Veterans

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)

Individuals who are eligible for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill may begin using it August 1, 2009. Only active duty service performed after September 10, 2001 may be considered for determining eligibility for this new benefit. To be eligible, a service member or veteran must have served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty. However, individuals honorably discharged for a service-connected disability who served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001 may also establish eligibility.

The Post - 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-377) changes the amount of tuition and fee charges which should be reported to the VA by ACOM. For periods of enrollment beginning on or after August 1, 2011, the school will report the following charges:

"The actual net cost for in-state tuition and fees assessed by the institution for the program of education after the application of any waiver of, or reduction in, tuition and fee; and any scholarship, or other Federal, State, institutional, or employer-based aid or assistance (excluding loans and title IV funds) that is provided directly to the institution and specifically designated for the sole purpose of defraying tuition and fees."

Aid or assistance that is not designated for the sole purpose of reducing a student's tuition and fee cost should not be excluded from the net in-state charges reported to VA.

Example: The student above also has a $1,000 scholarship form a local Veterans Service Organization. The scholarship is general in nature and may be used to defray school costs such as food, housing, books, etc. Since it is not "specifically designated for the sole purpose of defraying tuition and fees," it is not deducted from the charges submitted to VA.

Post-9/11 GI Bill: Transferability

The Post-9/11 GI Bill allows uniformed service members (officer or enlisted, active duty or Selected Reserve), on or after August 1, 2009, to transfer unused education benefits to immediate family members (spouse and children). The service member must have at least six years of service, and commit to an additional four years of service in order to transfer benefits to a spouse or child. Because of the potential impact of this benefit on recruiting and retention, transferability policy is determined by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the military services. For information on policy and rules for transferability of Post-9/11 GIBill benefits, visit the following websites:

http://gibill.va.gov/benefits/post_911_gibill/transfer_of_benefits.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2009/0409_gibill/

The Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30)

The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty.

Reservists Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 1606)

The MGIB-SR program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.

Reserve Educational Assistance Program - REAP (Chapter 1607)

This program was established as a Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress. This program is for reservists who were activated for at least 90 consecutive days after September 11, 2001. Qualified reservists are eligible for increased benefits.

Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Chapter 31)

Vocational Rehabilitation is a program whose primary function is to help veterans with service-connected disabilities become suitably employed, maintain employment, or achieve independence in daily living. The program offers a number of services to help each eligible disabled veteran reach his or her rehabilitation goal. These services include vocational and personal counseling, education and training, financial aid, job assistance, and, if needed, medical and dental treatment. Services generally last up to 48 months, but they can be extended in certain instances.

Dependents Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35)

Dependents' Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Financing Your Education

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, as well as state and local government, offers a number of educational assistance programs for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and their dependents. Based on the time and length of service, as well as current status, veterans may be eligible for one or more of these programs.

All students, regardless of what benefits they believe they may be eligible for, should complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.

How to Receive VA Benefits at ACOM as a New Student

• Apply for your benefits with the VA. Once the VA has processed your application, they will mail a Certificate of Eligibility directly to you.
• If you have used your VA educational benefits elsewhere prior to ACOM, please also complete a Request for Change of Program or Place of Training, VA Form 22-1995. This form is available through the same online application, VONAPP, where you apply for your benefits.
• Provide your VA Certificate of Eligibility to the Office of Financial Aid.
• Complete a Veterans Request for Certification form to receive benefits at ACOM.
• If you are receiving benefits under Ch. 33 (the Post-9/11 GI Bill), you do not need to take any additional action to be certified. Tuition and fees payments will be sent directly to ACOM on your behalf; all other stipends and payments (e.g. BAH, books stipend) will be sent to you.
• If you are receiving benefits under Ch.30, Ch.1606, or Ch.1607 you must verify your enrollment each month with the VA via the Web Automated Veteran's Enrollment (WAVE) system. Benefits will be sent directly to you, and you are responsible for transferring any of these payments to ACOM.

How to Receive Benefits as a Continuing Student

Each term in which you would like to receive VA education benefits at ACOM, you must submit a Veterans Request for Certification form to the Office of Financial Aid.

Student Responsibilities

In order to comply with laws governing VA education benefits, it is your responsibility as a student to notify the Office of Financial Aid when you:

• Add or drop a class(es)
• Change your address
• Withdraw from the college
• Retake a course

*Only courses that are required for your degree program are eligible for certification.

Leaving for or Returning from Active Duty?

Veterans Readmission Policy

Under the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), institutions are required to readmit an individual who left school or did not accept an offer of admission in order to perform military service with the U.S. Armed Forces. The following sections explain the eligibility and re-admission requirements of this policy.

Eligibility

This policy applies only to U.S. military veterans seeking readmission to the program which they previously attended; it does not apply to individuals seeking admission to a different programl at ACOM.

You are eligible for readmission under this provision if, during your leave, you performed or will perform voluntary or involuntary active duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces, including active duty for training and National Guard or Reserve service under federal (not state) authority, and received a discharge other than dishonorable or bad conduct. In general, the cumulative length of absence and all previous absences for military service (service time only) must not exceed 5 years.

Requirement of Notice

If you are planning to take a leave for military service, you must give advance written or verbal notice of military service to the Dean of Students, unless such notice is precluded by military necessity. To be readmitted, you must give notice (written or verbal) of your intent to re-enroll to the Dean of Students no later than 3 years after the completion of the period of your service. If you are recovering from a service-related injury or illness, you must notify the school no later than 2 years after your recovery.

A student who does not submit timely a notification of intent or provide an attestation within the designated time limits may not be eligible for the benefits outlined herein.

Tuition and Fees

For the first academic year in which the student returns, he or she must be readmitted with the same tuition and fees charges the student was or would have been assessed for the academic year when the student left, unless there are sufficient veterans' educational benefits or institutional aid to pay the increased amount of tuition and fees. For subsequent academic years, the student may be charged the same tuition and fees as other students in the program.

Re-Admission Requirements

The school must allow the student to re-enroll in the next class or classes in the same program, with the same enrollment status, number of credits, and academic standing as when he or she was last in attendance at ACOM. The student may also request a later date of admission or, if unusual circumstances require it, the institution may admit the student at a later date. If the school determines that the student is not prepared to resume the program where he or she left off, the school must make reasonable efforts at no extra cost to the student to enable the student to resume and complete the program. Such reasonable efforts include, but are not limited to, providing a refresher course and allowing the student to retake a pretest, as long as they do not place an undue hardship on the school. If reasonable efforts are unsuccessful or the school determines that there are no reasonable efforts that the school can take, the school is not required to readmit the student.

If the program to which the student was admitted is no longer offered, the student must be admitted to the program that is most similar, unless the student requests or agrees to admission to a different program.

For more information, please contact the Dean of Students.

Resources for Returning from Active Duty

When you are ready to return to school, contact your Dean of Students' office to inform them that you will be returning. You may also find these resources useful in your transition:

University Resources

• The Southeast Alabama Medical Center offers its employees an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through AltaCare of Dothan. These confidential services will be provided to ACOM students through the Student Assistance Program and include services for drug and alcohol abuse, emotional, family, marriage, financial and legal issues. AltaCare is a strictly confidential service, providing the same level of benefits to help assist in daily problems that might impair a student's personal or professional life.

24-Hour Access: 334-791-8756
AltaCare of Dothan
1865 Honeysuckle Road. Suite B2
Dothan, AL 36305

• Osteopathic Medical students with disabilities may request accomodations by contacting the Dean of Students. For more information, please review the ACOM Student Handbook and Catalog

External Resources

VA Seamless Transition
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs