Veterans Benefits GI Bill

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.

This is unsettling for several military members and stirs up a debate. On one hand, the benefits are part of the earnings of serving 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. On the other hand, the military needs some form of military retention so that recruitment demands are not as high, and the Post 9/11 GI Bill’s family transferability is one way to do it. The previous Montgomery GI Bill did not even allow family transferability.

Spring 2010 is just around the corner! Need help with your Post 9/11 GI Bill? The best first step–and one you’re probably following if you’re here–is trying to keep up with the latest Post 9/11 GI Bill news from November forward. By staying up-to-date, you’re sure to remain informed on how your veterans educational benefits are working for you in Spring 2010.

Veterans Benefits GI Bill has followed the VA website changes, emergency funds, and other last-minute fixes to the new GI Bill conundrum for the past several months. Some of the news, unfortunately, has been bad news–like banks turning military members with emergency checks away, or at best, telling them to delay–but then there’s also the promise if a better semester coming this Spring thanks to the automated system being built for the VA’s website. No more applications-in-the-slush-pile, waiting to be done by hand!