Lanterna Rally

Author: Congressional Research Congressional Research Service

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2014-11-04

Total Pages: 36

ISBN-13: 9781503177253

The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill(r))-enacted as Title V of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (P.L. 110-252) on June 30, 2008-is the newest GI Bill and went into effect on August 1, 2009. There were four main drivers for the Post-9/11 GI Bill: (1) providing parity of benefits for reservists and members of the regular Armed Forces, (2) ensuring comprehensive educational benefits, (3) meeting military recruiting goals, and (4) improving military retention through transferability of benefits. By FY2010, the program had the largest numbers of participants and the highest total obligations compared to the other GI Bills. The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides benefits to veterans and servicemembers who serve on active duty after September 10, 2001. Participants may be eligible for payments to cover tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies, tutorial and relocation assistance, and testing and certification fees. Individuals who serve on active duty for 36 months after September 10, 2001, may receive a tuition and fees benefit of up to the amount of in-state tuition and fees charged when enrolled in public institutions of higher learning (IHLs), or up to $19,198.31 when enrolled in private IHLs in academic year 2013-2014. Benefit payments vary depending on the participant's active duty status, length of qualifying active duty, rate of pursuit, and program of education. There are two mechanisms by which dependents of individuals with military service may be eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits may be available to the dependents of servicemembers who serve for at least 10 years. Also, the Post-9/11 GI Bill Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship Program may be available to the spouse and children of servicemembers who die while serving on active duty in the line of duty. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-377) made several amendments to eligibility and benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-26) temporarily reversed a P.L. 111-377 amendment to the tuition and fees benefit for some individuals. The Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-154) requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide annual reports to Congress on the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program (DEA). Congress, administrators, and participants have raised several issues recently. The 113th Congress enacted the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-146) on August 7, 2014, expanding the Fry Scholarship to spouses and disapproving courses at public IHLs for some GI Bill participants if the IHL charges the participant more than in-state tuition and fees for said courses. Another salient issue in light of the amount of federal funds devoted to these benefits, an average of $13,465 per participant and a total of $10.2 billion in FY2013, regards the quality of the programs of education for which Post- 9/11 GI Bill participants use their benefits, the ability of participants to make informed decisions on the use of benefits, and misleading or deceptive recruiting techniques of some IHLs. The VA, in partnership with DOD and the Department of Education, is implementing Executive Order 13607, Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members, and the Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-249) to improve disclosures to and protections for Post-9/11 GI Bill participants. Issues have also been raised regarding benefit overpayments, transferability, benefit uses, and qualifying active duty service.