Military Education Q & A’s

You are eligible if you served a minimum of 90 days on active duty after September 10, 2001. This covers active duty served as a member of the Armed Forces or as a result of a call or order to active duty from a reserve component (National Guard and Reserve) under certain sections of title 10. The Department of Veterans Affairs is the only resource that can answer your personal and specific GI Bill® entitlement questions. Call 1-888-GIBILL-1.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® will pay the full tuition to Blackstone for your chosen career program.

Yes, like the MGIB you are generally entitled to 36 months of educational assistance. You may not receive benefits under more than one VA education program at the same time. If you are entitled to more than one GI Bill® program you may be eligible for a maximum of 48 months of entitlement when using benefits under two or more GI Bill® programs.
Note: Individuals eligible under MGIB (Chapter 30) who elect to receive benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill® are only entitled to the number of months they had remaining under MGIB (Chapter 30) (including any revoked months of transferred entitlement) up to a maximum of 36 months.

All education programs previously available under the Montgomery GI Bill are approved under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.

No, you will no longer be eligible under the MGIB or other programs, after you elect to switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33). Any contributions being made under MGIB (Chapter 30) will cease the month following the election.

Yes. The Department of Defense (DoD) is authorized to allow individuals who, on or after August 1, 2009, have served at least 6 years in the Armed Forces and who agree to serve at least another 4 years in the Armed Forces to transfer unused entitlement to their Spouse. The Department of Defense may, by regulation, impose additional eligibility requirements and limit the number of months transferable to not less than 18 months. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Public Health System (PHS) personnel are also eligible to transfer their entitlement to eligible dependents.
NOTE: The ability to transfer benefits is limited to those currently serving in the military.

You can apply online for VA Education Benefits at https://www.vets.gov/education/apply/#modal.

Education, training and certification/licensure in portable career fields will greatly increase military spouse employment opportunities and reduce the period of time spouses are unemployed between moves.

This funding will allow eligible military spouses to invest in education and training programs that can be completed in less than two years in programs that will enable them to obtain employment and advance in high-growth, high-demand, and nationally portable career fields. Spouses can use their MyCAA Scholarship to pay for expenses directly related to post-secondary education and training, including tuition, fees, books, equipment necessary to complete the education or training, and credentialing and licensing fees.
Blackstone Career Institute’s tuition falls below the maximum MyCAA benefit of $4,000.

This scholarship is specifically targeted to military spouses with a high school diploma or GED and/or some level of post-secondary education. To be eligible for a MyCAA Scholarship, spouses of military service members must:

• Be married to a service member on active duty;
• Be married to a service member at the E-1 through E-4 levels (junior enlisted service members), E-5 level (non-commissioned officers), or O-1 through O-3 levels (junior commissioned officers);
• Be married to a service member who is assigned to a demonstration site OR reside in the state at the time of eligibility determination when the service member spouse is deployed or on an unaccompanied military tour from a demonstration site;
• Be married to a service member with a minimum of one year remaining at the demonstration installation duty assignment; with the exception of duty assignments that will require relocation as part of the Base Realignment and Closure Act of 2005 (BRAC 05);
• Have a high school diploma or GED;
• Not be receiving Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) or Workforce Investment Act (WIA)-funded Individual Training Accounts.

A military spouse can begin the application process online at https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/get-started

Due to their frequent moves, military spouses need access to education and training for careers that are portable and high-growth nationally. Therefore, accounts awarded under the demonstration will be targeted to nationally identified high-demand industry sectors that provide the greatest opportunity for career portability. Military spouses may use their MyCAA scholarship to receive education or training in one of these fields:
• Health care (for jobs such as nurses, dental hygienists, and pharmacy technicians);
• Information technology (for jobs such as network analysts and database administrators);
• Education (for jobs such as teachers and teacher’s assistants);
• Financial services (for jobs such as claims adjusters, credit analysts and bank tellers); and
• Construction/skilled trades (for jobs such as carpenters and electricians).

Participating military spouses may receive career counseling, interest and aptitude testing, skill assessments, and career guidance from One-Stop Career Centers and their military installation Voluntary Education Centers or Family Support Centers. Spouses may also receive referrals to supportive services, such as child care and transportation assistance, through these organizations. Spouses can visit www.careeronestop.org/reemployment/jobsearch/changecareers/findcareeronestopcenter.aspx to find out more information about how to locate these programs.