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The Webb version passed through the House on Thursday. President Bush has said that he will sign it into law.
I spent quite a few hours yesterday reading the new and the old statute. This first thing is that anyone who is already enrolled in the MGIB can keep it or transfer to the new one. The new bill updates the monthly stipend of the MGIB to over 1300. What I'm still trying to figure out is how you'd apply the new bill to fellowship. It's seems based on tuition and fellowship doesn't have tuition. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Ed
I spent quite a few hours yesterday reading the new and the old statute. This first thing is that anyone who is already enrolled in the MGIB can keep it or transfer to the new one. The new bill updates the monthly stipend of the MGIB to over 1300. What I'm still trying to figure out is how you'd apply the new bill to fellowship. It's seems based on tuition and fellowship doesn't have tuition. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Ed
A quick question for you ed. I've read snippets of the new bill and if I understand it correctly it also affects vets who are currently using the GI Bill. So my question is: If I only have 6 months of benefits left, do you think I should hold out on the last month provided the bill hasn't been approved yet? Also, how long do you think this approval process will take?
Does anyone have any links that discuss how residency programs are going to be handled? the old GI Bill was fairly clear on this. Now with the new GI Bill seemingly tied in to cost of tuition, I'm wondering how (or even if) residents will be eligible to use any of the GI Bill? At least the E5 BAH?
(thank for the info edmadison) that active duty service time completed for loan repayment is not eligible.
-Reading the language of the bill, it specifically states in the "exceptions" subparagraph that those who receive benefits under title section 2107 of title 10 of the us code are excluded. I believe this is the law that the HPSP and FAP fall under.
It is a good thing I'm not counting on this money to survive. My Scotch budget is suffering, however... and that is no way to live.
Two issues: Please tell me you drink single malt and make sure you get yourself a nice Islay malt. If you cant taste the dirt, it aint real Scotch.
Ed
It's the state public university tuition plus BAH at E5, right?I looked over the proposed payouts for the new GI bill and I can't see how it would be useful for pursuing an MBA or MPH. According to the GI bill's website, the amount of money given is based upon a state's public universities, with an average of $6,000 per year. I don't see how that could cover a master's degree.
I found this mention about using the post 9/11 GI bill with residency:
https://www.gibill2.va.gov/vba/vba....2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9cG9zdC05LzEx&p_li=&p_topview=1
they say it's approved, and that's good news.
I have finished paying my MGIB however was accepted into military residency this yr. Program will start July 1, 2009. Can I use the GI bill during residency.
Anyone have any insight on how to have the MGIB pay for pre-med course work? My ed plan is for my cognitive/neuroscience degree but much of the pre-med track isn't part of my degree.
Have you already served 3 years Active Duty?
Yes, 4 years as a Marine.
You should be able to apply. Just go to the VA website and apply for benefits online
If you are using the MGIB (aka the old GI Bill), they don't care what you take, as long as you are a full-time student you will receive the full benefit (with kicker if you paid into that)
It's one of the FAQ items on the VA website that says that while the new GI bill allows folks who entered under student loan repayment plans to qualify for the new GI Bill beneifts, "time spent satisfying the student loan repayment obligation does not count toward the active duty service necessary to qualify for the benefits."
Would this rule out folks under HPSP?
Ah. Your time in residency has paid off your ADSO you acquired for paying off the tuition; the years you owe post-residency as active duty are actually paying off your ADSO for the residency. That makes a lot of sense.If you do an inservice internship and residency, that's time spent on active duty that doesn't count toward the ADSO. I believe this time counts.
What do folks think about this?
It's one of the FAQ items on the VA website that says that while the new GI bill allows folks who entered under student loan repayment plans to qualify for the new GI Bill beneifts, "time spent satisfying the student loan repayment obligation does not count toward the active duty service necessary to qualify for the benefits."
Would this rule out folks under HPSP?
If you do an inservice internship and residency, that's time spent on active duty that doesn't count toward the ADSO. I believe this time counts.
If you do your GMO time and get out ... my read is that you're out of luck for the new GI Bill. There's still the old GI Bill though, if you paid your money when you came in (or if you claim you were incorrectly counseled and pay it now).
I'm finally posting a rundown of my GI Bill experience. This is for the old version of the MGIB only. I don't know anything about the new version that is set to start in (I believe) August 2009. I don't know if the new GI Bill will pay for civ residency. I can tell you with 100% certainty that the old GI Bill does. Someone smarter than me might be able to find out if you can still elect the old GI Bill after Aug 2009.
First and foremost for those of you getting ready to join milmed and make the biggest mistake of your life, do not refuse GI Bill participation. Even if you are sure, just don't fill out the form. This usually happens at COT/OIS/MIMSO or whatever they are calling it this year. They will tell you that you will have your terminal degree and that you don't need MGIB. They are either lying or more likely don't know what they are talking about. Just don't fill out the DD Form 2366. You aren't required to make a decision at that point. If they tell you otherwise, ask to speak to the commander. If the commander tells you that you have to decide on the spot and to fill out the 2366, politely refuse and ask where the Inspector General's office is located. Not filling out the 2366 keeps your options open in case your mind changes at some point in the future. Options are good and are few and far between when you're in the military.
OK, so you loved the idea of milmed all through med school and now find yourself hating it when you are a newly minted "graduate" of your internship and are sent on a hellish GMO tour. Your thoughts of military GME and making a career of it are erased forever from your mind. You wisely choose to do your 3-4 year hitch, GTFO ASAP, and do a high quality civilian residency...
Go to your base education office and finally fill out that DD 2366. This authorizes a deduction of $100 per month from your paycheck until you have paid $1200 into the MGIB. You don't have to do this 12 months prior to separation, however. I did mine in February and was out the last day of April. The finance goons will just deduct the remainder of the $1200 from your last paycheck.
This should be common sense, but it always bears repeating...
KEEP COPIES OF EVERYTHING! Paperwork gets lost all the time and a backup copy can save a lot of wasted time and headaches.
You definitely want to also take advantage of the $600 buy-up or "Kicker." This gives you an extra $150 per month for a one-time contribution of $600. Hmmm, let's do the math 36 x 150 = $5,400 for $600. This is a good deal. Wait until the first MGIB decuction for $100 shows up on your Leave and Earnings Statement (and by the way, keep a paper copy of each LES, too) and go back to the education office to elect the $600 Kicker. Fill out a DD Form 2366-1 which authorizes a one-time deduction of $600 from your paycheck. Keep a copy (of course), take this to Finance and find someone who has processed MGIB paperwork before so the chances of screw-up are somewhat reduced. Keep any paperwork they give you back, such as a receipt. Otherwise, be sure to print and save the monthly LES that shows the $600 deduction. This will show up as "MGIB-Additional" on the LES.
Once your $1200 is paid and the $600 Kicker is taken care of, go back to counting down the days until your eventual escape from the hell that is milmed.
When you figure out where you'll be going for civ residency, search for your program on the VA website:
http://inquiry.vba.va.gov/weamspub/buildSearchLCCriteria.do
If they are on the list, you're golden. If not, you will have to contact the program and ask them to submit for approval for MGIB.
At some point after separating (within a few weeks, in my case) you will get a letter from the VA stating that you are eligible for GI Bill benefits. You have to apply for these benefits on the VA website:
http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/How_to_Apply.htm
This will take you to the VONAPP. You will need info from your DD-214 (Discharge from Active Duty) such as dates of active duty service, etc. It is relatively painless and takes 20-30 mins.
Once your application is in, it will again take a few weeks to process. Be sure to talk with whoever verifies GI Bill status for your program and ensure that everything is correct on that end. The program coordinator at my program has had a few MGIB recipients over the years and luckily knew to double check with the VA that things were in place and that nothing was lost. Eventually you will be able to verify enrollment online at the WAVE page of the VA site:
https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/default.cfm
You have to verify attendance on the last day of each month and you will get a check or direct deposit about a week later. Now the money should start rolling in... but wait, what about that extra $150 from the Kicker?
Since the VA is a government operation, it is extremely disorganized and the right hand doesn't talk to the left. You have to provide evidence that you elected and paid for the Kicker back when you were on active duty. This is where keeping a copy of everything comes in handy. You will need to mail a copy of the DD 2366-1 electing the Kicker and a copy of your LES (or receipt) showing that you paid the $600 to your regional VA office.
http://www.gibill.va.gov/contact/Office_locations.htm
After a few more weeks, you will receive back pay for the previous months that you didn't get the extra $150. Eventually, you will get another letter from the VA stating that your benefits have changed to reflect the new monthly amount.
Keep verifying attendance on the last of the month and the money keeps rolling in. It takes a while, but it is totally worth it.
What do you mean by GME if you don't intend on going for fellowship? Do you mean CME?
You should absolutely reverse your 2366. You can use the GI Bill for MBA, MPH, PhD, further residency/fellowship training, cooking school, pilot training, the list goes on and on. By the time it is funded fully (1800 total investment if the kicker is paid), it will be worth 46,000. This does not figure the 3-4% increase that the stipend has been going up annually. In 2 years, by the time I am going to be ready to cash out my MGIB, I am looking at around 50,000+ for my 3 year residency. It seems that the only docs that are not eligible for the MGIB are people that went through accension through either ROTC or as an Academy grad (Unsure about USUHS though).
Sethco,
Do you know which form is required to reverse the 2366? I just called my MPF folks and sure enough apparently I signed the form way back in Aug 97' declining the MGIB. I can tell you that I definitely don't think I received the information I'm getting from this thread. Does anyone know the details of reversing the decision? Thanks!