College Tuition benefits transfered to one's children

[Bmac]

I am awaiting the results of the June JAG Board to see if I am selected. If selected I plan on putting my 20 years in. My understanding is that if you serve 10 years you are eligible for the post 911 GI Bill wherein one may transfer their tuition benefits to their children. The benefit being 3 years of the highest in state school tuition, $1,000 a year for books, and housing allowance at e-4 level. I have three questions I hope that some of you may be able to help me with. First, is this information accurate? Second, does one have to be deployed for the benefits to be obtained? And third, if I served 20 years does one get the benefit twice? Thanks in advance.

[ParalegalNCO1]

I am awaiting the results of the June JAG Board to see if I am selected. If selected I plan on putting my 20 years in. My understanding is that if you serve 10 years you are eligible for the post 911 GI Bill wherein one may transfer their tuition benefits to their children. The benefit being 3 years of the highest in state school tuition, $1,000 a year for books, and housing allowance at e-4 level. I have three questions I hope that some of you may be able to help me with. First, is this information accurate? Second, does one have to be deployed for the benefits to be obtained? And third, if I served 20 years does one get the benefit twice? Thanks in advance.

You don't get the benefit twice. You are pretty accurate, except the part you seem to be missing is that the post 9/11 gi bill, which is the one you are describing, is a benefit gained after some type of active duty service. If you are joining the nationla guard as a JAG, there is no guarentee you will get at least 90 days active time, which is the minimum qualifying bracket that would put you at 40% for the benefit. To get 100% you need 36 months active duty time.

[Bmac]

Thanks for the quick response but it leads to more questions for me. First, does it have to be federal active duty? Does the initial training of 19 weeks count as active duty? And the 36 months does it need to be continuous or does all one's active duty time count?

[Chief Kemosabe]

You don't get the benefit twice. You are pretty accurate, except the part you seem to be missing is that the post 9/11 gi bill, which is the one you are describing, is a benefit gained after some type of active duty service. If you are joining the nationla guard as a JAG, there is no guarentee you will get at least 90 days active time, which is the minimum qualifying bracket that would put you at 40% for the benefit. To get 100% you need 36 months active duty time.

+1

Thanks for the quick response but it leads to more questions for me. First, does it have to be federal active duty? Does the initial training of 19 weeks count as active duty? And the 36 months does it need to be continuous or does all one's active duty time count?

Initial entry training (BCT/AIT) does not qualify as AD time for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Right now, I am in Afghanistan and a serving member in the reserve components can come here and as long as they do they minimum days required; they are eligible. In 2009 when I was in Afghanistan the last time, I set my two daughters up with it when the new changes came out in 2009.

Deploy and you are good to go but dont just let those perks be the sole decision for you to commission. You are a lawyer so you should be making a ton of money in your private practice.

[ParalegalNCO1]

Thanks for the quick response but it leads to more questions for me. First, does it have to be federal active duty? Does the initial training of 19 weeks count as active duty? And the 36 months does it need to be continuous or does all one's active duty time count?

As cityslick pointed out, active duty for trianing does not count.

It does not need to be continuous.

[matthew.ritchie]

This benefit, called the Post-9/11 GI Bill, applies to personnel who served in an active duty status (not active duty for training). The most likely venue for you to qualify is to mobilize for a mission in Afghanistan.

For the GI Bill that applies to you, look at the Chapter 1606.

[Bmac]

I appreciate all the information.