Montgomery GI Bill Information
The Montgomery GI Bill, also called the MGIB, allows veterans to continue their education after leaving the military. This program is important because many employers value higher education over military experience. If you are planning to leave the military soon, you might want to look into MGIB benefits to see whether you qualify for this money for higher education.
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Types of Education
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The MGIB can be used to pay for many kinds of higher education. Although many veterans decide to use the money from the program to go to college, it can also be applied to technical or vocational school, correspondence courses, on-the-job training or an apprenticeship, flight training, licensing and certification tests, high-tech training, entrepreneurship training or entrance exams to certain schools. The MGIB pays up to 36 months of higher education for eligible veterans.
Eligibility
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Veterans must be honorably discharged and have a high school diploma or GED to be eligible for MGIB benefits. In addition, veterans must fall into one of four categories. Category I is for veterans that were active duty after 1985, saw their pay reduced by $100 a month for the first year, and continuously served at least two years (three in some cases). Category II veterans are those who served before 1977, were active through 1988, and had entitlement left from the Vietnam Era GI Bill. Category III veterans are not eligible under Category I or Category II. These veterans were on active duty in 1990 and separated involuntary by certain dates or under the Voluntary Separation Incentive/Special Separation Benefit Program, and had their pay reduced by $1,200 while on duty. The last category, Category IV, is for veterans who were still active duty in October 1996, had money in their VEAP account, and had their pay reduced by $100 a month for the first year. Most veterans who have received an honorable discharge are eligible under one of these four categories.
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Money
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The amount of money you'll get under the MGIB depends on the type of education you pursue. For veterans, full-time college students can claim up to $1,321 per month if they were in the military for less than three years and up to $1,509 per month if they were in the military for longer. Rates are lower for other educational opportunities, but in some cases, you can get additional money for dependents. Rates are lower for those pursuing education while in the Reserves.
Reserve Program
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Montgomery GI Bill benefits are available to some people in the Reserves. These Selective Reserve qualifiers include those in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserves, as well as those in the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. To be eligible for the same amount of money for education, members of the reserve must commit to at least six years in the reserves, complete initial active duty training, have a high school diploma or GED, and remain in good standing with a reserve unit. The benefits for this program must be used within 14 years.
Applying
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Veterans who want take advantage of MGIB need to apply before they start of school. You can apply to get money for your education by filling out VA Form 22-1990, the Application for Education Benefits. You should already have been accepted to the education program of your choice.Those in a Reserve unit who want to take advantage of the MGIB program, need to fill out DD Form 2384-1 Notice of Basic Eligibility as well as VA Form 22-1990.
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