VEAP Service Members May Now Enroll in Montgomery G.I. Bill

 
by Senior Master Sgt. Jim Katzaman, USAF
Special to the American Forces Press Service

	WASHINGTON -- For the next 12 months, active duty service 
members in the Veterans Educational Assistance Program may enroll 
in the Montgomery GI Bill.
	The Veterans Benefits Improvements Act, signed into law by 
the president Oct. 11, makes the change possible. DoD, Department 
of Veterans Affairs and service officials must still decide how 
to enroll service members.
	This change can affect more than 120,000 active duty service 
members now enrolled in the  Veterans Educational Assistance 
Program. Service members who entered active duty from 1977 to 
1985 could enroll only in VEAP. If they did, they could 
contribute up to $2,700 into the program, with the government 
making a two-for-one dollar match. The total benefit was $8,100.
	Since 1985, military personnel could enroll only in the 
Montgomery GI Bill. Their pay was reduced $100 per month for a 
year. For that $1,200 in reduced pay, they received a return of 
up to $14,998.
	"At this point, we don't know if the VA will approve 
transfer of money directly from the VEAP account into the 
Montgomery GI Bill," said Albert Arrighi, the Air Force's chief 
of voluntary education programs.
	VA's decision will help determine how much of service 
members' VEAP contributions will be refunded and how much, if 
any, would transfer into the Montgomery GI Bill. In any event, 
Arrighi said, "Your contribution to VEAP will be refunded to 
you."
	Because the exact form of the refund is uncertain until all 
parties agree on the system, service members should not rush to 
their education offices to fill out refund requests. Personnel 
officials will announce when the VEAP-to-Montgomery GI Bill 
enrollment system is in place.
	Switching from one education financial aid program is not 
mandatory. Those who switch from VEAP can apply $1,200 of their 
refund direct to Montgomery to receive that GI Bill's full 
benefit.
	Personnel officials will contact those now out of the 
service who were on active duty and enrolled in VEAP when the 
Veterans Benefits Improvements Act became law on Oct. 11. They 
are also entitled to enroll in the Montgomery GI Bill.

(Katzaman is a reporter with the Air Force News Service.)

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