Cassandria Dortch
Analyst in Education Policy
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), previously named the Veterans Administration, has been providing veterans educational assistance benefits since 1944. Although the programs are administered by the VA, the Department of Defense (DOD) pays for certain benefits and provides additional benefits to certain persons with critical skills or lengthy service. The benefits have been intended, at various times, to compensate for compulsory service, encourage voluntary service, avoid unemployment, provide equitable benefits to all who served, and promote military retention. In general, the benefits provide grant aid to eligible individuals enrolled in approved educational and training programs.
The newest program, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, has the largest number of individuals receiving benefits. The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides benefits to veterans and servicemembers who serve on active duty after September 10, 2001. The program is designed to provide individuals who served on active duty for 36 months and who are pursuing undergraduate studies at public colleges and universities with the full cost of attendance: tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies, tutorial and relocation assistance, and fees for testing and certification, as needed. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-377), enacted on January 4, 2011, makes several amendments to eligibility and benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Before the Post-9/11 GI Bill was effective, the most popular program was the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD). The MGIB-AD provides a monthly allowance primarily to veterans and servicemembers who enter active duty after June 30, 1985.
The Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) provides a lower monthly allowance than the MGIB-AD to reservists who enlist, re-enlist, or extend an enlistment after June 30, 1985. The Reserves Educational Assistance Program (REAP) provides a monthly allowance that is higher than the MGIB-SR but lower than the MGIB-AD to reservists with active duty service.
The program with the fewest individuals receiving benefits is the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP). VEAP provides a monthly allowance to veterans who first entered active duty service between December 31, 1976, and July 1, 1985.
Finally, the dependents of individuals with military service may be eligible for educational assistance. The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program provides benefits to the spouse and children of servicemembers who, as a result of service, are seriously disabled, die, or are detained. The Army allows certain servicemembers to transfer their MGIBAD benefits to their dependents. Servicemembers who stay in the military for several years are able to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to their dependents. Also, the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes a scholarship program for the children of servicemembers who die in the line of duty, the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship Program.
This report provides a description of the eligibility requirements, benefit availability, and benefit payments of the veterans educational assistance benefit programs. See Table 4 for a summary of selected characteristics of the programs. The report also provides some summary statistics and comparisons between the programs.
Date of Report: March 15, 2011
Number of Pages: 73
Order Number: R40723
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
Analyst in Education Policy
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), previously named the Veterans Administration, has been providing veterans educational assistance benefits since 1944. Although the programs are administered by the VA, the Department of Defense (DOD) pays for certain benefits and provides additional benefits to certain persons with critical skills or lengthy service. The benefits have been intended, at various times, to compensate for compulsory service, encourage voluntary service, avoid unemployment, provide equitable benefits to all who served, and promote military retention. In general, the benefits provide grant aid to eligible individuals enrolled in approved educational and training programs.
The newest program, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, has the largest number of individuals receiving benefits. The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides benefits to veterans and servicemembers who serve on active duty after September 10, 2001. The program is designed to provide individuals who served on active duty for 36 months and who are pursuing undergraduate studies at public colleges and universities with the full cost of attendance: tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies, tutorial and relocation assistance, and fees for testing and certification, as needed. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-377), enacted on January 4, 2011, makes several amendments to eligibility and benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Before the Post-9/11 GI Bill was effective, the most popular program was the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD). The MGIB-AD provides a monthly allowance primarily to veterans and servicemembers who enter active duty after June 30, 1985.
The Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) provides a lower monthly allowance than the MGIB-AD to reservists who enlist, re-enlist, or extend an enlistment after June 30, 1985. The Reserves Educational Assistance Program (REAP) provides a monthly allowance that is higher than the MGIB-SR but lower than the MGIB-AD to reservists with active duty service.
The program with the fewest individuals receiving benefits is the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP). VEAP provides a monthly allowance to veterans who first entered active duty service between December 31, 1976, and July 1, 1985.
Finally, the dependents of individuals with military service may be eligible for educational assistance. The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program provides benefits to the spouse and children of servicemembers who, as a result of service, are seriously disabled, die, or are detained. The Army allows certain servicemembers to transfer their MGIBAD benefits to their dependents. Servicemembers who stay in the military for several years are able to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to their dependents. Also, the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes a scholarship program for the children of servicemembers who die in the line of duty, the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship Program.
This report provides a description of the eligibility requirements, benefit availability, and benefit payments of the veterans educational assistance benefit programs. See Table 4 for a summary of selected characteristics of the programs. The report also provides some summary statistics and comparisons between the programs.
Date of Report: March 15, 2011
Number of Pages: 73
Order Number: R40723
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
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