Montgomery GI Bill Fellowship Help

[Gynogirl2014]

Here is my situation:
Served 8 years in the Air Force and will be separating in Jun. Will be starting civilian fellowship in July. I have the Montgomery GI Bill and I want to use to get a monthly stipend during fellowship. Other threads seem to indicate that this can be done.

Question 1: Are there any people on this forum who have actually done this themselves? If so, can you be specific as to the steps you take to set this up? What would a fellowship be classified as since you don't get a degree at the end? Is it considered a "Non degree certificate program"? When I call the toll free number, they don't understand the concept of a fellowship. When I went to the education center, they flat out told me that it wasn't going to happen.

Question 2: I want to pay the additional $600 to get the Kicker/Buy up. I found the form online that I need to fill out (DD 2236-1). Where do I turn it into? The VA toll free number says Finance. Finance says the Education Center. The Education Center says the MPF. I pretty much drive around the base like a jackass trying to find someone to turn this form into. Can anyone help me?

Thanks!

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[IlDestriero]

You can do it with the old GI bill. I did.
You have to make sure that the fellowship program is registered with the VA. If it's a big university program it's not an issue. You fill out some form and they certify you're training and you send it in. It takes a couple months, but they back pay you. Then you call or log in every month saying you're still in training and you get paid. I'm not sure about the post 911 bill and fellowship.
It was easy.
I don't remember all the details, it was almost 10 years ago.

 

[IlDestriero]

The kicker was also just a form, you have to file it a few months before you get out and they can take the money in one payment. You must have a GI bill champion that the enlisted guys turn to. Ask them, they'll know which guy helps them.

 

[Homunculus]

i know it's not what you requested, but i have a friend who got out and is using his GI bill for a NICU fellowship right now. so don't accept that it can't be done.

--your friendly neighborhood transferred his GI benefits already caveman

 

[Gynogirl2014]

Thanks for the help! In case anyone else needs help, here is what I found out:

For Question #1: I ended up applying to use my benefits for fellowship and I received a denial letter from the VA. However, I subsequently called the GI Bill person at the University Medical Center that I will be working at. Luckily, he is very experienced with this. He has helped people use the GI Bill for both residency and fellowship. He said that I was denied because my program was not yet approved by the VA, but that he could submit a package to get it approved. I put him in contact with the secretary from my fellowship program who will be giving him info such as my rotation schedule and the GME program description, etc. I was relieved to hear that he knew the process very well. Now I will just have to wait and see if it really happens.

For Question #2: I spent hours on the phone with the VA trying to figure out who signs off the kicker form. They told me wrong info such as I should have my commander or the local JAG sign it off. I finally found someone at the base education center who signed off the form and then I turned it into finance. They had to upload it to DFAS. Once again, now I have to see if it actually works.

Hope this helps someone else!

 

[edmadison]

Thanks for the help! In case anyone else needs help, here is what I found out:

For Question #1: I ended up applying to use my benefits for fellowship and I received a denial letter from the VA. However, I subsequently called the GI Bill person at the University Medical Center that I will be working at. Luckily, he is very experienced with this. He has helped people use the GI Bill for both residency and fellowship. He said that I was denied because my program was not yet approved by the VA, but that he could submit a package to get it approved. I put him in contact with the secretary from my fellowship program who will be giving him info such as my rotation schedule and the GME program description, etc. I was relieved to hear that he knew the process very well. Now I will just have to wait and see if it really happens.

For Question #2: I spent hours on the phone with the VA trying to figure out who signs off the kicker form. They told me wrong info such as I should have my commander or the local JAG sign it off. I finally found someone at the base education center who signed off the form and then I turned it into finance. They had to upload it to DFAS. Once again, now I have to see if it actually works.

Hope this helps someone else!

I used the MGIB for the fellowship I completed in 2013. I was Army HPSP. For those who have not seen many of the other threads this is what I did:

1) Went to education office, told them I was never counseled on the MGIB and that I would like to sign up. I filled out a form, they signed it.
2) Went to finance and paid for MGIB ($1200, I think).
3) Went back to education office, filled out "kicker" form, they signed it.
4) Went back to finance and paid for the kicker ($600).
5) Contacted Medical Center's Veteran's Coordinator -- names and contact info was on VA website. She hooked me up
6) Filled out GI Bill form on VA website.
7) Benefit was accepted
8) Certified attendance every month
9) Collected 1400-1600 every month
10) Laughed all the way to the bank.

Good luck

Ed