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GI Bill Military Dependent Transferability to End in 2009

30 Dec, 2009 GI Bill
GI Bill Military Dependent Transferability to End in 2009

For families that are relying on the family transferability option with the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the authorization of short term extensions will cease come the end of the year. This means that the only way to qualify for family transferability is to serve six or more years and also agree to serve four more years.

Military Dependent Benefits- Transferability, Benefits and Recruitment

This is bound to be unsettling for members of all military branches, raising important considerations. On the one hand, the benefits are part of the earnings of serving in the military and should be available to the spouse and children of someone that’s been in the military for 10+ years, regardless of if they’re retired. Also important is that the military needs some form of military retention so that recruitment demands are not as high. The Post 9/11 GI Bill’s family transferability is one way to accomplish this goal. The previous Montgomery GI Bill did not allow for the family transferability provision (See the Military Handbook for more specific details on the differences between the GI and Montgomery Bills).

Which side of the fence are you on? Do military members deserve the benefits they earn, and the right to determine who those benefits go to? And how does a military discharge affect benefits to dependents?–should those benefits only be available to a military service member, with the military reserving the right to offer family transferability to encourage retention? It’s the latter of the two that is more accurate, but that doesn’t mean those affected by or applying for the GI Bill always have options.

Veterans Education Assistance- The 9/11 GI Bill Online Application

The Post 9/11 GI Bill application process is anticipated to go more smoothly in the coming Spring 2010 semester. Why? The VA’s worked diligently on an online system that will make the paperwork much easier to process, rather than relying on VA employees for each and every submitted paper. This will allow veterans, active duty and reserve members that are utilizing the Post 9/11 GI Bill–and spouses and children that have been approved for family transferability!–to get access to the benefits available to them without having to wait until the last few weeks of the semester.

Comments from Facebook

  • http://AKO JOHN PAUL RICHARDS

    I RETIRED IN MARCH OF 2009, 9 MONTHS AFTER RETURNING FROM MY LAST DEPLOYMENT TO IRAQ WITH THE WVARNG. I HAD 10 YRS ACTIVE DUTY USAF (INCLUDING THE 1ST GULF WAR), AND AN ADDITIONAL 10 YRS IN THE WVARNG (INCLUDING 18 MONTHS OF ACTIVE DUTY DEPLOYMENTS “POST 911″). NOT ONCE WAS I ELIGIBLE FOR A “REENLISTMENT BONUS” IN EITHER BRANCH OF SERVICE. ONCE AGAIN I’VE LOST OUT ON A CHANCE TO BENEFIT FROM MY SERVICE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I RETIRED PRIOR TO DECEMBER OF 2009, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO “TRANSFER” MY BENEFITS SO THAT MY SON CAN GO TO COLLEGE. TOTALLY UNFAIR.

  • Andrea Sanders, MSgt, USAF (Ret)

    I served 21 yrs, 6 months and retired in Sep 2008. With the expense of a 4-year university, I can not afford to send my, soon-to-be graduating daughter, to college. After being under direct fire in the first Gulf War and spending 14 years living overseas making sacrafices for our country not to mention being away from my daughter, it would have been nice to have received this benefit and to have used it to send her to a good school so that she might receive a descent education and continue to contribute to our country. This is a benefit that everyone who sacraficed and served their 3 years after 9/11 and then retired should receive. Not to mention, it would perpetuate and bolster our industrial work force, economy, and intellectual stock the way the GI BILL did after WWII.

  • Jodi Godfrey

    My husband retired in 2007 after serving 20+ years. He contributed to the MGIB as was expected when he joined, and at this time, does not plan to use the benefits. However, I find myself in a position to go back to school and it would have been nice to use the benefit with his blessing. I find that this will not happen because of the clause that states transferability can only be done while on active duty. It should not be limited to people who are currently serving, but also to people who have provided for the safety of our country until their retirement. I hope this adjustment can be made in the near future to avail all dependents the same opportunities.

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  • http://audiotimers.com/ Caitlyn

    I RETIRED IN MARCH OF 2009, 9 MONTHS AFTER RETURNING FROM MY LAST DEPLOYMENT TO IRAQ WITH THE WVARNG. I HAD 10 YRS ACTIVE DUTY USAF (INCLUDING THE 1ST GULF WAR), AND AN ADDITIONAL 10 YRS IN THE WVARNG (INCLUDING 18 MONTHS OF ACTIVE DUTY DEPLOYMENTS “POST 911″). NOT ONCE WAS I ELIGIBLE FOR A “REENLISTMENT BONUS” IN EITHER BRANCH OF SERVICE. ONCE AGAIN I’VE LOST OUT ON A CHANCE TO BENEFIT FROM MY SERVICE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I RETIRED PRIOR TO DECEMBER OF 2009, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO “TRANSFER” MY BENEFITS SO THAT MY SON CAN GO TO COLLEGE. TOTALLY UNFAIR.

  • ATC(AW) Barneski – Ret

    Post 9/11 Gi Bill v2.0 STILL does NOT fix the transferability issue of this bill! Like MSgt Sanders posted 10 months ago (and a few others), if you retired BEFORE Aug 2009, you CANNOT transfer your benefits to your family! I retired in Oct 2008 after 24 years of honorable service so I am one of the many that fall into this OBVIOUS oversight. I believe that I have earned the right to provide this benefit to my son and daughter. Someone needs to fix this!!!

  • Kirt

    I retired 31 August 2009 (started leave in June 2009) and qualified to transfer by benefits to my son. During my briefing there was NO mention that I had to transfer them while still on active duty. I was told that YES I can transfer them to him (still have the handout that does not say anything about being on active duty when transfering). Now he is starting college and I try to transfer and i’m told that it’s too late!

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