benefits plan, quotes transferability as being “for the specific purpose of recruitment and retention of a career force.”

And Bob Clark is right, because many service members see this family transferability as one of the most important education benefits that they’re offered. For many military families, this program is one of the only reasons that many military dependents have access to higher education funding!

Find the source of this information at the VA’s GI Bill website here:

http://www.gibill.va.gov/post-911/post-911-gi-bill-summary/transfer-of-benefits.html

Comments from Facebook

  • REN

    I tried to do a prelim entry on the http://WWW.DMDC.OSD.MIL/TEB website and my dependent data came up correctly
    I put in all the check marks opting for the program but when I tried to adjust the dates of transfer for my daughter who will be utilizing this fall and I submitted then her name came up under another military member and I could not get back to my screen to finalize. Perhaps I am just jumping the gun here and need to wait for the 29th or perhaps there is a bug you need to be aware of. Otherwise it seemed like it was easy to do until I got to that part.

  • James Walker

    I am in the Navy, I want to transfer my GI Bill to my wife. I have been in for 8 years and when I came in I paid into the MGIB. Do I need to apply for the Post 9/11 GIB or does it automatically transfer to it? Do I need to re-enlist or get some other kind of special documentation to ensure that my wife gets the benifits? I guess my real question is, what can I do now to get the ball rolling.

    thank you,
    James Walker

  • RKH

    Ya, I tried to do the transfer today and I could add dates/months for one dependent but when I tried to edit the other ( I have two daughters both college ready) it removed the info from the other daughter and I was afraid to push the submitt unless all was correct so I stopped for now, try again on the 29th I guess.

  • REN

    UPDATE: Successful update on the 29th. What happens next??

  • Michelle Walker

    My husband plans to transfer his GI Bill to me today. We want to do the kicker is going to be a problem for me to do the kicker or should he do the kicker before he transfers it to me? t

  • Jeff Tappan

    Greetings all,

    Can anyone clarify… the full pentagon policy states that the SECDEF can limit the transfer of benefits to no less than 18 months…. as it stands right now, does anyone know what the number of months that can be transfered…is it 36 or only 18.

    Thanks

    J Tappan

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    REN– Once you have provided your dependent information to the Department of Defense, they should send that information over to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Your dependent should be able to fill out the application provided on the VA’s website as if she were a military member. The application can be found here. Hope this helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    RKH– If you have not tried it yet today, give it another try. It looks like others were having preliminary problems as well before June 29th. Hope that helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    James– If you are still active duty, you qualify to transfer benefits to your wife through the Post 9/11 GI Bill, provided you agree to continued service. You also can get your kicker if you elected to invest into it. Hope this helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Jeff– You may transfer up to half of your benefits to your dependent. If you qualify for 36 months of benefits with the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you may transfer 18 months to your dependent. Hope this helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Michelle– The kicker is available to benefactors of the Post 9/11 GI Bill if it was offered/the military member was enrolled. The VA can help with specific questions regarding this at 1-888-GIBILL-1. Hope this helps!

  • Jim Drago

    How long after designating dependents for receipt of your benefit on the DOD website does one have to wait before having their dependents apply on VONAPP? Does it happen instantaneously? Or does one get notified somehow?

    Surprised to hear we can only transfer one half of our benefit…the policy on page 15 states amount may not exceed lessor of, months of unused benefit (36 in my case), or 36 months, or the number specified by the SECDEF. Has the SECDEF specified 18 months as the maximum? The same para states that SECDEF may limit months to transfer to no LESS than 18 months, but nowhere can I find where he has specified the amount.

  • Jeff Tappan

    Kourtnie,

    Thanks for the info.

    Can you post where you read this part about transfering only half 18 months to your dependent? I have not read anything about this online at the VA website, VA Benefits, in the Directive-Type Memorandum (DMT: Post 9/11 GI Bill dated 22 jun 09)…..

    Thanks

    Jeff

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Jeff– Okay, it looks like I have it backwards. You have to use at least half of the 36 months for your dependent, read here. This is where the 18 months comes in. This is a minimum though it looks like, not a maximum. This is probably to assure military members are not only transferring 1 or 2 months to their dependent.

    You may read more about it here as well.

    Hope this helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Jim–

    Quoted from Army.com:

    Once the servicemember registers for the transferability provision, the application automatically gets forwarded to the appropriate service for processing. Clark said he expects that process to take about a week, at least after the initial surge.

    Hope this helps!

  • Jim Drago

    Thanks, Kourtnie. That helps. From the same article, I read:

    When the service verifies that the member is eligible to receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and processes the transferability provisions, the family member will receive a certificate of eligibility that can be used to cover educational costs.

    So I am assuming after I use the DOD website to transfer the benefits, all I must do is wait.

  • http://ako Chris

    Tragedy!!! If a veteran has served since 9/11 they should be eligible. I retired 2 mos before the deadline and this is what I get??

  • Sonia B

    This transferability option is also for already retired persons, am I right? My husband would like to transfer this to two children, so from what I was reading above it has to be a minimum of 18 months transferred? Also I have a college ready son and another son who wont attend college for another two years can this still be split between the two?
    Thanks

  • MikeC

    I have 17 years of service and want to transfer my benifits to my children as soon as possible so that I do not go too far past 20 years. All three of my children are under 8 years old. What transfer date do I put in for my children? Also, do I have to divide up the 36 months between them or can I put it under one of the children and transfer to the other boys in 10 years if I need to? Thank you!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    MikeC– That is a very interesting question.

    The Post 9/11 GI Bill is good for 15 years after service. This includes dependents. If benefits are transferred to a dependent, that dependent may use their benefits within a 15 year window.

    ***Updated: Young children qualify beyond the 15 year mark; the Post 9/11 GI Bill works until a minimum of 26 years of age for dependent children.

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    You may contact the Department of Defense to have your case reviewed. If you already have 10 years of service, I would not give up hope until they have personally declined you. Transferability was initially meant for military retention, however, so most exceptions are made to those forced into retirement.

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Sonia– Retired individuals are normally not qualified for transfer, since transferability is offered as a method of military retention. However, if your husband is eligible (there is a narrow window of eligibility for those that were forced to retire, described in the post), you may transfer your benefits between two children. Those benefits are good for up to 15 years (but you want to fill out the paperwork for transfer now if you’re eligible!), so you may prepare them ahead of time for younger children.

  • Diane

    My husband is retiring Jan 1 2010 with 20 years of service. He wants to transfer 18 months of benefits to each of our kids. Our kids are pretty young though – ages 3 and 6 now – one starts college fall 2021 (11+ years after retirement), the other fall 2024 (14+ years after retirement). Our questions are (1) Since he falls into the narrow window with his retirement date already in place, we want to confirm no additional service is required. (2) Does he have to transfer benefits before the Jan 1, 2010 retirement date (while still on active duty) or can he transfer the benefits to the kids later on? (3) I read on the VA website that the 15-year cutoff applies to servicemember and spouse but not to children. Children must use benefit by age 26, or in a timeframe specified by the transferor. Is that correct? (4) Is there a special website for Marines to apply for the transfers? Thanks!

  • Robert Taylor

    I have two daughters in college now and I intend to transfer my benefits to them. Can I split the benefits, giving them 1/2 of the benefits each, for a total of 36 months–or am I limited to giving them both 18 months of full benfits?

  • James Walker

    So i applied to transfer my GI Bill to my wife. How will i know that it has been approved? What should i do now while i am waiting?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Greg and James–From what I have read, you should be contacted within a week of application. They are backlogged due to the amount of applications at the moment. Hope this helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Robert–Yes, you may split your benefits between your children.

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Diane–Here’s the answers to your questions:

    1) If he is within that window, then no additional service should be required. Keep in mind though that this is a support blog and is not a government site. I always encourage our readers to call the VA or DoD if they are unsure–and take the name of the government official that helps you, in case you receive false information and need something to fall back on!

    2) I would apply as soon as you can so you can smooth out any complications while he is in service. There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the new GI Bill right now, so it’s best to handle everything at your earliest convenience to give the government a large span of time to address your personal application. (From what the DoD has published, the application only works in IE, so if you have difficulty with your browser, switch to the latest version of IE.)

    3) Yes, what you read is right. Children qualify for the benefits until they are 26 years of age. Fifteen years is the limit for spouses.

    4) Everyone applies through the DoD.

    Hope this helps!

  • Elly

    My veteran husband and I got married AFTER he left the military. He’s gone to school and got himself a job using his G.I. bill. Now he wants me to go to school. But i’m not sure the benefit is transferable because we got married after he left. Does it????

  • SSG Z

    I’ve tried repeatedly to transfer my benefits to my daughter but I can’t change the month’s. Is that due to the fact that the VA has not processed my appilcation?
    What else can I do to get this ball moving?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    SSG–If you have filled out the application recently, I would give them a week to contact you. You also may call 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) if you have concerns, although with the backlog they have right now, they might not be able to help you until the application goes through. Hope this helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Elly–Unfortunately, family transferability is only available to active duty service members that agree to serve for an additional four years. If you husband has left the military, you would not qualify. Family transferability is used as a method of military retention. Sorry about the bad news, and hope this answers your question!

  • Jason Hunt

    I am confused. So there are TWO seperate things that need to be done.

    #1 the form that says I want to transfer my benefits to my spouce.. (which I have completed)

    #2 the application to have the benefits activated on the VONAPP website? My wife went there, but its asking HER questions about HER schooling and HER military info … Who should be filling this out? Her or me? The school info would be hers and the tour dates, ect. would be mine???? Basically, who fills out the app, with what info?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Jason–taken from the VA’s website:

    First you must go to the DoD transferability application website to determine if your dependents are eligible to receive the transferred benefits. This website is only available to military members.

    Upon approval, family members may apply to use transferred benefits with VA by completing VA Form 22-1990e. VA Form 22-1990e should only be completed and submitted to VA by the family member after DoD has approved the request for TEB. Do not use VA Form 22-1990e to apply for TEB.

    If you have further questions, I would call the VA. This blog is not sponsored by the government and I would hate to give you misleading information. From my understanding, she has to fill out the VONAPP, but a government official would be the best person to answer your questions. Hope this helps!

  • Rich

    So what happens after you apply for transferability on the DoD website. Should you get something back from them before you fill out the VA application?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Rich–They should get back to you within a week, give or take a few days, and then you may fill out the VOAPP on the VA’s website. Hope this helps!

  • Jeremy

    So I did 5 years of service post 9/11 am I not able to recieve benefits???

  • http://AKO Adrian Romero

    My son finished college in December. I had to get a parent plus loan through Sallie Mae. Is there away to pay off this loan with my 9/11 GI Post Bill? and if there is can you direct me through the proper channels.

  • James Walker

    So I filled out the application on June 23 and i still have not heard anything yet and it has been almost a month. What should i do?

  • Melissa Ruddle

    We filled out the application on June 29. I check it every day, but it just says submitted. Does anyone know when we may hear something? We called the number that is published to call and ask about the application, but it just says that all lines are busy and then hangs up. Has anyone out there got an approval yet for their application?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Adrian–The Post 9/11 GI Bill does not retroactively cover tuition. Apologies for that, and hope that helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    James and Melissa–The application may be receiving a backlog at the moment due to the high volume of interest in transferability. I would continue to try to call them. Make attempts to call them during off peak hours.

    As always, this is not a government sponsored site, so the information here is not as pertinent as something you may receive from a direct government source.

  • Michelle L

    My husband is in the National Guard and has been for the last 17 years, he currently has three more years on his current enlistment, with no plans to get out anytime after that. Does this bill apply to the National Guard as well, so that I could use the benefits?

  • Rich

    I also would like to know if anyone out there has an “approved” application. Did mine on the 29th of June & status is still “submitted”

  • Andria

    I am active duty with almost 19 years of service. I have a daughter that will be attending college in the fall. I would like to transfer my GI bill to her but I am running into a few problems. My 20 year mark is Aug 7 2010 which requires me to obligate 2 years of service however, I recently had a med board and they are retaining me until my 20 year mark so that I can have a regular retirement. Therefore, I cannot obligate the required 2 years of service. Is there any way I can still transfer my GI bill or am I out of luck because I cannot obligate the 2 years?

  • Andria

    Also is there somewhere that addresses HYT or issues where members are not able to obligate service? I have looked but haven’t found any documentation that addresses my issue.

  • Guillermo

    I want to transfer my GI Bill to my son. He is currently 25 and I would like to transfer all 36 months to him. Since he is 25, will he only be able to use it until he is 26 or will he be able to use all 36 months since the transfer will be done while he’s 25?

  • Ken Lehman

    I retired effective 1 July 2009 after serving 23 years, 5 months on active duty. In late April and early May (when the transferability details finally started coming out), I applied twice to AFPC for an extension so that I would be eligible for the transferability option, both times I was declined. I was even willing to pull my retirement papers for this “retention” tool, but was told it would be denied. I was completely willing to stay in the Air Force longer, but was not allowed to (I was not kicked out, 100% clean record, just a normal retirement request). I am not sure why they refer to this as a retention tool if they are not allowing members to retain on active duty to qualify. Is there anything at all that can be done so my children don’t miss this great benefit by 60 days?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Ken–Contact one of the government officials that is responsible for the GI Bill, be it the VA or DoD. Make sure to speak with a representative that is in charge of the GI Bill so they understand the circumstances. From what I have read, they have made exceptions for recent retirees that have had similar situations to yours. Because this is a not a government site, however, it is best to speak with someone that is directly related to a government institution. Sorry about the vague answer, and good luck with finding a representative that will help you with this process!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Guillermo–Children are considered dependents until the age of 26 because this is the age when they could be done with medical school. I am not sure if they fall under “dependent” status or not at that point. I would contact the VA at 1-888-GIBILL-1, or by using their online contact form, to present your specific situation and get more info from a government official. Hope this helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Andria–This is a specific situation that you should have addressed by a government official. The Veterans Benefits GI Bill blog is not sponsored by the government. Please contact them with this online contact form or call 1-888-GIBILL-1 to have your questions addressed. Hope this contact information helps!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Michelle–I believe the National Guard qualifies. An article on Post 9-11 GI Bill transferability is posted on the National Guard’s official website. Hope this helps!

  • SSG Chaney

    I know of some soldiers that are getting extra money for living expenses just with the GI Bill, will it still be avalible to our spouse or kids? Will it still work the same as far as the money coming to the student and not the college?

  • http://VeteransBenefitsGIBill SSG Chaney

    In the state of Texas, if you have served in a combat zone you are entiled to the Hazelwood act which gives the service member a certain amount of free college credit hours. Is this also transfered to the spouses if we have transfer the GI Bill?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    SSG Chaney–The Hazelwood Act is something I have briefly read about on the VA’s website. I believe this is considered a separate financial aid program (and therefore would not transfer), but it is best for you to contact the VA for specific information on this, as well as your BAH questions. Hope that helps!

  • Rich

    I was told by AFPC that even if you applied for transferring your benefits on the date the DMDC website came online that nothing will happen with those applications until 1 August. Anyone else heard this?

  • BJ

    Am I understanding this correctly, a service member who retired in Jan of 2006 is not eligible to transfer his GI benefits to a dependent?

    What is the difference between the GI Bill transfer and the Yellow Ribbon transfer?

    I retired in 2006, can I transfer my benefits to my dependent?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    BJ–Unfortunately, you cannot transfer your benefits to your dependent if you retired in 2006. Sorry for the bad news!

  • desiree

    i heard the gi will pay back student loans for soldiers. will it also be available for student loans accrued by spouses? if you know where i can find the answer, please let me know!

  • Alfred A. Silva

    Hi Bj,
    This is the comment that i posted,
    I am Navy Retired as of 2005, with 20 years combined active and reserve service. After 9/11 my unit a Helicopter Combat Search & Rescue Unit was activated for 12 months and sent to Iraq.
    I had been trying to get information on how to tranfer the Post 9/11 educational benefits to my 20yr old daughter who wants to tranfer to the university. After many calls and run around. The navy office said that this is the message they came up with.
    This message was just put out on the Navy website http://www.npc.navy.mil. Regarding transferability, the message reads as follows:
    The transferability option must be elected while the member is serving in the armed forces. Active memebers who Separate,Retire,Transfer to the fleet reserve or who are discharged prior to 1 August 2009, are not eligible to elect transferability. SELRES(Selective Reserves) members who transfer to the Retired Reserves (with or without pay),tranfer to the Individual Ready Reserve or who are discharged prior to 1 Aug 2009, are “Not Eligible” to elect transferability: end of mssge.

    I have been a single dad since i got custody of my daughter when she was 5years old. When i was sent to Iraq my daughter was 15yrs old. I had to have my brother and his family watch my daughter while i was in Iraq. I had to pull her out of one school and enroll her in another while she was with my brother.
    The point i am trying to make is that why is the DOD picking and choosing as to what kids can recieve the educational benefits. My daughter sacraficed just the same as all other kids whos parents went to Iraq.
    I am interested in starting a petition on this matter, if there is not already a petition currently out.
    Would like to hear back from vets who feel the same way on this issue.
    Thanks,
    Alfred

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Desiree–That’s an interesting question. The VA has encouraged military members to call 1-888-GIBILL-1 to get specific questions answered regarding the Post 9/11 GI Bill. I would contact them and see what they have to say. My understanding is that the Post 9/11 GI Bill does not pay retroactively/for student loans, but only for current education; however, this is not a government source, and it would be in your best interest to speak to a government official on the matter. Hope this helps!

  • Kim

    My husband is currently active duty and has over 7 years active duty time. He also has 3 years army air national guard. According to the post 9 11 gi bill transferability of benefits to children, he needs to have served “10 years of service”. I can’t seem to find out whether his reserve time will count towards the 10 years of service needed. His PEBD is 11/1998. We have two kids in college right now and it certainly would help.

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Kim–Your husband will have to serve a minimum of ten years of service. This includes agreeing to serve an additional four years of service after signing up for the family transfer program offered by the DoD. Family transfer is used as a method of military retention, so active duty that have been in the military for the last twenty years still must participate in four more years of agreed service. Reserve time counts, but you’re looking at him serving in the military until 2013. Hope this helps!

  • http://www.veteransbenefitsgibill.com Kristine

    My husband has met the requirements- he is currently an Officer in the Reserves and is eligible for retirement (he has his 20 years).

    He was notified that the application is rejected..something about not being committed for another 4 years. He is already elible to retire..I don’t get it.

    He has called and called…just keeps getting turned in circles. Who does he need to call? to get answers? Please help….

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Kristine–You will want to contact the DoD regarding family transferability. You do have to be committed for an additional four years to be eligible for transferability, but the DoD may be able to assist you with exceptions that have been made for active duty members already scheduled for retirement. Hope this helps!

  • Freddie Campbell

    I am going to school on august 5th. My mother is in the army which makes me a dependent. Can she transfer her GI bill over to me, because all i see is things for the national guard.

  • http://www.veteransbenefitsgibill.com Kristine

    According to the DoD website, anyone who is already elegible for retirement requires NO more years.

    Even so, Officers do not make 4 years committments.

    This is why this is confusing. he has contacted the VA and DoD.

    They have not set up an easy way for anyone to get in touch with someone that can help.

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Freddie–Yes, your mother can transfer her benefits to you, if she has had six years of service and agrees to an additional four years of service.

  • http://www.veteransbenefitsgibill.com Kristine

    OK- my husband received a return call this morning and the application must have been reviewed and the error was corrected, it is now approved! yay!

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Kristine–Awesome! Thanks for the update!!

  • Twilight York

    Question: My father is a Vietnam veteran do I qulify for his unsed education credits? The Transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits to Dependents

    Thank you for your time.

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Twilight– Family transferability is only available for active duty that agree to additional years. Veterans do not qualify. Sorry for the bad news!

  • Melissa Ruddle

    We submitted our application to TEB on June 29 (husband is in Air National Guard) and it is still pending review. We have tried to talk to someone at the Guard Bureau, but keep getting passed around. I have heard from many people who applied after June 29th and already been approved. Has this happened to anyone else?

  • mike

    The Transfer of Benifits is a Joke all it is more of the same. we give you all these benfits that only a few individuals can use. It should be avsiliable to all retirees,that retired on or before 1 Aug 09 I retired may 2006 and have my only son serving currently in the Army he did 15 ,month tour in Iraq and a daughter who is a junior in high school. I was really hoping too give my benifits to my daughter. I think DOD should not have been given the athuority to deside who can tranfer there benifits. I am 44 yrs old and would prefer to give this benifit to my daughter. but I will tell you this if this is not changed In 2yrs I will be vested with my state job which pays nothing, I”ll quit my job. and I will use my benifits and with my reduced income my daughter will recieve goverment aid and the goverment will pay for her school anyways. Please Everyone contact Your elected Officals to get this changed.

  • SRW

    I am currently on active duty with 27 years continual service. I used VEAP while attending school as part of the Enlisted Commissioning program. I am not sure how much I used.

    I would like to find out if I regained any eligibility under the Post 9/11 GI Bill and if I have any benefits to transfer to my children.

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    SRW,

    Your best bet is to contact the Department of Veteran Affairs. A representative there will be able to find your history of the education benefits you used and let you know about your remaining benefits. If you are still on active duty, you should qualify for family transferability; the family transferability option of the Post 9/11 GI Bill is used as a method of military retention and is open to active duty personnel.

  • Richie Tirado

    Hello, I retired Jan 2006 and I was wondering if they had made any changes to the GI Bill transfer policy pertaining to dependants. Can anyone please advise?? So far I have called a few numbers and nobody seems to know or care. I believe I have earned the right to at least ask!
    R/Richie Tirado

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    Richie–They have not made changes to the dependent transfer guidelines. Sorry for the bad news!

  • sergio gaytan

    i served in desrt storm from 1987 to 1991 can my children use my gi bill i never used?

  • Craig

    I was Honorably discharged from the Navy in 2007 with 11 yrs of service. Am I eligible to transfer my G.I. Bill to my spouse?

  • Joanne

    My dad just signed up for the additional years required to transfer his education benefits to me. But when he applied on the TEB (of which he is eligible) website, he still got rejected! I know Kristine had an error with her husband’s application. So I am assuming that is what had happened with my dad’s situation. Does anyone know of a specific phone number I can call about it? VA and the education office here keep passing me back and forth. Thanks!

  • Kate

    My husband retired after serving 23 years in the AF and retired in 2006. We had hoped for this day to come and had saved his Gi Bill Money for our daughter who will be graduating this year!!! We are so disappointed. I think this is a crock and it really angers us. I know too many people who have served a very short time reaping these benefits. My children sacrificed and deserve this benefit if my husband wants to transfer . I support our military through and through and think this is a great educational perk for joining the military. This is often a reason to join. What is the difference if my husband uses it or my daughter? They are still paying out.

  • James Stewart

    I server over 22 years retiring from active duty in April of 2009. Is there not a way to transfer my G.I. Bill to my children? Is there not a waiver that allows us to transfer after we retire. My eldest was unsure if he wanted to go military or continue his education. After I retired, he was accepted to a university. Is there anything I can do now to pass my GI Bill to him and his sister?

  • Kourtnie McKenzie

    James,

    Unfortunately, family transferability is an option they only opened to the Post 9/11 GI Bill as a means for military retention. The MGIB does not offer it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!

  • Mary

    My husband is a retired Sgt. Maj in the Marine Corps. He retired approx 10 or 11 years ago agter 30 years active duty. We have had legal custody of our now 16 yr old granddaughter since she was born. Can my husband transfer any eduactional GI benefits to her as she graduates high school next year. My husband has never used his benefits.

  • Donnie Biltoft

    I retired from the Navy November 2006. Was planning on transferring to my youngest, after hearing all the hype about how great the Post 9/11 GI Bill is. Now I am appalled about how selective it is. It should be called the Active Duty GI Bill. I’ve never written my congressman before, but us retirees need to. The people that made these rules don’t seem to be veterans. If I’m wrong, they forgot where they came from. Lets get this changed!

  • Michael Lucento

    I find it hard to believe that a veteran who retired in November 2008 with 25 years of active service is not elligible to transfer his education benefits to his dependents. I would like to see something done for honorably discharged soldiers who happened to retire nine months too soon to take advantage of this great benefit.

  • Bob

    Where do I sign. Your right..it is bunk that I can’t transfer my benefits to my daughter!
    I retired 1 Jan 2005. I made a mistake signing up for the new GI Bill. I sent a message to my congressman the day after asking to get out of it. That was in June 09…still haven’t heard anything. Probably never will. I was signed for an in-house class, (requirement of new GI Bill), and two on-line classes. First night of in-house class I knew that I couldn’t handle. I had two drop out of all three. I’m not proud to say I have an 80% disability rating. The (at least one in-house class rule) is somewhat inconvenient and causes undue pain in my opinion. I have pretty much given up any hope at this point. I’ll be sending my representatives my input. Hell I’ll send it to the entire US and State Senates and Congress!!

  • randall

    My dad served in WW -2….was told perhaps my daughter could use his un-used credits for her education?
    Is that true…I doubt from what I read above….could someone pls clarify.
    Sounds like maybe if she is in active duty, and stays on for additional years…..she may
    benefit from his un-used credits?

  • Jeff

    I transfered my benifits to m kids but I can’t find anything saying what they will get. Can you point me in the right direction. My oldest will start college this fall and I would like to know what she is intitled to.

  • sthomas

    My father retired in 2007 and served active duty after 9/11 till he retired in 07, he has been in the army for like 30 years. Does he qualify to transfer his post 9/11 GI Bill to me (daughter-dependent)? Please explain. What other educational benifits can i be qualified to recieve?

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  • bds

    ok once the gi bill is appointed to the dependent, is there anyway the dependent can loose the benefits of the bill, or can it be taken away.

  • Jennifer Godwin

    This all sounds really unfair. My husband was active army for 8 years. He would have made it past 10 years if they hadn’t medically/honorably chaptered him out because of his problems with his ears. He was Chaptered out September 2006, and he was thinking about trying to transfer his GI Bill benefits to me because I am currently going to school. That would be great because honestly school costs so much and I need to go to school because we haven’t found a job that makes what we made in the military since we’ve been out. We do a lot worse now that we are out. How is it that they can put such restrictions on who can transfer their benefits and who can’t. My husband would have been in the army for his whole career if he hadn’t had to be medically chaptered. He didn’t even want the chapter… he asked to be put in a different MOS but it didn’t work. I stuck by his side the whole time he was active duty and I am proud of the military and all of our soldiers… I even miss the life at times, but he can’t pass on his benefits to me because he didn’t make it to 10 years and can’t sign up for another 4? That is just stupid!!!!

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  • Brittanie

    My father retired in 2009 and served active duty till he retired. He was in the Marine Corps for a little over 20 years. Does he qualify to transfer his post 9/11 GI Bill to me (daughter-dependent)? Please explain. What other educational benifits can i be qualified to recieve? I appreciate any info that you can provide.

  • Michael Connell2

    Ken, i have nearly the same problem, served 22 3/4 years and retired 1 May 2009 and son a freshman in college. have you heard any news on changes. a few months ago i heard that change was under consideration. 100% clean record, spend a year in Iraq 2005-2006. what happened in your case? an exception. obliged Mike Connell

  • Todd B Walter

    I understand what you’re saying and I thank your husband for his service to our country however there seems to be come confusion here. Your husband has the GI Bill which i was never and will never be transferable to family members. The GI Bill that IS transferable under certain conditions is the Post 9/11 GI Bill which is what thabove articel is referring to. You had to have been in the military aon or after Sep 11th, 22001 in order to qualify for that one.

  • Gourdman1

    Michael, apparently you have to transfer it before you get out. Like that was in the out briefing. I have 21 years 11 months. and retired January of 2009. No mention to transfer before I got out either. I have filed an appeal with my congressman and senator. I hope to hear something soon. They act as though our time, and our sacrifice do not count. They couldnt be more wrong.

  • Gourdman1

    Michael, apparently you have to transfer it before you get out. Like that was in the out briefing. I have 21 years 11 months. and retired January of 2009. No mention to transfer before I got out either. I have filed an appeal with my congressman and senator. I hope to hear something soon. They act as though our time, and our sacrifice do not count. They couldnt be more wrong.

  • Gourdman1

    You would have had to transfer it while you were active. Great Rules Huh. If you want to, I want to get a petition going to send up to congress, and the DOD. This is crap. I figure since we are retired there isnt much they can do to us.
    gourdman1@yahoo.com

  • Gourdman1

    You would have had to transfer it while you were active. Great Rules Huh. If you want to, I want to get a petition going to send up to congress, and the DOD. This is crap. I figure since we are retired there isnt much they can do to us.
    gourdman1@yahoo.com

  • Gourdman1

    yes she can, have her transfer it right away.

  • Gourdman1

    yes she can, have her transfer it right away.

  • Ike Donnelly

    Hello I have been in for 14.3 years Active Duty USAF TSgt. My question to you is that I have 17 months left on this enlistment. I was told I need 4 years attainability in order to transfer my post 911 GIBILL. I would like to transfer this opportunity to my son. My education is finished and I will not be using it. I recently read an article saying that this could possibly going away. Is there any way I can get this done without losing my option to do so? Will you in the future allow people in my circumstance be able to achieve this before getting rid of this option?  

    Thank you

  • Andi Garman

    My daughter’s father is active duty and has said he would transfer his GI bill to her so she can go to school. He is now telling me that he will have to re-enlist for her to be eligible to receive his GI bill.  Just wondering if you can clarify for me how the bill would work in this particular situation. He has been in the Marine Corps for 14 years.

  • Andi Garman

    My daughter’s father is an active duty marine with 14 years of service. My question is concerning him transferring his GI bill to our daughter.  He has told me that he has to re-enlist in order for her to get teh GI bill.  Just wanting to clear up the details on this,please….

  • VanessaTGL

    Only direct dependants of a military member can use benefits of any type.  So the answer would be no..

  • Knessr

    Read my post on the Petition I started. It will do what you want it to do, but we need to get the maximum number of signatures to get the attention it needs.

  • Ron Kness

    Then sign my petition post above and lets see if we can get this wrong righted.

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