R 162125Z JAN 09 ZUI ASN-A00016000039 ZYB
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-12//
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS //N01000//
ALCOAST 044/09
COMDINST M1000
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 IS THE SECOND ALCOAST PROVIDING AN UPDATE 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, AS PER REF A.
THE BILL GOES INTO EFFECT ON 1 AUGUST 2009.  IT IS IMPORTANT TO
REITERATE THAT CG MEMBERS SHOULD NOT MAKE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO
THEIR CURRENT GI BILL ENTITLEMENTS (MGIB, VEAP, ETC.) OR PERSONAL
FINANCIAL DECISIONS PRIOR TO DETAILED GUIDANCE PROMULGATION, AND
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A METHOD OF COUNSELING ABOUT THIS ENTITLEMENT.
2.  THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER EDUCATIONAL
BENEFITS BECAUSE IT IS BASED ON TIME IN SERVICE AND NO ELECTION IS
NECESSARY (I.E. MBRS DO NOT HAVE TO SIGN UP) AS LONG AS SERVICE
REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.  THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE FULLY DETAILED IN
POLICY CURRENTLY BEING DRAFTED IN CONCERT WITH DOD AND WILL BE
REFLECTED IN REF B.
3.  IMPLEMENTATION:  THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL GOES INTO EFFECT ON 1
AUGUST 2009.  CURRENTLY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND DEFENSE MANPOWER
DATA CENTER (DMDC) ARE WORKING ON A WEB APPLICATION FOR DETERMING
WHICH EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT A MEMBER OR VETERAN IS ELECTING TO USE.
THE SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND SHOULD BE OPERATIONAL
BY JULY 2009.  MEMBERS WILL INITIATE THE ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION
PROCESS VIA THE WEB APPLICATION AND THEN THE APPLICATIONS WILL
VERIFIED BY THE CG.  THE COAST GUARD PERSONNEL COMMAND AND THE
OFFICE OF MILITARY PERSONNEL ARE ANALYZING THE RESOURCE
REQUIREMENTS TO EFFICIENTLY HANDLE THE INCREASED WORKLOAD.  THE
APPLICATION WILL BE COMPLETED ELECTRONICALLY AND WILL BE LINKED
WITH DMDC.  THE DATA IN DMDC THAT IS COMPILED FROM OTHER DATA
SOURCES SUCH AS DIRECT ACCESS AND DEERS/RAPIDS WILL BE USED TO
DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY.  MEMBERS WHO USE THE POST-9/11 GI BILL WHILE
ON ACTIVE DUTY ARE NOT ENTITLED TO THE HOUSING STIPEND (EQUIVALENT
TO BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING FOR AN E-5 WITH DEPENDENTS AT THE
ZIP CODE OF THE SCHOOL).
4.  TRANSFERABILITY:  THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE TO
TRANSFER THIS ENTITLEMENT TO A DEPENDENT (SPOUSE OR CHILD) ARE THAT
A MEMBER MUST BE ON ACTIVE DUTY ON 1 AUGUST 2009; MUST HAVE A
MINIMUM OF SIX YEARS ACTIVE SERVICE SINCE 11 SEPTEMBER 2001 AND
MUST AGREE TO SERVE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE
EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE THEY ELECT TO TRANSFER.  IF A MEMBER DESIRES
TO TRANSFER THE ENTITLEMENT TO A SPOUSE, THE ELECTION CAN BE MADE
WHEN THE MEMBER HAS SIX YEARS OF SERVICE.  THE SPOUSE CAN START
USING THE ENTITLEMENT IMMEDIATELY AS LONG AS THE MEMBER AGREES IN
WRITING TO SERVE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.  IF A MEMBER
DESIRES TO TRANSFER THE ENTITLEMENT TO A DEPENDENT CHILD, THE
MEMBER MUST COMPLETE AT LEAST 10 YEARS OF SERVICE (I.E. SIX YEARS
PLUS FOUR AFTER ELECTING TRANSFERABILITY) PRIOR TO THE CHILD USEING
THE BENEFIT.  FAILURE TO COMPLETE THE AGREED UPON SERVICE FOR
TRANSFERABILITY WILL TERMINATE THE ENTITLEMENT AND START RECOUPMENT
ACTION FROM THE DEPENDENT TO WHOM THE ENTITLEMENT WAS TRANSFERRED
BY THE VA.  BENEFITS CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO MORE THAN ONE DEPENDENT
AS LONG AS THE TOTAL BENEFITS DO NOT EXCEED 36 MONTHS.  THE
ELIGIBLE DEPENDENT OR DEPENDENTS WILL RECEIVE THE SAME AMOUNTS OF
TUITION AS IF THE MEMBER WAS USING THE BENEFIT, AS WELL AS THE
HOUSING STIPEND AND THE $1000 A YEAR FOR BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
EXAMPLE:  IF A MEMBER ELECTS TO TRANSFER ENTITLEMENT TO TWO
DEPENDENTS (18 MONTHS EACH), EACH ELIGIBLE DEPENDENT WILL GET THE
HOUSING STIPEND AND THE BOOKS AND SUPPLIES ENTITLEMENT AS LONG AS
THE TOTAL ENTITLEMENT DOES NOT EXCEED 36 MONTHS.  AS WITH THE
CURRENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, IF A MEMBER IS SEPARATED FOR ADVERSE
REASONS THEN THE MEMBER'S SEPARATION PROGRAM DESIGNATOR (SPD) CODE
WILL BE USED BY THE VA TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY.  CURRENTLY, ALL
THE SPD CODES THAT PREVENT A MEMBER FROM BEING ELIGIBLE FOR
EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS WILL ALSO TERMINATE A MEMBERS ELIGIBILITY TO
POST-9/11 GI BILL.
5. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ):
 A.  QUESTION:  I PAID 1200 DOLLARS TOWARD THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL.
CAN I GET THAT MONEY BACK?
 B.  ANSWER:  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ANSWER IS YES.
PLEASE CHECK THE COMPREHENSIVE FAQ PORTION OF THE VA WEB SITE FOR
SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES; LINK TO VA: HTTP://WWW.GIBILL.VA.GOV/
 C.  QUESTION:  I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 600 DOLLAR BUY-UP UNDER
THE MGIB.  WHERE DO I FIND INFORMATION?
 D.  ANSWER:  UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND IN THE FAQS ON
THE VA WEBSITE.
 E.  QUESTION:  I WANT TO TRANSFER MY BENEFITS AND AM WILLING TO
SERVE FOUR
ADDITIONAL YEARS, BUT WHAT IF I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SERVE AT LEAST
FOUR MORE YEARS?  ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS?
 F.  ANSWER:  THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE, SUCH AS DEATH OF A
MEMBER, DISABILITY SEPARATIONS, OR IF THE SEPARATION IS DUE TO
POLICY OR LAW.  AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE A MEMBER WHO CANNOT
OBLIGATE FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE DUE TO MANDATORY RETIREMENT.
6.  I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKE AWAY MESSAGE IS TO
NOT MAKE SIGNIFICANT, UNALTERABLE CAREER CHOICES OR CHANGES TO
COLLEGE SAVINGS PLANS FOR DEPENDENTS BASED SOLELY ON THE NEW POST-
9/11 G.I. BILL UNTIL 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.  AS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE IT WILL BE PASSED VIA
ALCOAST.  YOU MAY ALSO KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
BY VISITING THE VA WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.VA.GOV.
7.  MY POC FOR QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS BENEFIT IS YNCM RICHARD
SHARP WHO CAN BE REACHED AT RICHARD.M.SHARP (AT SYMBOL) USCG.MIL OR
202-475-5373.
8.  RDML DANIEL A. NEPTUN, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SENDS.
9. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
BT
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