Why Can’t I Transfer My Post 9/11 G.I. Bill Benefits to My Child?
Q: I retired from the Army (AGR) in February 2005. I would like to share my Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits with my daughter now entering college. Did I retire too early to be eligible for this benefit?
A: I’m afraid you did. The way the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill transfer rule reads, you had to be on active duty either on or after 1 August, 2009 to transfer benefits. Now how can someone such as yourself, who qualifies for the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill (three years of service after September 10, 2001), transfer benefits when you had already been retired for 4 1/2 years when the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill started? That whole rule just doesn’t make sense to me.
Last year a bill was introduced that, if it had passed, would have changed that – allow retired Post 9/11 G.I. Bill holders the option to transfer benefits – however, it didn’t have enough support to pass. I don’t know if it died on its own, or if riders to the bill killed it.
Write your legislators and ask they either introduce, or support, such a bill again this year. They all talk about trying to support us, well here is a chance for them to do it. (Sorry for my ranting, but this is one topic that gets me going, and I don’t have the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill.)
-
-
-
-
Stumble!
