Veterans need to be aware of changes in federal educational benefit limits

Veterans and their dependents may be eligible for state and national programs that could pay all or part of their educational programs in state universities and technical colleges.

Since World War II, the Federal Government has provided educational assistance to service members with qualifying service through various GI bills. In addition, service members and surviving spouses and dependents are also eligible for programs through the state of Wisconsin which offer tuition waivers through the Universities of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin Technical College System.

In addition, a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision (RUDISILL v. MCDONOUGH, SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS) further expanded the length of time for federal programs for veterans who qualify under both the Montgomery GI Bill of 1984 and the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 under multiple terms of service.

The Department of Veteran Affairs provides a variety of veterans education benefits and assistance programs, benefiting both veterans and some dependents. The Montgomery GI Bill is the primary source of funding for Active Duty Veterans (MGIB-AD), while The GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) and the Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP) provide education help for some Reservists and National Guards. The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA) is designed for the families of qualifying veterans.

In addition, veterans rated at 10% disabled or greater by the Veterans Administration could be eligible for vocational rehabilitation which can provide a wide variety of additional educational benefits.

Under the Montgomery GI Bill, active duty service members may be eligible for education benefits after two years of active duty. Veterans are eligible if they entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985; received a high school diploma or equivalent (or, in some cases, 12 hours of college credit) before the end of their first obligated period of service; received an honorable discharge; and met the length of service requirements.

REAP Eligibility for Veterans Education Benefits for is determined by the Department of Defense (DoD) or Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as appropriate. Generally, a member of a Reserve component who serves on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, for at least 90 consecutive days under a contingency operation, is eligible for REAP. There is no specific time frame to use REAP; however, eligibility generally ends when you leave the Selected Reserves.

To be an eligible for Survivors’ & Dependents’ Education Assistance you must be the son, daughter, or spouse of:

• a veteran who died, or is permanently and totally disabled, as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of active service in the Armed Forces.

• a veteran who died from any cause while such service-connected disability was in existence.

• a service member missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile force.

• a service member forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power.

• a service member hospitalized or receiving outpatient care for a VA determined service-connected permanent and total disability may be eligible for DEA benefits.

A major change occurred in 2024 with the RUDISILL v. MCDONOUGH, SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS decision.

On April 16, 2024 the Supreme Court ruled that if you served at least two periods of service-one that qualifies for the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) and another that qualifies for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (PGIB) you may be able to receive additional GI Bill benefits.

Generally, GI bills provide 36 months of educational benefits each up to a cap of 48 months. However, in this case, James Rudisill enlisted in the US Army in 2000 and served a total of 8 years over three separate periods of military service.

Prior to the ruling, those eligible for both programs were required to waive their MGIB benefits to begin using PGIB benefits and were limited to what was remaining with the PGIB benefits.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, beneficiaries impacted by the court's decision are no longer required to waive MGIB eligibility to use PGIB benefits when applying and are not limited to what is remaining in the PGIB limits, but are still capped at 48 months of eligibility.

What this means is that if you have previously applied to VA education benefits, you may be eligible for additional benefits if you completed more than one eligible period of service and you waived all or part of the MGIB benefits so you could use PGIB benefits.

Beyond the federal education benefits, the state of Wisconsin has its own education benefit for veterans.

Veterans qualify to use up to 128 credits or 8 semesters (whichever takes the longest) from the WI GI Bill if they entered active military duty as a Wisconsin resident or they have resided in Wisconsin for at least five consecutive years immediately preceding the beginning of any semester or session in which they enroll. Beginning in January 2010, veterans who have federal activeduty service after September 10, 2001 must apply for education related benefits provided under the federal Post-9/11 GI Bill program and provide the college either a federal Veterans Administration (VA) Certificate of Eligibility or a rejection notice for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits before they can receive WI GI Bill benefits.

All available federal Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits at 100% award level must be used before a veteran becomes eligible for WI GI Bill benefits. This includes benefits that may have been transferred to an eligible spouse or dependent. A spouse or dependent must use the federal Post-9/11 benefits before using the WI GI Bill.

Determining eligibility for the WI GI Bill is a two-step process and involves two forms that veterans should submit at the same time. First, the WDVA determines the Veteran’s eligibility to use the WI GI Bill based on the Request for Certification form (WDVA 2030). They notify the college(s) listed on the Request for Certification about your eligibility. They also verify residency using WDVA 1805, if they are seeking to qualify for the WI GI Bill based on living in the state for the previous five years immediately before enrolling.

Second, the college determines the actual fee remission for which the veteran is eligible, based on the WDVA 2029 that is submitted to the college the veteran wants to attend. The school verifies enrollment information and ensures the veteran meet other eligibility requirements such as a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The college also verifies residency based on the notarized residency affidavit the veteran must submit if they are seeking to qualify for the WI GI Bill based on living in the state for the previous five years immediately before enrolling. The residency affidavit is available from the college veterans are seeking to attend.

Veterans must be proactive in working with their educational institution and their local county veterans service offices to get the benefits that they have earned through their military service. Each UW Campus has designated staff members who work with veterans and qualifying dependents to ensure that they get their benefits. At UW Eau Claire that individual is Miranda Cross-Schindler who may be reached at crossmk@uwec.edu or by phone at 715-836-5212.

For Northcentral Technical College veterans should contact Jeff Cichon Director of Financial Aid at 1000 West Campus Drive Wausau or email cichon@ntc.edu or by phone at (715) 6753331 Ext. 1633.