Many post -9/11 veterans and servicemembers will soon be eligible for a new package of education benefits. This new GI Bill is praised as the most comprehensive education benefits package since the original Montgomery GI Bill was signed into law in 1944.

The new education bill, commonly called the Post-9/11 G.I Bill, will govern payment and reimbursement plans for veterans and servicemembers who seek to further their education.  The bill provides help for tuition and additional benefits, including assistance for books, school supplies, any other fee associated with getting a degree, and a new monthly housing stipend. The new bill also gives Reserve and Guard members who have been activated for more than 90 days since 9/11 access to the same GI Bill benefits.

The new plan will be open to most servicemembers who served on active duty after Sept. 11, 2001, including many who were not eligible for the Montgomery G.I. Bill or declined to participate in the program.

Although the new benefits go into effect August 1, 2009, Department of Defense and Department of Veteran's Affairs officials are still working out some details.  Regardless, a few facts have already been determined. 

TUITION -- The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill will cover tuition with payments sent directly to the school. The formula for determining the amount of tuition and fees paid will be based on the highest cost of a state-supported bachelor's degree program.

One of the added features of this tuition payment plan is that the tuition will be paid directly to the school, relieving the servicemember of the responsibility. This is similar to the process used for military tuition assistance.

Based on 2008 in-state tuition rates, the anticipated annual tuition payment rate for 2009 will be just over $6,000. Wyoming boasts the lowest tuition at $3,500 a year, while Michigan yields the highest in-state tuition rate at $13,000. All costs will be covered by the new GI bill.

HOUSING - Veterans enrolled in a traditional college program as a half-time to full-time student will be paid a monthly housing stipend of approximately $1,100 a month.

BOOKS & SUPPLIES - A maximum of $1,000 per year will be allotted to the member to cover the costs of books and supplies needed for classes.

TUTORING - Like the Montgomery GI Bill, the new GI Bill will provide up to $1,200 for tutorial assistance.

AVAILABILITY - Servicemembers can take advantage of the program up to 15 years after they are honorably discharged or retire from the service.

CERTIFICATION - An extra $2,000 is available to pay for one license or certification test as approved by the VA.

BENEFIT TRANSFERABILITY - Servicemembers who have served at least 10 years on active duty will be able to transfer their benefit to a spouse or dependent child. Spouses of servicemember who have served at least six years and agrees to another four-year contract can receive the money even sooner.  The transferred benefit will cover the cost of tuition only.  Benefits may be divided as long as they don't exceed 36 months of college classes. For example, a retired soldier can use half of the benefits to pay for a two-year degree program, then transfer the remaining half to a spouse or child.

College-age children of long-serving servicemembers could get a free college education starting fall 2009, provided they attend a state-backed school. Transferability is limited to those currently serving in the military and will likely be used as a retention tool.  Additionally, a portion of the tuition stipend, as well as the tutoring allowance, may be available to transfer to family members.

So who is eligible for the New GI Bill?

If you have served a total of at least 90 consecutive days on active duty in the Armed Forces since Sept. 11, 2001, you're eligible. However, the amount of benefits you receive under this program are determined by the actual amount of accumulated post-9/11 service you have.

To be eligible for the full benefits, you must have three years of active duty service after 9/11 or have been discharged due to a service-connected disability.

If you are an officer who graduated from a service academy or received ROTC scholarships, you also qualify for the new GI Bill benefits. However, your ROTC/Service Academy associated obligated active-duty service time does not count toward the three years necessary to qualify for the full benefits.

Although tuition benefits will be available to most people while they're on active duty, it's most advantageous to use all the benefits after separating, since there are several educational programs available to active duty members.

If you are already enrolled in the Montgomery GI Bill and also meet the criteria for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you have the option to transfer your remaining Montgomery GI Bill benefits to the new program.

For many veterans, this will be a good option. However, due to the tuition limits set by this new GI Bill, many veterans who are pursuing a post-graduate degree may find the Montgomery GI Bill better suits their needs. This is also true for those students pursuing an online degree, as this new benefit will not pay the housing stipend to students enrolled in distance learning programs.

As with any legislation, details remain sketchy until implementation guidance is made public, and since nothing goes into effect until August of 2009, people shouldn't make any sort of determination until then.

Further Eligibility Details and a Comparison between the Old and New GI Bill is attached below. 

Photo by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America