GI Bill and Residency?

[i want out]

I know that at least one person here is getting the GI Bill while in residency.

Couple questions,

How much do you get?
Did you do the Kicker?

For those that may be reading this, and dont' think they are eligible, I just applied to the board of record corrections to have them allow me to enroll, and they popped back a letter instructing me on how to have PSD sign me up.

definitely should be worth the 1200 investment, and I am guessing the $600 kicker would be worth it as well.

i want out

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[DaveB]

I know several people who have used the GI Bill for residency. From what they've told me, it amounts to about $1000/month (tax free) for 3 years. I'm not sure if that was including the kicker or not.

 

[R-Me-Doc]

I know that at least one person here is getting the GI Bill while in residency.

Couple questions,

How much do you get?
Did you do the Kicker?

For those that may be reading this, and dont' think they are eligible, I just applied to the board of record corrections to have them allow me to enroll, and they popped back a letter instructing me on how to have PSD sign me up.

definitely should be worth the 1200 investment, and I am guessing the $600 kicker would be worth it as well.

i want out

I can verify that I am getting it during a fellowship. $1075/month (new rate as of 1 Oct).
ABSOLUTELY do this if you plan on doing any post-military medical training, it is the best return on investment on the face of the earth.

X-RMD

 

[psychbender]

Can someone please explain this to me? What's the catch (there has to be one, this is the government)?

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Can someone please explain this to me? What's the catch (there has to be one, this is the government)?

The program was created to provide support for educational activity, which for most eligible former military members means degree programs. Formal non-degree education, which by the existing standards includes medical residency training is also eligible for stipend support. It is a good deal.
If there is any chance you will leave active duty to train, you should sign up.

 

[deuist]

The program was created to provide support for educational activity, which for most eligible former military members means degree programs. Formal non-degree education, which by the existing standards includes medical residency training is also eligible for stipend support. It is a good deal.
If there is any chance you will leave active duty to train, you should sign up.

Tell me more; you've got me interested. I'm in HPSP now. Let's say I pay back my four-year obligation as a flight surgeon and then leave to go through a civilian residency. Can I use the GI Bill like R-Me-Doc? How do I sign up? Are there any further obligations?

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Tell me more; you've got me interested. I'm in HPSP now. Let's say I pay back my four-year obligation as a flight surgeon and then leave to go through a civilian residency. Can I use the GI Bill like R-Me-Doc? How do I sign up? Are there any further obligations?

Normally you sign up when you start your active duty service. You are supposed to be counseled about the benefits before electing or declining. There is an enrollment fee, about $100/month for a year. Once paid in, the benefit is yours to use when you leave the service to train. There is information in the standard pre-separation check-out about how to contact your local VA educational benefits office to activate your benefit. Payment is by direct deposit. It is a total good deal.

 

[R-Me-Doc]

Can someone please explain this to me? What's the catch (there has to be one, this is the government)?

Amazingly, there really is no catch.

Sign up when you first come on active duty, do a payroll deduction for a year, and then when you get out, just register with the VA for your benefits. You just have to use your benefits within 10 years of leaving the military.

The only glitch would be if you didn't sign up immediately on entry to active duty. If that's the case you have to jump through some hoops to retroactively enroll, but as I and others have demonstrated, it's still do-able.

X-RMD

 

[The White Coat Investor]

Its a good program if you doing a GMO tour, and they'll probably automatically sign you up for it like they did me this month. Of course, I've already been in school for 24 years and I ain't going back so now I have to send a form to Timbuktu to actually disenroll from the GI bill to get my $1200 back. Crazy. They also signed my wife up for FSGLI, but after investingating that, I think I'll keep it.

 

[Homunculus]

Amazingly, there really is no catch.

Sign up when you first come on active duty, do a payroll deduction for a year, and then when you get out, just register with the VA for your benefits. You just have to use your benefits within 10 years of leaving the military.

The only glitch would be if you didn't sign up immediately on entry to active duty. If that's the case you have to jump through some hoops to retroactively enroll, but as I and others have demonstrated, it's still do-able.

X-RMD

i think i remember something about ex-ROTC folks being ineligible. . . or something like that. all i know is that for some reason i don't think i qualify for it (ROTC + HPSP)

--your friendly neighborhood 8 months from starting 8 yrs of payback caveman

 

[R-Me-Doc]

i think i remember something about ex-ROTC folks being ineligible. . . or something like that. all i know is that for some reason i don't think i qualify for it (ROTC + HPSP)

--your friendly neighborhood 8 months from starting 8 yrs of payback caveman

Correct. Service academy (West Point, Annapolis, AF) and ROTC grads are not eligible. HPSP is A-OK; USUHS I'm not sure about but may actually be OK too.

X-RMD

 

[psychbender]

Awesome, definitely doing this so I can get trained with a civilian fellowship in...many years.

 

[dtn3t]

The only glitch would be if you didn't sign up immediately on entry to active duty. If that's the case you have to jump through some hoops to retroactively enroll, but as I and others have demonstrated, it's still do-able.

X-RMD

So should I start the jumping through the hoops now or wait closer until I'm out 5 years from now?

 

[navy]

Its a good program if you doing a GMO tour, and they'll probably automatically sign you up for it like they did me this month. Of course, I've already been in school for 24 years and I ain't going back so now I have to send a form to Timbuktu to actually disenroll from the GI bill to get my $1200 back. Crazy. They also signed my wife up for FSGLI, but after investingating that, I think I'll keep it.

What is FSGLI? Does your wife have to be in the military to get it?

Thanks for any information.

 

[deuist]

SGLI is life insurance. As a member of the military, you are automatically signed up for $400,000 in coverage; the premiums are taken out of your paycheck. I don't know about spouses.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

Google FSGLI for more info. Basically, for $5.50 a month I get $100,000 term life insurance on my wife. That's basically 1/2 price compared to a regular life insurance company.

 

[NavyDMO]

I plan on using the GI bill for a civilian residency. Does anyone know exactly how to collect it? I am asking because it took me 5 times to sign up for the GI bill and 5 separate assurances from a YN something at PSD that this time it was done correctly. Thanks

 

[VolatileNavyDoc]

Can someone please explain this to me? What's the catch (there has to be one, this is the government)?

It is an awesome deal, especially for us docs coming in as O3. I used the GI bill for college, and it was amazingly simple. I just filled out some paperwork from the VA and had to have it signed by the Dean's Office. We had a VA rep at the University, so it may be harder going at it own your own.

The only "catch" that I can remember is that you have to use it within 10 years of separating from active duty. That may not even be the case anymore, and it's really not applicable to most of us anyway. It's a little more of a financial burden when you are an E-1 to E-3.

 

[usnavdoc]

I plan on using the GI bill for a civilian residency. Does anyone know exactly how to collect it? I am asking because it took me 5 times to sign up for the GI bill and 5 separate assurances from a YN something at PSD that this time it was done correctly. Thanks

Its funny how some of the same topics get brought up over and over. I answered these and many other questions regarding the GI Bill and my experience from applying for VA Benefits to actually getting them in a post about 6 months back. Just search under my ID. Maybe collectively they should be made a sticky.

Anyway just read my post then if you or anyone else needs to just shoot me a pm.

 

[deuist]

Its funny how some of the same topics get brought up over and over. I answered these and many other questions regarding the GI Bill and my experience from applying for VA Benefits to actually getting them in a post about 6 months back. Just search under my ID. Maybe collectively they should be made a sticky.

Anyway just read my post then if you or anyone else needs to just shoot me a pm.

Better yet, why not write an article for the SDN wiki. That way, your information would always be available.

 

[Joshua8200]

What are the "hoops" if you want to retroactively do this? I have been in 2 years and have 1 year left...I would like to enter residency after I get out...