The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve is a program that was designed to help promote and encourage education among reservists serving in the Reserves or National Guard. This includes Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guards, Army, Navy, as well as Air National Guard and National Guard components. It is the first program that was designed specifically by Congress to help people who are in the Reserves. Elements of the program also apply for active duty service members but you do not have to have ever served on Active duty to qualify for the program. A reservist who is eligible can get education benefits while in a VA approved college, university or training program.
You are considered eligible if you have:
-Completed your original initial active duty for training (IADT).
-You signed up obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve after June 1985, normally six years.
-You are in good standing in a Selected Reserve Unit.
-You got your High school diploma or GED before you completed your IADT.
The benefit that you qualify for under the Montgomery GI Bill is figured based on the type of training that you are undertaking. If you are attending college or university, then the payment you received is based on your enrollment, part time, half time, or full time. The maximum for full time enrollment in a college or university is Three hundred nine dollars a month. The VA also pays for various other training opportunities, such as technical schools or in some cases certain correspondent type educational choices may qualify. It all depends. To apply you need to receive a Notice of Basic Eligibility from your unit. This is DD Form 2384 or 2384-1, and then you find a program that meets the VA training eligibility requirements. Almost all public and private universities and colleges in America qualify, you can usually find out by talking to the Financial Aid Office at your school if you have any doubts.
Then, after you enroll you forward the DD Form 2384 to the Veterans Administration, along with the VA Form 22-1990 Application for Education Benefits. Send both to the VA regional office in the state where you will train or be attending classes. That’s it. Benefits will arrive monthly and continue for the duration of your training in most cases.
Additional Information and application forms can be obtained from the government web site at: http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp.