R 181351Z SEP 08 ZUI ASN-A00262000004 FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-12// TO ALCOAST BT UNCLAS //N01000// ALCOAST 447/08 COMDTNOTE 1000 SUBJ: POST-9/11 VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2008 A. TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE B. PERSONNEL MANUAL, COMDTINST M1000.6 (SERIES), CHAPTER 13.A. 1. THIS ALCOAST PROVIDES A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE POST-9/11 VETERANS EDUCATION ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2008, COMMONLY CALLED THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL. SIGNED INTO LAW IN JUNE 2008, THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL DOES NOT GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL 1 AUGUST 2009. DETAILED GUIDANCE IS FORTHCOMING, PENDING CLOSE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA), THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD), AND THE COAST GUARD. THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKE-AWAYS ARE THAT CG MEMBERS SHOULD NOT MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR CURRENT GI BILL ENTITLEMENTS (MGIB, VEAP, ETC.) OR MAKE PERSONAL LIFETIME LEARNING FINANCIAL DECISIONS PRIOR TO DETAILED POST-9/11 G.I. BILL GUIDANCE PROMULGATION. 2. THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL WILL GOVERN PAYMENT AND REIMBURSEMENT PLANS FOR VETERANS AND SERVICEMEMBERS WHO SEEK TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION. THE NEW PLAN WILL BE OPEN TO MOST SERVICE MEMBERS WHO SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY AT LEAST 90 DAYS AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. THIS INCLUDES MEMBERS WHO WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE MONTGOMERY G.I. BILL, SUCH AS SERVICE ACADEMY GRADUATES AND ROTC SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE IN PREVIOUS G.I. BILL PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, TIME SPENT SATISFYING THE ROTC/SERVICE ACADEMY ACTIVE DUTY OBLIGATION DOES NOT COUNT TOWARD THE ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE NECESSARY TO QUALIFY FOR THE BENEFITS. 3. THE BASIC ENTITLEMENTS OF THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL ARE AS FOLLOWS: A. TUITION: THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL WILL COVER TUITION WITH PAYMENTS SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. THE AMOUNT PAYABLE IS BASED ON THE TUITION AND FEES, NOT TO EXCEED THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN-STATE UNDERGRADUATE TUITION IN THAT STATE. FOR SOME HIGH COST INSTITUTIONS, THE NEW LAW DOES PROVIDE VA THE ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE COLLEGE TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN THE TUITION/FEES CHARGED, AND THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT IN THAT STATE. B. HOUSING STIPEND: A HOUSING ALLOWANCE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS WHO ATTEND AS FULL-TIME STUDENTS FOLLOWING SEPARATION FROM SERVICE. THE STIPEND WILL BE EQUIVALENT TO THE BAH RATE FOR AN E-5 WITH DEPENDENTS, BASED ON THE ZIP CODE OF THE COLLEGE ATTENDED. C. BOOKS AND SUPPLIES: A MAXIMUM OF 1,000 DOLLARS PER YEAR WILL BE ALLOTTED TO THE MEMBER TO COVER THE COSTS OF BOOKS AND SUPPLIES. D. TUTORING: AN EXTRA 100 DOLLARS PER MONTH (FOR 12 MONTHS) MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR TUTORING ASSISTANCE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. E. BENEFITS EXPIRATION: SERVICE MEMBERS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM UP TO 15 YEARS AFTER THEY ARE HONORABLY DISCHARGED OR RETIRE FROM THE SERVICE. F. CERTIFICATION: AN EXTRA 2,000 DOLLARS IS AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR ONE LICENSE OR CERTIFICATION TEST AS APPROVED BY THE VA. G. TRANSFERABILITY: A MEMBER MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFER BENEFITS TO THEIR SPOUSE OR DEPENDENT CHILDREN. MEMBERS MUST BE ON ACTIVE DUTY AT THE TIME OF THIS ELECTION, MUST HAVE SERVED SIX YEARS SINCE 9/11, AND MUST AGREE TO SERVE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE. DETAILED GUIDANCE IS BEING DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH DOD AND WILL BE RELEASED AHEAD OF THE AUGUST 2009 IMPLEMENTATION DATE. 4. YOU MAY ALSO KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS BY VISITING THE VA G.I. BILL WEB SITE . A DETAILED BROCHURE IS AVAILABLE AND MEMBERS MAY SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES TO A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS). 5. AGAIN, MEMBERS ARE REMINDED NOT TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT UNALTERABLE CAREER CHOICES OR CHANGES TO COLLEGE SAVINGS PLANS FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS BASED SOLELY ON THE NEW POST-9/11 G.I. BILL UNTIL MORE DETAILED GUIDANCE CAN BE FORMULATED AND PROMULGATED. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT NEW ENTRANTS AND THOSE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MONTGOMERY G.I. BILL CONTINUE TO ENROLL. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS IT APPLIES TO COAST GUARD MEMBERS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED VIA PERIODIC ALCOAST MESSAGES. 6. RELEASED BY, RDML DANIEL A. NEPTUN, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT. 7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED. BT NNNN