Education

1. Education Texas Veterans Commission Fall Conference 2009

2. Overview of Education • Purpose • Different Educational Benefit Programs • Types of Training • Changes • Application Procedures

3. Overview of Education (cont.) • Original vs. Supplemental Claims • Processing Flow • Forms • Chapter 32 Refunds • Chapter 36 Counseling

4. Purpose The VA educational assistance is designed to help service-persons and Veterans adjust to civilian life by extending the opportunity of higher education to those who might not afford the opportunity.

5. Benefit Programs • Nine different educational programs: • Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty • Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve • Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program • Section 901 Test Program

6. Benefit Programs (cont.) • Section 903 – Pilot Program • Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program • Restored Entitlement Program for Survivors • Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Anti-terrorism Act * The Voc Rehab will be covered separately.

7. Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty • Also known as Chapter 32 • Eligibility • High School Diploma or equivalent • Honorable discharge • Benefit • Receive a basic full-time check and possible DoD “kicker”

8. Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve • Also known as Chapter 1606 • Eligibility • Determined by DoD or Homeland Security • Completed Initial Active Duty for Training • High School Diploma or equivalent • Good standing in a drilling reserve unit • Officer Eligibility • Must agree to serve 6 additional years beyond initial obligation • Enlisted Eligibility • Must have a 6 year obligation signed after 30 June 1985

9. Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Education Assistance Program (VEAP) • Also known as Chapter 32 • Incentive Program • The ONLY voluntary contribution-matching program • 2:1 Ratio match (for every $1 contributed, the government gave $2) • Eligibility • First entered active duty after 31 Dec 1976 but before 1 July 1985, AND • Contributed to VEAP before 1 April 1987, AND • Completed first period of service, AND • Discharged under conditions other than dishonorable

10. Section 901 • Also known as Education Assistance Test Program • Eligibility – 3 areas • Education-related Requirement • High School Diploma • Service-related Requirement • Service members and Veterans must have enlisted or reenlisted between 30 Nov 1980 and 1 Oct 1981 • Discharge must be honorable or general under honorable conditions • DoD Requirement • Service member must be in particular military occupational specialty • Service member must have scored a specific value on the Armed Forces Qualifications Test

11. Section 903 • Also known as Education Assistance Pilot Program • Modification of VEAP with 2 main differences • No contribution required • Section 903 can be transferred to a spouse or child (Army only) • Eligibility – 3 areas • Service Members and Veterans • Cannot be eligible for Chapter 34 • Must have enlisted between 30 Nov 1980 and 1 Oct 1981 • Must have served 181 continuous days (unless discharged due to service-connected disability

12. Section 903 (cont.) • Service Members • Completed first obligated period of active duty or 6 years, which ever is less • Made chapter 32 contributions • Have 3+ months of contributions available • Meet any additional DoD requirements • Veterans • Discharged under conditions other than dishonorable • Elected to participate in VEAP • Chosen by service department to participate in the pilot program, with contributions

13. Dependents Education Assistance (DEA) • Also known as Chapter 35 • Provides assistance to: • Spouses • Surviving Spouses • Children of qualified Veterans • Eligibility • Veteran is permanently and totally disabled (P&T) from service-connected disability • Veteran died while rated P&T from service-connected disability • Veteran died while on active duty • Veteran died as a result of a service-connected disability • Veteran was/is listed as Missing in Action or Prisoner of War for 90+ days

14. Dependents Education Assistance (DEA) (cont.) • Eligibility – Spouse or Surviving Spouse • May retain eligibility if they remarry after 1 Jan 2004, after their 57th birthday and are still within the 10 year eligibility period. • If spouse divorces Veteran all benefits are terminated. • The spouse or surviving spouse cannot be in the armed forces themselves. • Eligibility – Dependent Child • Child must be between 18 and 25 • Child can be married or unmarried • Child cannot be on active duty in the armed forces

15. Restored Entitlement Program for Survivors (REPS) • Restores certain Social Security Benefits that were reduced or terminated by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. • Eligibility • Main eligibility is that Veteran’s death has to be service-connected • Eligibility – Surviving Spouses • Married to Veteran upon their death • Not remarried • Have a child between 16-18 years of age • Eligibility – Unmarried Children • Between 18-22 years AND • Enrolled full-time in an approved secondary program

16. Omnibus Diplomatic Security Anti-terrorism Act of 1986 • Established to provide educational assistance to persons held captives or hostages and their dependents • Eligibility • Any American citizen held captive by a foreign power for any reason or any length of time. • Also extended to spouse and dependent children of the hostage.

17. Types of Training • Refers to the actual means a claimant uses to achieve their educational, professional, or vocational objective • Types of training: • Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) • Non-College Degree (NCD) • Apprenticeship/On-the-Job Training (OJT) • Flight Training • Independent Training, Distance Learning, & Internet Training • Correspondence Training

18. Types of Training (cont.) • Types of Training (cont.) • National Testing Program • Licensing & Certification • Entrepreneurship Training • Work-Study Program • Co-op Training • Accelerated Payment of MGIB-AD • Tuition Assistance Top-Up • Tutorial Assistance Program

19. Types of Training (Cont.) • IHL • Four-year Universities • Community Colleges • Advanced Degrees • NCD • HVAC Certification • Truck Driving • Barber/Beautician School • Apprenticeship/OJT • Union Plumber • Firefighter • Hotel manager

20. Types of Training (Cont.) • Flight Training • Must have • Private Pilot’s License AND • Appropriate Medical Certification • Then apply for training • Rotary Wing Qualification • B747-400 Qualification • Dual Qualification • Independent, Distance Learning, or Internet Training • Similar rules apply for IHL

21. Types of Training (Cont.) • Correspondence Courses • Home-Study program in which the Veteran receives the lesson in the mail, must complete it and return for a grade • VA pays for training by reimbursing the student for lessons completed • National Testing Program • Reimbursement for testing • SAT • LSAT • CLEP

22. Types of Training (Cont.) • Licensing and Certification • Reimbursement for tests taken after 1 March 2001 • Entrepreneurship Training • VA will pay for programs offered by Small Business Development Centers or Veterans Corporations • Work-Study Program • Available to any student receiving VA Education benefits and attending school three-quarter time or more • Can work at: • VA Regional Office • VA Medical Facilities • Approved State Employment offices

23. Types of Training (Cont.) • Co-Op Training • School and Employers work together to provide both study and work experience • Attend classes in the morning, work in afternoon • Attend classes at night, work in the day • Attend full-time classes during one semester, then work full-time the next semester • Accelerated Payment for MGIB – AD • Lump sum of 60% of tuition and fees for certain High Cost, High Technical programs

24. Types of Training (Cont.) • Tuition Assistance Top-Up • Available to MGIB – AD ONLY • VA pays the difference between what the military branch pays and the college course • Tutorial Assistance Program • Available to students who are attending classes three-quarter time or more and having a deficiency in a subject

25. Notifying VA of Changes • VA Form 22-1995, Request for Approval of Change of Program or Place of Training • No matter how small, any and all changes MUST be reported • Claimant must specify • Precious Program, why they want to change, what the new program is, AND • An explanation of why the new program was selected

26. Application Procedures • Basic vs. Complete Applications • When to send Basic Application only • Complete Application Package • Where to send the application

27. Application Procedures (cont.) • Basic Application • The actual application • Complete Application • The actual application PLUS • All supporting documentations to process the claim and award payment

28. Application Procedures (cont.) • When to send Basic Application only • Claimant wants to find out if they are eligible for benefits before applying to a school • Expedite award processing when the school does not participate in advance payments • Apply to an out-of-state school and want to expedite processing

29. Application Procedures (cont.) • Compete Application Package • Basic Application for program specific • Enrollment Certification (VAF 22-1999) • Supporting Documentation • Where to send the application • Regional Processing Office • Atlanta, GA • Muskogee, OK • St. Louis, MO • Buffalo, NY (All foreign enrollments too)

30. Original vs. Supplemental Claims • Original Claim: Involves a determination of whether or not the claimant qualifies for a benefit • Supplemental Claim three categories • Simple Reentrance • Other Reentrance • Amended Claims

31. Original vs. Supplemental Claims (cont.) • Simple Reentrance • Occurs when a claimant returns to the same school after a period of interruption (Ex. Returning to school after summer break) • Other Reentrance • Involves both a break in enrollment and a change of program or school • Adjudication must verify that remaining entitlement and the new school or program is approved

32. Original vs. Supplemental Claims (cont.) • Amended Claims • Involves a change that takes place while the claimant is receiving benefits • Change of program or school with no break in enrollment • Dependency change

33. Process Flow • First, application is received and date-stamped. • Next, an education file is prepared (with the exception of MGIB – AD). • Next, the claim is established in BDN. • Afterwards, file is routed to the claims examiner. • Finally, the award, or disallowance, is authorized and routed to an authorizer.

34. Process Flow (cont.) • Processing for REPS • Original application is sent to the RO that has the C-File. It is date-stamped and added to the existing file. • Basic eligibility is determined. • Application is sent to St. Louis RO where the award is completed and logged into BDN. • Finally, the award is routed to the authorizer.

35. Forms • The most common forms are: • VA Form 22-1990, Application for Educational Benefits • VA Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification • VA Form 22-5490, Application for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance

36. Forms (cont.) • VAF 22-1990 • First time application • Never have to complete this form again, unless switching from active duty to Veteran • VAF 22-1999 • Completed by the school’s certifying official • VAF 22-5490 • Used by spouse, surviving spouse, or children

37. Forms (cont.) • Other Forms Used • VAF 20-5281, Application for Refund • VAF 20-8691, Application for Work Study • VAF 21-674, Request for Approval of Attendance • VAF 21-8924, Application for REPS • VAF 22-1990T, Application for Tutorial Assistance • VAF 22-1995, Request for Change of Program • VAF 22-1999b, Notice of Change in Student Status • VAF 22-5495, Request for Change • VAF 22-8889, Application for Educational Test Program

38. Chapter 32 Refunds • Both active duty and Veterans can receive a refund of any unused contributions. • Active duty • May receive a refund and then re-contribute or make a lump sum contribution prior to release from active duty to receive benefit again. • Veterans • Once refund is received, Veteran is no longer eligible for benefits.

39. Chapter 32 Refunds (cont.) • Application Process • VAF 5281, Application for Refund of VEAP Contributions • Active Duty personnel must have form signed by service member’s finance officer. • Veterans must have form notarized or witnessed by a VBC • Survivors can use VAF 21-4138, Statement in Support of Claim, and request the refund, along with a copy of the death certificate and the Veteran’s discharge forms

40. Chapter 30 Refunds • Active duty personnel and Veterans who participated in Chapter 30 cannot receive a refund. • Participation was by “pay reduction” not contribution. • Next of kin may apply for refund if • Member dies while on active duty, or • Veteran dies of a service-connected disability

41. Chapter 36 Counseling • Available Services • Finding best suited benefit based upon Veterans interests, skills, and talents. • Professionally trained counselor can help select the best educational and vocational objectives. • Identify the means to reach said objectives. • Assist with coping of personal problems that might interfere with reaching the objective.

42. Chapter 36 Counseling • Eligibility • Must have less than 180 days left on Active Duty, OR • Less than 1 year from discharge, AND • Discharge must be under other-than-dishonorable • Application • VA Form 28-8832, Application for Counseling

43. Review of Education • Purpose • Different Educational Benefit Programs • Types of Training • Changes • Application Procedures

44. Review of Education (cont.) • Original vs. Supplemental Claims • Processing Flow • Forms • Chapter 32 Refunds • Chapter 36 Counseling

45. Questions