Beginning August 1, 2013, PHS commissioned officers who elect to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a family member will incur a four-year service obligation, without regard to their time in service.

This policy was drafted in 2009 and takes effect August 1, 2013. The change will affect commissioned officers who were retirement-eligible before August 1, 2012. Currently, these officers may be able to transfer benefits to their eligible dependents with zero to three years of additional service, according to the criteria following.

Before August 1, 2013, if you are retirement-eligible:

• On or before August 1, 2009, no additional service is required.
• After August 1, 2009 and before August 1, 2010, 1 year of additional service is required.
• On or after August 1, 2010 and before August 1, 2011, 2 years of additional service is required.
• On or after August 1, 2011 and before August 1, 2012, 3 years of additional service is required.

For commissioned officers who are not retirement eligible, electing to transfer their GI Bill benefits to a family member will incur a four-year service obligation.

Effective August 1, 2013:
All commissioned officers, regardless of retirement eligibility, will incur a four-year service obligation upon transfer of GI Bill benefits to an eligible family member.

Commissioned officers who were retirement-eligible after August 1, 2009, and before August 1, 2012, should consider transferring their benefits to their dependents before August 1, 2013 to take advantage of the reduced service obligation. After August 1, 2013, all officers will incur a four-year service obligation upon transferring their benefits to their dependents.

PHS commissioned officers with questions about transferring their Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to their dependents should contact the PHS VA Education Coordinator at 240-453-6130 or phsdeersgibill@hhs.gov.