Shouldn’t I Get 23 More Months of Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits Instead of 9?
Q: Medical Discharge and GI Bill Benefits – I served 22 months of service in the active Army and I was discharge honorably due to a service-connected disability. I received 22 months of the MGIB and exhausted it receiving 25 months of entitlements to finish the semester. I was told to apply for the Post -9/11 GI Bill and I would receive more benefits. My certificate of eligibility stated I would receive 9 months of entitlements under CH. 33 at 100%. I have been told that due to the “rule of 48” I should receive 23 months not 9. I keep getting conflicting information from the education counselors at VA and would like to know what I should receive and what to do. Thank you for your assistance. Heath
A:Heath if you were using a GI Bill other than the Post 9/11 GI Bill, that would be true. But because you first used up your Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) and then switched to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the most you can get under that GI Bill is another 12 additional months of entitlement.
And you used three of those 12 months to take you from the time you ran out of MGIB benefits to the end of the semester. That is why you ended up with 9 months of remaining entitlement instead of 12.
The Rule of 48 says that if you are eligible for two or more GI Bills, the maximum combined number of months can’t exceed 48; it doesn’t say you will automatically get 48 months. However, as I said earlier, the exception is the Post 9/11 GI Bill, after exhausting your MGIB and switching, and the most number of months you can get is 12.
As far as what you should do – nothing. Being you have your Certificate of Eligibility, enroll in school and enjoy what GI Bill benefits you have left. You are getting what you should under the current GI Bill rules.
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