GI Bill, Green to Gold, and Other Education Opportunities

[Fizzle]

Would you veterans and active duty guys happen to know about the Army College Fund?

I had a choice between the $8000 cash bonus or $4000 cash and $950ACF
Is the $950 a month a kicker on top of the BAH and tuition benefits? I know it's a long way down the road until I get out and do college so it's more of a "just wondering" questions.

 

[Ranger Psych]

Would you veterans and active duty guys happen to know about the Army College Fund?

I had a choice between the $8000 cash bonus or $4000 cash and $950ACF
Is the $950 a month a kicker on top of the BAH and tuition benefits? I know it's a long way down the road until I get out and do college so it's more of a "just wondering" questions.

The GI Bill is real nice, don't go without that... I didn't have ACF and although it would have been nice, I did ok without it for the little bit of college I did recently.

 

[Boon]

I agree with RP, the GI bill is a must have. Plus if you aren't deploying all the time, you could actually attend classes for next to nothing on the Army's dime. And definitely take those CLEP tests while you're in. They will save you a ton of $$.

 

[Ranger Psych]

Yes. You get... 5 grand? a semester for courses, and there's tons of courses on post or that you can do online through the various outlets to further your education while you're enlisted. CLEP is huge as well, why not take the opportunity to skip the shit you don't need to. Even if you're deploying, there are options to either accellerate classes or put them on hiatus while you're out of the loop.

That, and if you get deployed and bolo a course due to them not letting you finish it, your CO can and will sign off to have the army eat the course on your behalf with no downside. Happened to me with iraq, I was studying for my MCSE and we invaded Iraq. I would have been g2g with afghanistan deployments, but Iraq threw things off enough that I couldn't recover. best part? I still have the computer that I received as my training box to work with for the course.

 

[goon175]

Since the new Post 9/11 GI Bill has come into effect, I would advise you to decline the Montgomery GI Bill in your contract. The Post 9/11 gives you WAY more benefits and is an all around better deal. So if you take the montgomery GI Bill in your contract, all you are doing is throwing away the 1200 dollars you have to pay that first year, just to decline the montgomery later on so that you can take advantage of Post 9/11. Take the higher cash bonus and forget about Montgomery GI Bill with the ACF kicker. It's garbage now.

 

[SkrewzLoose]

Since the new Post 9/11 GI Bill has come into effect, I would advise you to decline the Montgomery GI Bill in your contract. The Post 9/11 gives you WAY more benefits and is an all around better deal. So if you take the montgomery GI Bill in your contract, all you are doing is throwing away the 1200 dollars you have to pay that first year, just to decline the montgomery later on so that you can take advantage of Post 9/11. Take the higher cash bonus and forget about Montgomery GI Bill with the ACF kicker. It's garbage now.

I disagree.
The MGI Bill is a check (around $1700 right now) sent directly to YOU every month. Couple this with TA and your base pay and you could be clearing a decent amount of $$ every month.
The Post 9/11 GI bill sends the check directly to the school.

I almost put my foot in my mouth regarding some facts on the 2 bills. We were told in boot camp that the Post 9/11 doesn't cover tech schools or certification courses, but on their website it says that they do.
It comes down to whether you want a little extra cash in your pocket + school (MGIB) or if you just want your school paid for (Post 9/11). The total amount for the Post 9/11 bill comes out to more money, but again, you never actually see it.
Just my $.02.
YMMV

 

[medicchick]

I almost put my foot in my mouth regarding some facts on the 2 bills. We were told in boot camp that the Post 9/11 doesn't cover tech schools or certification courses, but on their website it says that they do.

It changed in August or September IIRC, I know it was in the last few months. There were a lot of changes to the post 9/11 bill, so if anyone is using it, make sure you research what you get now. They also changed payout BAH for taking classes from home online. I had to really look when RP was going back to school before we moved.

 

[Ranger Psych]

That and the fact that you get your housing stipend sent to you, while the school gets the education money.

A: you're a fresh fucking private in training so 100 a month going away for the MGIB investment aint shit
B: It gives you options later on in life once you decide specifically what you need/want

I mean, hell, going green to gold or some shit? Pop the MGIB and get that check while the army pays your shit... on top of your stiipend. Tons of options and things you could do.

 

[pardus]

It changed in August or September IIRC, I know it was in the last few months. There were a lot of changes to the post 9/11 bill, so if anyone is using it, make sure you research what you get now. They also changed payout BAH for taking classes from home online. I had to really look when RP was going back to school before we moved.

They do pay BAH for online courses?

 

[Ranger Psych]

Yeah, IIRC it's half the BAH rate for the AO for an E-5... since you can do the studies at your own leisure (generally speaking) and as such, could be employed or w/e.

 

[SkrewzLoose]

RP is correct. From the Post 9/11 GIB site...

A monthly housing allowance (MHA) based on the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school. For those enrolled solely in distance learning the housing allowance payable is equal to ½ the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents ($673.50 for the 2011 academic year). For those attending foreign schools (schools without a main campus in the U.S.) the BAH rate is fixed at $1,347.00 for the 2011 academic year. (Active duty students & their spouses cannot receive the MHA).

http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/post_911_gibill/index.html

 

[SkrewzLoose]

Mods/Admin, is there any way to cut this thread off where the GIB stuff starts and make that part of it a sticky?? There's some very useful info. here but it's in a thread that began as "I got an Army EOD slot" and might not be easily found.

 

[goon175]

It comes down to whether you want a little extra cash in your pocket + school (MGIB) or if you just want your school paid for (Post 9/11).

That is totally untrue, as some have already mentioned. The MGIB does send you a check, but it more than likely won't cover your total tuition. The Post 9/11 not only pays ALL of your tuition (payed to the school), but you also get a check for BAH plus 1,000 per year for Books and Supplies, payed directly to you. Post 9/11 is FAR superior to MGIB.

 

[TLDR20]

That is totally untrue, as some have already mentioned. The MGIB does send you a check, but it more than likely won't cover your total tuition. The Post 9/11 not only pays ALL of your tuition (payed to the school), but you also get a check for BAH plus 1,000 per year for Books and Supplies, payed directly to you. Post 9/11 is FAR superior to MGIB.

This will depend on where you go to school and whether or not you got any kicker! I for example on the MGIB would receive 2,000 a month. Post 9/11 I would receive 800 a month. School costs 4 thousand a year, do the math and you will see the MGIB is far superior. Now if you are living in CA, or NY that changes drastically. In state tuition in NC is very good.

 

[Marauder06]

Mods/Admin, is there any way to cut this thread off where the GIB stuff starts and make that part of it a sticky?? There's some very useful info. here but it's in a thread that began as "I got an Army EOD slot" and might not be easily found.

I'll see what I can do.

 

[SkrewzLoose]

That is totally untrue, as some have already mentioned. The MGIB does send you a check, but it more than likely won't cover your total tuition. The Post 9/11 not only pays ALL of your tuition (payed to the school), but you also get a check for BAH plus 1,000 per year for Books and Supplies, payed directly to you. Post 9/11 is FAR superior to MGIB.

Agree to disagree??

 

[Marauder06]

This is a thread for your questions about the Montgomery GI Bill, the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the Green to Gold program, scholarships, and other education opportunities available through the military.

 

[TLDR20]

Would you veterans and active duty guys happen to know about the Army College Fund?

I had a choice between the $8000 cash bonus or $4000 cash and $950ACF
Is the $950 a month a kicker on top of the BAH and tuition benefits? I know it's a long way down the road until I get out and do college so it's more of a "just wondering" questions.

I did this when I enlisted, I didn't take the 20k and instead took 8 plus a ACF kicker. It was a good choice!

 

[Florida173]

That is totally untrue, as some have already mentioned. The MGIB does send you a check, but it more than likely won't cover your total tuition. The Post 9/11 not only pays ALL of your tuition (payed to the school), but you also get a check for BAH plus 1,000 per year for Books and Supplies, payed directly to you. Post 9/11 is FAR superior to MGIB.

I'd have to also disagree with you. The post 9/11 GI bill will be there anyway after anyone deploys. Take the Chapter 30 benefits with the kicker and when you separate from active duty go ahead and jump in the Reserves or National Guard. Then you can get the GI Bill every month and use Federal Tuition Assistance to actually pay for classes.

I have 15 months left of the Chapter 30 benefits and don't see myself using it any time soon because of my work obligations I can't be in school full time. So I take classes either by distance learning or one class at a time and just have FTA pay for it until I have time available to actually take a full load.

Once my 15 months are over, I can jump over to an additional 12 months of Post 9/11 benefits, or transfer what I want to a dependent, which I don't have at the moment. As long as I stay in the Guard, my only requirement is to have 4 years remaining to transfer what I want.

 

[Worldweaver]

Gentlemen, I contacted the VA and was told that because I declined the MGIB when I enlisted, in favor of the SLRP, that I'm ineligible for Post 9/11 GI Benefits. I'm nearing the end of my initial 8 year enlistment, does anyone know if I would be eligible for the Post 9/11 if I entered the reserves and re-enlisted? I've tried to contact the VA about this, however, my inquiries were never answered. If anybody has any info, or has dealt with this issue themselves, lend a slightly illiterate and confused mamo jama a hand.