Education Update for Florida School Conference Attendees

1
Education Update for Florida School Conference
Attendees

• Dennis Douglass
• Education Service
• Washington, DC
• July 9, 2002

2
Topics of Interest

• Enacted Legislation
• PL 107-103, Veterans Education Benefits
  Expansion Act of 2001
• PL 107-107, Defense Authorization Bill
• Pending Legislation
• Education Service Projects

3
Benefit Rate Increases
PL 107-103

• Increases MGIB full time rates for 3 year
  enlistment to
• 800 Jan 1, 2002
• 900 Oct 1, 2002
• 985 Oct 1, 2003
• COLA Oct 1, 2004

• Increases MGIB full time rates for less than 3
  year enlistment to
• 650 Jan 1, 2002
• 732 Oct 1, 2002
• 800 Oct 1, 2003
• COLA Oct 1, 2004

4
Other Rate Increases
PL 107-103

• Increases full time rates for MGIB recipients
  with remaining Ch 34 entitlement (without
  dependents) to
• 988 Jan 1, 2002
• 1088 Oct 1, 2002
• 1173 Oct 1, 2003
• COLA Oct 1, 2004
• Increases DEA full time benefits to 670
  effective January 1, 2002

5
Other Provisions
PL 107-103

• Restores benefits when individual is called to
  active duty under certain sections of title 10
  USC
• Expands MGIB eligibility for some Vietnam Era
  veterans
• Increases maximum allowable annual Senior ROTC
  educational assistance for eligibility for
  benefits under MGIB

6
Other Provisions
PL 107-103

• Expands approval for distance learning
  (accredited independent study program) to include
  certificates that reflect educational attainment
  offered by an institution of higher learning.
• Includes certain private technology entities in
  definition of educational institution
• Expands work study

7
Accelerated Payments
PL 107-103

• Accelerated payments for education leading to
  employment in high technology industry
• Beginning with enrollments in courses or programs
  of education on or after 10/01/02
• Tuition and fees for enrollment period must be
  200 of the regular monthly MGIB rate payable
• Accelerated payment is lesser of
• 60 of established charges
• The aggregate amount of entitlement individual
  has remaining
• Individual must request accelerated payment

8
Accelerated Payments
PL 107-103

• VA must publish regulations to administer
• Proposed regulations must be published with 60
  day comment period for public to comment
• Proposed regulations define high tech and high
  technology occupations
• Law did not specify accelerated payment only for
  short term courses.
• Can be used for regular college courses if
  courses lead to employment in high technology
  industry

9
Defense Authorization BillTransferability
PL 107-107

• Permits military services to allow service
  members, as a reenlistment option, to transfer
  MGIB entitlement to dependents
• Must have completed 6 years and agree to serve 4
  more years
• Transfer up to 18 months of entitlement
• To spouse after 6 years of service
• To children after 10 years of service
• Children must use before age 26
• Program criteria will be determined by the Armed
  Services Branches

10
Army 18-Month Enlistment Pilot Program
PL 107-107

• 18 months on active duty followed by
• 36 months in Selected Reserve and
• Service in the Individual Ready Reserve to
  complete the military obligation
• Not eligible for MGIB (less than 24 months active
  duty)
• Not eligible for MGIB-SR (less than 6 year
  Selected Reserve requirement)

11
Pending Legislation

• S. 1517
• S. 1792
• S. 2068
• S. 2231
• S. 2237
• S. 2462
• S. 2514

• H.R. 745 H.R. 3734
• H.R. 1280 H.R. 4015
• H.R. 1962 H.R. 4085
• H.R. 2020 H.R. 4214
• H.R. 3465 H.R. 4546
• H.R. 3731 H.R. 4854

12
Noteworthy Provisions

• Increase rates (MGIB, MGIB-SR, DEA)
• Decrease (or eliminate entirely) the monthly MGIB
  pay-in
• Extend eligibility periods
• Provide service members another open window for
  MGIB participation
• Liberalize transferability criteria
• Increase SAA funding

13
Education Service Projects

• Monthly Verifications
• Outreach Activities
• Veterans Relationship Management
• The Education Expert System

14
Monthly Verifications for MGIB-SR Begins 8/1/2002

• Notification Letters began in May
• Follow-up Letters in July
• No paper forms!!!!
• Paper eliminated for MGIB too!!!
• Toll-free (1-877-823-2378) or Internet
  (www.gibill.va.gov/wave)

15
Outreach Activities

• Active Duty Mailings
• 12-month
• 24-month
• Near-discharge
• Other Outreach Efforts
• Licensing Certification Tests
• Regular Pamphlets (Chapters 30, 32, 1606)
• Notice of Chapter 30 Status

16
Veterans RelationshipManagement

• VRM is a comprehensive strategy to improve
  customer service delivery by integrating people,
  process, and technology to manage veteran
  interactions through multiple channels
• VRM will provide
• A history of all claimant contact (phone, e-mail,
  letters, etc.)
• Claimant access to frequently needed data

17
The Education Expert System (TEES) What is it?

• A redesign of our payment systems into a single
  application within VBAs corporate environment
• The incorporation of rules-based processing to
  automate the adjudication of education benefit
  claims
• Changes to current applications

18
How Does It All Fit Together?
OLAF
Veteran Claims Examiners
eCERT
Training Institutions
Phase II
TEES
TIMS
DMDC Data
OSAP
WAVE
IVR - CERT
Student
Student
VRM
19
Want More Information on VA Education Benefits?

• Send 19.95 (plus shipping and Handling) to .
• Or better yet surf on over to www.gibill.va.gov
• Its fast, free, full of information!!!

20
Questions?