VA Educational Benefits
Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty
Chapter 30 benefits are for veterans who began active duty
service for the first time after June 30, 1985.
Servicemembers who may be eligible to use or collect Chapter
30 benefits must have contributed $1,200.00 towards their
Chapter 30 education benefits. The $1,200.00 is withheld
from their pay during their first 12 months of active duty
service and is non-refundable. Chapter 30 benefits provide
veterans with up to 36 months of full-time education pay
that must be used prior to the ten-year delimiting end date.
Chapter 30 Kicker: A kicker is part of the enlistment
contract. It is often referred to as the Army or Navy
College Fund. Higher monthly benefits are paid to Chapter 30
participants with “kickers.” The higher benefit rates are
paid automatically when benefits are paid. If veterans don’t
receive the benefit they believe they are entitled to
receive, they should call the VA regarding the discrepancy
so that it can be resolved with the Department of Defense.
Chapter 30 Buy-up Program: Some Servicemembers may
contribute up to an additional $600 to the GI Bill to
receive increased monthly benefits. For an additional $600
contribution, Servicemembers may receive up to $5400 in
additional GI Bill benefits. The increased benefit is
payable only after leaving active duty, and the additional
contribution must be made while on active duty. For more
information, contact your personnel or payroll office.
Chapter 31: VA Vocational Rehabilitation Education
Program
VA Vocational Rehabilitation is a program whose primary
function is to help veterans with service-connected
disabilities become suitably employed, maintain employment,
or achieve independence in daily living. The program offers
a number of services to help each eligible disabled veteran
reach his or her rehabilitation goal. These services include
vocational and personal counseling; education and training;
financial aid; job assistance; and, if needed, medical and
dental treatment. Services generally last up to 48 months,
but they can be extended in certain instances.
A veteran may be eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation
(Chapter 31) benefits if he/she:
- Received or will receive a discharge under other than
dishonorable conditions;
- Incurred or aggravated a service-connected disability
which entitles him/her to VA disability compensation; and
- Vocational rehabilitation is needed due to his/her
service-connected disability creating an employment
handicap.
An eligible veteran generally has 12 years from the date
he/she is notified of entitlement to VA compensation to use
his/her Chapter 31 benefits. The VA may approve an extension
of time and/or length of training in certain cases.
Chapter 32: Post-Vietnam Veterans’ Educational Assistance
Program (VEAP)
Individuals must have initially entered active duty from
January 1, 1977 to June 30, 1985 and must have enrolled and
contributed to VEAP before April 1, 1987. Many VEAP-era
veterans who separated from active duty after February 2,
1991, had the opportunity to convert from Chapter 32 to
Chapter 30.
VEAP is a voluntary contribution and matching program.
Participants may have contributed as much as $2,700.00. The
government matches the participants’ contributions on a $2
to $1 basis. The monthly rate varies depending on the total
contribution made by the veteran and matched by the
government. Additional kickers may have been made by the
military.
Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill (NEW)
The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for
education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days
of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or
individuals discharged with a service-connected disability
after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge
to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill will become effective for training on
or after August 1, 2009. The amount of support that an
individual may qualify for depends on where they live and
what type of degree they are pursuing. For a summary of Post
9/11 GI Bill benefits, see the Benefit Comparison Chart.
Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes
graduate and undergraduate degrees, and vocational/technical
training. All training programs must be offered by an
institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI
Bill benefits. Additionally, tutorial assistance, and
licensing and certification test reimbursement are approved
under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill.
Chapter 35: Survivors’ & Dependents’ Educational
Assistance Program (DEA)
The Dependents’ Educational Assistance program, or DEA,
provides education and training opportunities to eligible
dependents and survivors of certain veterans. To be
eligible, a student must be a spouse, son, or daughter
(including stepchild or adopted child), of a veteran who is
permanently and totally disabled as the result of, or dies,
of, a service-connected disability. The disability must
arise out of or be aggravated by active duty; a veteran with
a permanent and total service-connected disability who dies
from any cause; service member who is missing in action or
is captured in line of duty and is currently being held by a
hostile force; or a service member who is currently being
forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign
government or power.
Chapter 1606: MGIB Selected Reserve
It is an educational program for active members of the
Selected Reserve. Basic eligibility requires a six-year
obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve and satisfactory
participation in required Selected Reserve training.
Participation in Chapter 1606 requires no monetary
contribution on the part of the Servicemember. The Selected
Reserve components of the Ready Reserve include the Army
Reserve, Naval Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps
Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air
National Guard. Chapter 1606 eligibility is determined by
the Department of Defense or by the Department of
Transportation (Coast Guard), not by the VA.
1606 Kicker: An additional amount, called a kicker, may be
added to the benefit of some Chapter 1606 students. A
Chapter 1606 kicker may be a part of the original enlistment
contract or part of a re-enlistment contract.
Chapter 1607: Reserve Educational Assistance Program
(REAP)
REAP was established in 2004 as a part of the Ronald W.
Reagan National Defense Authorization Act. It is a
Department of Defense education benefit program designed to
provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve
components called or ordered to active duty in response to a
war or national emergency. This program makes certain
individuals who were activated or mobilized for more than 90
consecutive days after September 11, 2001 eligible for
either education benefits or eligible for increased
benefits.
