• Officer Support

  Education Benefits Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  Please visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website at: www.va.gov for complete details regarding Post-9/11 and all other education benefit programs. You may also like to visit the CCMIS Education Benefits website as well.

  The Post-9/11 GI Bill (PGIB) (Chapter 33 of Title 38 United States Code) went into effect on August 1, 2009. For approved programs, PGIB provides up to 36 months of education benefits and is open to all Uniformed Service members who serve (or served) more than 90 days of general active duty after September 10, 2001. Tuition and fees are paid directly to the school for all public school in-state students.

  Changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill (PGIB) Effective January 12, 2020

  What are the changes to the PGIB?

  • Effective January 12, 2020, eligibility to transfer benefits will be limited to service members with less than 16 years of active duty or selected reserve service.
  • Only members with at least 6 years, but not more than 16 years, of total creditable service in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (Corps), NOAA Corps, or Military Services (active duty service and/or Selected Reserve) will be eligible to transfer education benefits to eligible family members.

  Transferability under PGIB is meant to be a recruitment and retention tool. This change is designed to ensure that the service member has enough active-duty time remaining to complete the 4-year service obligation.

  I have more than 16 years of service, can I still transfer my PGIB benefit?

  Yes. If you have eligible dependents, and you are able to complete the required 4-year service obligation it is imperative that you transfer your education benefits in milConnect before January 11, 2020. You will no longer be eligible to transfer benefits if you have 16 or more years of creditable service as of January 12, 2020. Please follow the transfer of education benefits instructions posted on the Education Benefits website.

  Will this change affect me if I have an approved TEB request in milConnect?

  No, this change has no effect on previously approved TEB request.

  Will this change affect my ability to modify my current TEB elections?

  No, you may still modify your TEB elections via milConnect.

  General GI Bill Questions

  I’m retired. How do I access my GI Bill information in milConnect?

  You will need to logon to milConnect using a DS Logon. DS Logon (DoD Self-service Logon) is a secure, self-service logon ID account created by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) as an identity credential that allows people affiliated with the Department of Defense (DoD) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) access to several websites using a single username and password.

  Visit the DS Logon Self-Service website to request a logon
  visit the DMDC Help Center for instructions and FAQs (You may have to click “OK” on a DMDC permission screen first)

  What is considered creditable service?

  Creditable service is time served on active duty. Service in the following is NOT included in creditable service:

  • Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
  • Service academies (exceptions Coast Guard academy and ROTC)
  • JrCOSTEP or SrCOSTEP

  How do I confirm if I have made a TEB request?

  You can confirm by logging onto milConnect to review your status.

  How do I confirm if my TEB request is approved?

  Log onto milConnect to review your status and print the DMDC Approval Form. To print the form:

  1. Log into milConnect using your 6 to 8 digit PIN. If you no longer remember your PIN you will need to visit a DEERS ID card office in your area to request a PIN reset.
  2. Click on Transfer Education Benefits.
  3. Click on Approval Form.
  4. Print the form for your records.

  I’m having issues with logging into milConnect and printing the approval form.

  First, make sure that you are logging in with your military ID (Common Access Card CAC) and your 6 to 8 digit PIN. You cannot use your HHS PIV card. For technical difficulties with milConnect, please contact the DMDC Support Center at 800-477-8227.

  What do I do if my TEB request is listed as submitted in milConnect?

  Please complete the PHS Form 7082, "Post-9/11 Educational Benefits Transferability Commitment and Statement of Understanding and return it to the address on the form. Once received, Commissioned Corps Headquarters (CCHQ) will review your eOPF for any administrative or adverse actions. These actions must be cleared before the request will be approved. If there are none, we’ll approve your TEB milConnect request and provide further guidance.

  When does my 4-year service obligation begin?

  Your 4-year service obligation begins on the date you make your election in milConnect. You must commit to a 4-year obligation at your initial transfer request only. After your initial request, you may add beneficiaries or modify elections as needed while on active duty with no additional service obligation beyond the initial commitment.

  How do I apply for the Post-9/11 GI Bill Program?

  To apply for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill Program you can go to the VA website athttps://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/apply.asp

  If you were previously enrolled in the Montgomery GI Bill and you apply for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill the VA will permanently dis-enroll you from the MGIB.

  How do I convert my MGIB to the PGIB?

  When you apply for education benefits on the VA’s website, you will be removed from the MGIB and placed into the PGIB. This decision is irrevocable.

  Post 9/11 G1 Bill (PGIB)

  Who is eligible for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill?

  Anyone who serves at least 90 days of active duty after September 10, 2001 is eligible. This includes members who enrolled in earlier programs such as the original GI Bill, the Post-Vietnam Veterans Education Assistance Program (VEAP), Chapter 32, or the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) Chapter 30. It also includes members who declined to enroll in any of these programs. Check the VA website for complete eligibility.

  How much does it cost to participate in the Post-9/11 GI Bill?

  There is no charge for participation in the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Unlike earlier programs, this program is free. Your eligibility is established, and determined, by the length of time that you serve on active duty. For this reason, there is no need to apply for Post-9/11 benefits more than 60 days prior until you are ready to use them.

  How much of my tuition and fees will be covered by the PGIB benefit?

  There is no fixed monthly dollar amount. The amount of your monthly benefit will be based on the highest in-state tuition and fees rate for an undergraduate degree, at a state college or university, in the state in which your school is located. The percentage of the monthly benefit that you receive is determined by the amount of time that you have currently served while on active duty or the amount of time you actually served on active duty if you are a veteran.

  Individuals serving an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001 of:	Percentage of Maximum Benefit Payable
  At least 36 months	100%
  At least 36 continuous days and discharged due to service-connected disability	100%
  At least 30 months < 36	90%
  At least 24 months < 30	80%
  At least 18 months < 24	70%
  At least 12 months < 18	60%
  At least 6 months < 12	50%
  At least 90 days < 6 months	40%

  Consolidation of Benefit Levels within the Forever Bill effective August 1, 2020.

  Eliminates the 40-percent benefit level and expands the 60-percent benefit level under the Post 9/11 GI Bill program. An individual with combined service of 90 days but less than six months of active-duty service (excluding entry and skill training) now qualifies at the 50-percent benefit level. An individual with aggregate service of at least six months but less than eighteen months of active-duty service (excluding entry and skill training) now qualifies at the 60-percent benefit level. This removes the 40-percent benefit level. This section will take effect on August 1, 2020.

  I was enrolled in the MGIB and used some or all of my benefits under the MGIB, how much benefit will I have under the Post-9/11 program?

  Members who have remaining entitlement under MGIB and switch to the Post-9/11 GI Bill will only be eligible for benefits equal to the amount of their remaining entitlement under the MGIB. If you have 18 months of entitlement remaining from the 36 month entitlement under MGIB and you switch to the Post-9/11 GI Bill you will have 18 months of benefits (36-18=18).

  However, if you have used all 36 months of your benefits under MGIB and you switch to the Post-9/11 GI Bill you may still be eligible for up to 12 months of benefits under the Post-9/11 program. You might benefit from using all of your MGIB benefits before enrolling in the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

  It is important to contact a VA representative at 888-442-4551 to inquire about your remaining benefits. If you served in the Reserves or National Guard you could have remaining benefits under those programs.

  If I switch from the MIGB will I get a refund of the money I contributed for enrollment?

  Any individual who paid the $1,200.00 buy-in for the Montgomery GI Bill and elects to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill may be refunded a proportional amount if, and after all entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill is used. Individuals who do not use all their entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill will not receive a refund of contributions paid under the Montgomery GI Bill. Individuals must be receiving a housing allowance at the time entitlement exhausts to receive the refund. The refund comes with the last housing payment. Contact a VA representative for guidance at 888-442-4551.

  How do I determine the amount of benefits I have remaining?

  Contact a VA representative at 1-888-GIBILL1 (1-888-442-4551) to find out the remaining amount of your benefits. Your remaining benefits are also listed in the transfer of education benefits section of milConnect.

  Will Post-9/11 pay for private or foreign schools?

  Yes, check the Department of Veterans Affairs website for the current private and foreign school rates. New rates are posted in August of each year.

  What is the Yellow Ribbon Program?

  The Post-9/11 GI Bill can cover all in-state tuition and fees at public degree granting schools, but may not cover all private degree granting schools and out-of-state tuition. The Yellow Ribbon Program provides additional support in those situations.

  Institutions voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund uncovered charges. VA matches each dollar of unmet charges the institution agrees to contribute, up to the total cost of the tuition and fees.

  PGIB Transferability

  Am I eligible to transfer my education benefits?

  NOTE: Effective July 12, 2019, eligibility to transfer benefits will be limited to service members with less than 16 years of active duty or selected reserve service.

  You are eligible to transfer benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill if you meet one or more of the following program start date requirements:

  • You are a member of the Armed Forces (active duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted) and were in service on or after August 1, 2009.
  • You are a Uniformed Service member of the Public Health Service (PHS) and were in service on or after August 1, 2011.
  • You are a Uniformed Service member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and were in service on or after September 1, 2011.

  You must also meet the following requirements and receive approval from CCHQ:

  • You have served at least six years in the Uniformed Services on the date your branch of Service approves your transfer request under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, and you agree to serve an additional four years in the Uniformed Services from that date.
  • Sign and Complete a Statement of Understanding, PHS Form 7082. Please review the TEB instructions on our Education Benefits website.
  • No administrative or adverse actions.

  Who is eligible to receive transferred benefits?

  As an eligible Service member, you can transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to your spouse, your children, or any combination of eligible family members.

  Note: The Department of Veteran's Affairs does not consider wards and foster children to be eligible dependents.

  Children enrolled in DEERS can receive transferred benefits:

  • Through age 20
  • From age 21 through 22, if they have full-time student status.

  The legislation that led to the creation of the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program, which extended healthcare benefits to age 26, did not alter the age or eligibility criteria for TEB. Children age 23 and over are not eligible to receive transferred educational benefits regardless of their enrollment in TYA.

  Children age 21 through 22 years old may still be eligible to receive transferred benefits if they are:

  • Attending school less than full time, or
  • Enrolled in on-the-job training, apprenticeships or non-college degree programs.

  In these cases, they may appear as ineligible on the TEB page. Public Health Service (PHS) officers should send inquires to the TEB PHS Service Representative regarding their eligibility to phsdeersgibill@hhs.gov.

  Children may not use the benefit if they are 26 or older. For additional answers, visit the VA's Education and Training page.

  How many months of benefits can I transfer?

  You can transfer some or all of your 36 months of benefits to your immediate family members. You can transfer all the months you do not use yourself.

  As you plan to transfer benefits, you should be aware of what happens to them when a sponsor or dependent passes away. To make sure survivors receive these valuable benefits as you intend, read, "What happens to education benefits when someone dies?"

  To find out how many months you can transfer, you must add the months you plan to use to the months you have already used for yourself, then subtract that from your total benefit. For example, if you have already used five months, and plan to use another five months yourself, you have 26 months left to transfer to eligible family members.

  The TEB page in milConnect shows the number of months you have already used. If you have a question about the months you have used, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to speak with a Veterans Benefits Counselor. Ask about your remaining months of entitlement

  Will I incur a second obligation if I transfer benefits to either a new dependent or to another dependent which I did not assign benefits to in my original request?

  No, there is only one 4-year obligation.

  How many times may I modify or add to my TEB request?

  You may modify your elections or add recipients as often as necessary while on active duty. After you separate or retire you may only modify your elections.

  What happens if I do not complete my 4-year service obligation?

  If you do not complete your Active Duty Service Commitment, you lose your eligibility to transfer benefits, so your dependents will no longer be eligible for the transferred benefits. If the Department of Veteran Affairs has already processed a payment for transferred benefits, an overpayment will occur. Please read, what is recoupment and how do I avoid it?

  When may my children start to use the education benefits I transferred to them?

  Once approved, children can start to use their education benefits after the transfer begin date provided that you have met the requirement to serve a minimum of 10 years in the Armed Forces or Uniformed Services (active duty or Selected Reserve). They can continue to use their benefits after you leave the service as long as they meet the age eligibility requirements for using their benefits. Children must also meet the age requirement of 18 before using the benefit, or have attained a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate). Children must use the benefit prior to turning 26 years of age.

  My child is not 18 but has completed high school, can he/she use the benefits I have transferred to him or her?

  Yes, if your child is not 18, but has attained a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate), they can still use the benefit. This includes some vocational or technical training programs, graduate and undergraduate training, as well as on-the-job training, apprenticeships or non-college degree programs. Contact a VA representative for complete details at 1-888-442-4551.

  When can my spouse use the educational benefits that I have transferred to him or her?

  Once approved, your spouse can start to use the benefit immediately, provided that you have total combined active duty service of at least 6 years. Your spouse can continue to use the benefits while you remain in the service. If you are an active duty service member, your spouse can continue to use the benefits for up to 15 years after you are last released (discharged or retired) from active duty.

  Is my spouse eligible for the monthly stipend or the books and supplies stipend?

  If you are currently serving on active duty, then your spouse is eligible for the books and supplies stipend, but not the monthly living stipend (because Service members and spouses already receive BAH). Only children are eligible for the monthly living stipend and the books and supplies stipend while the member is serving on active duty. If you are not currently serving on active duty, then both your spouse and children are eligible for the monthly living stipend and/or the books and supplies stipend.

  My child received a full scholarship, can she/he still use the PGIB.

  Yes, but the PGIB will only pay the remaining cost of tuition and fees not covered by the scholarship (if any). So the child will only receive the BAH payment and the books and supply stipend.

  How much is the monthly stipend and the book and supplies stipend?

  The monthly stipend is equal to the BAH at the E-5 with dependent rate. The law requires the monthly housing allowance (MHA) under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program to be calculated based on the zip code of the campus where the student physically attends the majority of classes, rather than the location of the institution of higher learning where the student is enrolled. This applies to the first enrollment in an educational program on or after August 1, 2018.

  The rate can be determined by using GI Bill Comparison Tool. The yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1000 is paid proportionately based on enrollment.

  I’m married to another active-duty member. Can we both transfer benefits to our children?

  Yes. However, you must add the children into your DEERS record for the purpose of transferring Post-9/11 benefits. Keep in mind that the child can only receive all other DoD benefits under one parent. Therefore the children will be added into your DEERS record/profile with the following condition, “Dependents are receiving benefits under another sponsor...” In addition, you should explain to the ID official that the children are already enrolled in DEERS in your spouse’s record. You will need to provide the child’s birth certificate and social security card (documents must be original or certified true copies). They do not need to receive ID cards under your profile.

  Please note: The children cannot use the benefit concurrently...but can use one set of benefits at a time, i.e. first mom's benefits and then dad's. The sponsor will need to transfer the benefit to the children before the 21 birthday or the 23rd birthday if they are in a full-time student status in DEERS. The children would need to exhaust the benefits before their 26 birthdays.

  Can I transfer my education benefits if I have separated/retired from the service?

  No. Only Service members who are currently serving on active duty or in the Selected Reserve can transfer benefits to eligible family members. Once the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) reflects that you have separated or retired from the Service, you will no longer be able to initiate the transfer of benefits to your family member(s). However, if your request to transfer benefits was approved before you left the Service, you can still view and reallocate benefits among approved, eligible family members.

  What happens to education benefits when someone dies?

  If a veteran or veteran's family member, whether sponsor or dependent, passes away there are resources to transfer benefits. The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, also known as the Forever GI Bill, has additional ways adds ways to transfer benefits in this circumstance. Visit the MilConnect website webpage, "What happens to education benefits when someone dies?"to learn more.

  I have an approved TEB request in milConnect. What are the next steps so my dependent can use his/her benefits?

  Now that you have received approval, your approved family members can apply to use their transferred benefits with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

  Next steps:

  1. Have your family members apply to use their transferred benefits by submitting VA Form 22-1990E to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). They can complete the form online, or to complete it on paper, download the PDF. Or they can call the DVA for Education Benefits information at 1-888-GIBILL1. Once the DVA matches your family member's VA Form 22-1990E to your approved transfer request, they will send certificates of eligibility.
  2. Have your family members provide their certificates of eligibility to the school. Your family members may not receive their certificates of eligibility from the DVA before they enroll in school. If so, they must ask the veterans' certifying official at the school to submit to the DVA an enrollment certification for the academic term.
  3. The DVA sends tuition funds directly to the school.

  Should I add the transfer End Date on my TEB request for my family members?

  No, setting a transfer End Date may prematurely cancel your family members' education benefit entitlement.

  If you want to give your dependent the most time to use benefits, best practice is to leave this optional field blank. Then the system will calculate and insert the latest date allowed by law:

  • Spouses receive 15 years of entitlement from the sponsor's release from last active duty period of at least 90 consecutive days.
  • Children are entitled to use transferred benefits up to their 26th birthday

  The Certificate of Eligibility is lost. How do I request a duplicate?

  Contact a VA representative at 888-442-4551 for guidance.

  What are the latest changes under the Forever GI Bill?

  The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, also known as the “Forever GI Bill,” will bring significant changes to veteran’s education benefits over the next few years. Most changes enhance or expand education benefits for veterans, service members, families, and survivors. Please review the updated benefits of the Forever GI Bill on the VA’s website.

  Additional FAQs can be found on the milConnect website on the “About Your Education Benefits” page.

  For questions not answered above or on the milConnect website, please send your inquiry to phsdeersgibill@hhs.gov
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