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Education and Training

Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)

REAP provides educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency declared by the president or Congress.

Change in REAP Eligibility

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 ended REAP on November 25, 2015. Some individuals will remain eligible for REAP benefits until November 25, 2019, while others are no longer eligible for REAP benefits.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill in many ways has replaced REAP because it also provides educational assistance benefits for Reserve and National Guard members called to active duty on or after September 11, 2001, and in many cases provides a greater benefit than REAP.

We are committed to ensuring that Reservists, National Guard members, and Veterans understand this change, and we are working to identify individuals who no longer have eligibility for REAP and inform them of potential eligibility to other benefit programs.

This change affects beneficiaries differently:

  • Current REAP beneficiaries -- .Veterans who were attending an educational institution on November 24, 2015, or during the last semester, quarter, or term ending prior to that date, are eligible to continue to receive REAP benefits until November 25, 2019.
  • REAP beneficiaries not attending school -- Veterans who applied for REAP but were not attending an educational institution on November 24, 2015, or during the last semester, quarter, or term ending prior to that date, are no longer eligible to receive REAP benefits. You may be eligible to receive benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Veterans who have not enrolled in school and applied for REAP benefits prior to November 25, 2015, are no longer eligible for REAP benefits. However, in most cases, you will be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The Colmery Act, also known as the Forever GI Bill, enacted August 16, 2017, provides an opportunity for reservists who lost their REAP benefits to elect to credit their REAP eligibility toward the Post-9/11 GI Bill. These reservists:

  • Must have established REAP eligibility before November 25, 2015, and lost eligibility due to the sunset of that program on November 25, 2015
  • Can elect to credit the active duty service they used to establish chapter REAP eligibility to establish eligibility under the Post-9/11 GI Bill
  • Will receive one month (or partial month) of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for each month (or partial month) of remaining REAP benefits up to a maximum of 36 months
  • Will not be eligible for 48 months of entitlement based on their previous eligibility for REAP and their new eligibility under the Post-9/11 GI Bill
  • Will be entitled to the 60% payment tier under the Post-9/11 GI Bill regardless of the length of their Post-9/11 active duty service
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