The term GI Bill refers to any Department of Veterans Affairs education benefit earned by members of Active Duty, Selected Reserve and National Guard Armed Forces and their families. The benefit is designed to help servicemembers and eligible veterans cover the costs associated with getting an education or training. The GI Bill has several programs and each is administrated differently — depending on a person’s eligibility and duty status.
If you are a veteran or currently in the guard or reserve, the On-The-Job Training (OJT) Program offers you an alternative way to use your VA (GI Bill) education and training benefits. The following is a summary of these GI Bill alternatives.
When you are trained for a new job, you can receive monthly training benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in addition to your regular salary. This means that you can receive up to $990.75 a month ($237.75 for Reserve/Guard) tax-free, on top of your regular salary! That's over $12,000 in cash benefits over two years, for training in an OJT or apprenticeship training program.
VA pays veteran GI Bill participants on a scale depending on the amount of time they are enrolled in the program. For example the program currently pays $990.75 a month for the first six months of training, $726.55 for the second six months of training and $462.35 for remaining training.
VA pays GI Bill Selected Reserve participants on a similar scale but at the following reduced rates; $237.75 a month for the first six months of training, $174.35 for the second six months of training and $110.95 for remaining training. Selected Reserve participants.
Qualifying Jobs
To qualify, your job must meet the following criteria:
- You must be supervised at least 50 percent of the time.
- Job training must lead to an entry-level position. (Management training programs do not qualify.)
- You must be a full-time paid employee — not on commission.
- Your training must be documented and reported.
- You cannot have previous experience job experience in that field.
- You must be recently hired (within one to two years).
- The job must require at least six months training to become fully trained.
- The employer may be private, local or state government.
Companies Who Participate in the Apprenticeship Program
Here is a list of well-known companies who participate in the VA's Apprenticeship Program:
- Pirelli Tire Co.
- Proctor & Gable Co.
- Merck Pharmaceuticals
- Cessna Aircraft
- Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.
- Lockheed Martin Corp.
- Bell South
- World Toyota
- Comcast
- Pratt and Whitney Engine Co.
- Law enforcement (police, sheriff, State Patrol)
- Dept. of Corrections (prisons, detention centers)
- Local Fire Departments
Eligibility
You may be eligible if you are eligible for the GI Bill either under the Active Duty (Veteran) or Reserve GI Bill programs and:
- You are no longer on active duty
- You were recently hired or promoted
- You left active duty less than 10 years ago or
- You are currently a member of the Guard or Reserve (Reserve GI Bill)
So, if you are qualified for the GI Bill and you have started a new job or apprenticeship program, you should apply for this little known GI Bill benefit. In some cases, the VA will even pay retroactively for OJT from the past 12 months.
Note: You may not receive GI Bill OJT benefits at the same time you receive the GI Bill education benefits.
Next Step
Your next step should be to contact your nearest VA Regional Office or local State Approving Agency (SAA). Your SAA will help you get started on the process and answer any questions you may have.
Post 9/11 GI Bill
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill will become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. This program will pay eligible individuals:
- tuition & fees directly to the school not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition & fees at a public Institution of Higher Learning. See chart listing maximum in-state tuition rates
- a monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school. To determine the BAH for your school's ZIP code click here (link goes to a non-VA website) For those attending foreign schools (schools without a main campus in the U.S.) the BAH rate is fixed at $1,333.00 for 2008.
- an annual books & supplies stipend of $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment
- a one-time rural benefit payment for eligible individuals see comparison chart for more information.
This benefit is payable only for training at an Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) (See comparison chart for more information). If you are enrolled exclusively in online training you will not receive the housing allowance. If you are on active duty you will not receive the housing allowance or books & supplies stipend. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.
For information on transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to dependents click here.
Information Resources for the Post-9/11 GI Bill
Compare
See what we'll pay
- A chart listing the in-state maximum tuition & fees by state
- Yellow Ribbon Program information
- Preliminary list of institutions participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program
- BAH Listing by ZIP code (external link)
Read more information (PDF Documents)
- Information on transferability of benefits
- Letter to veterans explaining the Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefit
- Pamphlet
- General information
- Factors to consider
- Information about eligibility & payments
- More information about the Yellow Ribbon Program
More detailed information (external link)