By MC2 Alexis R. Brown
Wednesday, 16 December 2009 00:00

Members of the armed forces wishing to use their military education benefits to provide financial assistance for their spouse or dependent(s) have little time to elect that option.

The last day to transfer educational entitlements under the Defense Department’s Post-9/11 G.I. Bill is Dec. 31. This deadline applies to Sailors who are in need of an exception to the reenlistment policy. This exception allows for short term extensions to be used to satisfy the required service obligation. Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, all enlisted servicemembers who wish to transfer entitlement to a family member must reenlist for the time required to meet the service obligation, in accordance with current reenlistment policy and procedures.

Under the new bill, which took effect Aug. 1, service members with at least six years on active duty or in the selected reserves are entitled to transfer all or the remaining of their educational benefits to a spouse or dependent.

Senior Chief Navy Career Counselor (SW) Veronica Holliday, Navy Region Southwest retention advisor said that service members who are interested in transferring their benefits need to take proper steps to do so.

“The active-duty service member must ensure their family member is enrolled in DEERS (Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System and is eligible for benefits, at the time of transfer to receive educational benefits.”

The option could possibly lift a huge financial load for a service member paying their child’s college tuition, Holliday added. “The same would be true for a spouse benefiting from the paid tuition.”

Additional guidelines are outlined in NAVADMIN 203/09. The message states that a service member must:

* –Agree to serve four additional years in the armed forces from the date of election; or
* –Must have served at least 10 years in the armed forces and if either Navy, DoD policy. Or federal statute restricts the member from committing to four additional years; members must agree to serve the maximum amount of time allowed by that policy or statute.

If a member becomes retirement eligible during the period of Aug. 1, 2009 thru Aug. 1, 2012, he must agree to serve the additional period below:

* –For those eligible for retirement between now and Aug. 1, 2010, a one-year obligation is required.
* –For those eligible for retirement on or after Aug. 1, 2010 and before Aug. 1, 2011, a two-year obligation is required.

Service members with an approved retirement date prior to July 1, 2010, do not need to obligate any additional service.

Holliday added that once a service member has elected to transfer their entitlements, it cannot be reversed. “However, certain changes between designated family members can be made, such as changing the months of benefits.”

Service members who have been discharged or retired from the armed forces prior to Aug. 1 are not eligible for the option.

To make the education transfer, visit https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB/. Currently, you must use an Internet Explorer browser to access the site.

For additional details and if the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill is your best option, log onto http://wwwgibill.va.gov.

NOTE: The information on deadline requirements has been updated as of 11:15 a.m. PST.

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