GI bill?

[AF M4]

Hi everyone, I've read a couple of posts talking about getting the Montgomery GI bill during residency after fulfilling one's active duty commitment as a flight surgeon or GMO. I was wondering how this works exactly...I tried looking at the GI bill's website but it was tough to navigate and the only thing I got out of it was that someone needs an Honorable Discharge to receive benefits. Help? Thanks.

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[IgD]

Hi everyone, I've read a couple of posts talking about getting the Montgomery GI bill during residency after fulfilling one's active duty commitment as a flight surgeon or GMO. I was wondering how this works exactly...I tried looking at the GI bill's website but it was tough to navigate and the only thing I got out of it was that someone needs an Honorable Discharge to receive benefits. Help? Thanks.

You just fill out a form on the VA website and apply for the benefits. They verify your enrollment in the GI bill. Also you have to provide proof of your enrollment in school/residency. Then they start mailing you checks!

 

[R-Me-Doc]

You just fill out a form on the VA website and apply for the benefits. They verify your enrollment in the GI bill. Also you have to provide proof of your enrollment in school/residency. Then they start mailing you checks!

The key point being that you have to be enrolled in the GI Bill program to begin with. It is NOT an "automatic benefit."

You are supposed to be advised on this when you first come on active duty; at that time you are supposed to accept or decline enrollment in the GI Bill program. If you accept, you "pay in" to the GI Bill program via a payroll deduction of about $1800 over 2 years, then when you leave the service, you are eligible for benefits. If you decline at the outset, you sign a paper to that effect and then are never subsequently eligible to enroll.

If you have no idea what I am talking about and don't recall ever being offered the chance to enroll, go to your post's education office and talk to them about it. You CAN retroactively enroll and pay into the system if you can prove you were never given the chance to enroll/decline to begin with (you prove this by the absence of the relevant form in your personnel records).

Also note that if you came out of a service academy or ROTC, you are NOT eligible for GI Bill benefits. Interestingly, USUHS and HPSP are not covered by this restriciton, which is how us medical types can qualify.

X-RMD (Celebrating 1 month of civilian life!)

 

[edmadison]

Thanks for that info R-Me-Doc. You answered a question I was thinking of posting -- what if they never offered me the oppportunity to decline? I don't remember declining it, but I signed so much paper work back then. This is important for me because I'm going to be doing fellowship someday, likely after I'm done and the extra buck are not small. I'll take your advice and contact my education office.

Ed

 

[Homunculus]

Thanks for that info R-Me-Doc.

yeah, thanks. being a ROTC grad i get squat, lol.

i guess no "just for fun" degrees when i finally get out. oh well.

--your friendly neighborhood culinary school considering caveman