Military and Veterans Benefits

The Post 9/11 GI Bill® is an education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty after September 10, 2001.

You may be eligible if you served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty* after September 10, 2001, or were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability after serving 30 continuous days following September 10, 2001.

Note: Children of a member of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, may be eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits under the Marine Gunnery John David Fry Scholarship Program.

Visit the Veterans Affairs website to learn about the types of Training and Assistance approved under the Post 9/11 GI Bill®. The current payment rates for the Post 9/11 GI Bill® can also be found on the website. The VA makes changes to these rate tables annually on August 1. Your payment rates may change if your program overlaps this date.

The Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (MGIB-AD) program — sometimes known as Chapter 30 – provides education benefits to Veterans and Service members who have at least two years of active duty.

There are four categories for eligibility. Refer to the MGIB-AD page to find out if you meet any of the aforementioned categories.

The Veterans Affairs website lists the types of Training and Assistance approved under the MGIB-AD, as well as the current payment rates for the program. The VA makes changes to these rate tables annually on October 1. Your payment rates may change if your program overlaps this date.

The Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) program provides education and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve, including the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve, as well as the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components and the VA makes the payments.

To qualify, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve signed after June 30, 1985. If you are an officer, you must have agreed to serve six years in addition to your original obligation. For some types of training it is necessary to have a six-year commitment that begins after Sept. 30, 1990.
• Complete your initial active duty for training (IADT).
• Meet the requirement to receive a high school diploma or equivalency certificate before completing IADT. You may not use 12 hours toward a college degree to meet this requirement.
• Remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit. You will also retain MGIB-SR eligibility if you were discharged from Selected Reserve service due to a disability that was not caused by misconduct. Your eligibility period may be extended if you are ordered to active duty.

The Veterans Affairs website lists the types of Training and Assistance approved under the MGIB-SR, as well as the current payment rates for the program. The VA makes changes to these rate tables annually on October 1. Your payment rates may change if your program overlaps this date.

The Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP) provides educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress.

On November 25, 2015, The National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 ended REAP. Some individuals will remain eligible for REAP and others may be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill® if you no longer qualify for REAP. REAP beneficiaries will be affected based on different factors.

Current REAP beneficiaries – Veterans who were attending an educational institution on November 24, 2015, or during the last semester, quarter, or term ending prior to that date, are eligible to continue to receive REAP benefits until November 25, 2019.

REAP beneficiaries not attending school – Veterans who applied for REAP but were not attending an educational institution on November 24, 2015, or during the last semester, quarter, or term ending prior to that date, are no longer eligible to receive REAP benefits. You may be eligible to receive benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.

New REAP applicants – Veterans who have not enrolled in school and applied for REAP benefits prior to November 25, 2015, are no longer eligible for REAP benefits. However, in most cases, you will be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.

You may be eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits depending on the dates of your periods of service. If you apply for REAP on or after November 25, 2015, your application will be evaluated for eligibility with all programs, including Post-9/11 GI Bill®, and may award you benefits under a different program.

The Veterans Affairs website lists the types of Training and Assistance approved under REAP as well as the current payment rates for the program. The VA makes changes to these rate tables annually on October 1. Your payment rates may change if your program overlaps this date.

The Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) is available if you elected to make contributions from your military pay to participate in this education benefit program. The government matches your contributions on a 2-for-1 basis.

You must meet the following requirements to qualify:

• Entered service for the first time between Jan. 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985.
• Opened a contribution account before April 1, 1987.
• Voluntarily contributed from $25 to $2,700.
• Completed your first period of service and were discharged or released from service under conditions other than dishonorable.

If you are currently on active duty and wish to receive VEAP benefits, you must have at least three months of contributions available.

The Veterans Affairs website lists the types of Training and Assistance approved under VEAP as well as the current payment rates for the program. The VA makes changes to these rate tables annually on October 1. Your payment rates may change if your program overlaps this date.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or of Veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition.

You must be the son, daughter, or spouse of:

• A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of active service in the armed forces.
• A Veteran who died from any cause while such permanent and total service-connected disability was in existence.
• A Service member missing in action or captured in line of duty by a hostile force.
• A Service member forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
• A Service member who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability. This change is effective Dec. 23, 2006.

If you are eligible for both Fry Scholarship and DEA, you will be required to make an irrevocable election between the two programs when you apply.

The Veterans Affairs websites lists the types of Training and Assistance approved the DEA Program as well as the current payment rates for the program. The VA makes changes to these rate tables annually on October 1. Your payment rates may change if your program overlaps this date.