You can choose to join the military and pay for your education from the benefits that you realize as a part of the Montgomery GI Bill. This is a program that has existed in many forms, and been enhanced and improved over the years by Congress. The Active Duty Montgomery GI bill is available for any soldier who signs up for at least 2 years of active duty service (followed by 4 years reserve service.) The educational benefit money from the Montgomery GI bill starts on the day that you end your active duty service, and the money for education is available for a ten-year period from that date. You can also sometimes have your benefits extended if any of the following conditions apply:
-You become disabled during your active duty service from a duty related incident.
-You suffer from a pre existing medical condition that gets worse while you are on active duty.
-You are involuntarily discharged through a RIFF or reduction in fighting forces decision.
-Other emergency hardships occur to you will on active duty.
The Montgomery GI Bill provides for funds for up to three years, or 36 months in total of benefits and education support money. You can access these funds to pay for any of the following:
-Flight training.
-Licensing and certifications for civilian job and apprenticeship programs.
-University and College programs.
-Technical and Vocational courses and programs.
-Small business and entrepreneurship training programs.
-Correspondence and some distance learning programs.
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How much does the Montgomery GI Active Duty educational benefits pay? Well in a nutshell, it depends. It is based on the type of training that you take, your category, if you elected to have the DoD help you by participating in any programs that put in extra money (called “Kicker programs,”) and the length of time you were on Active duty Service. You have a base ten-year period (unless it is extended for some reason) to use your VA benefits. The program that you want to attend has to be approved for VA Montgomery GI Bill funding (most accredited colleges and universities are, but its your responsibility to check) and you have to apply to the school you want to enroll in to access your VA benefits. But it is a program that can assist you in your school goals, and provide money to attend college or university after you leave the military.
I joined the active duty Air Force July 1986 when the GI Bill came into existance; however, durying basic training there was a brief discussion on the GI Bill andthat was it. The opportunity to sign up was not disvussed and no paperwork was handed out to sign up. All that was discussed was it was a new program replacing VEAP. How can I find out why why our basic training group was so ill advised of the program and not given the opportunity to sign up? I was honorably discharged in 1990 and signed up to Join the Army to have another opportunity to sign up for the GI Bill but was refused based on being prior military status.