Will I Receive the Post 9/11 GI Bill Housing Allowance and Other Benefits As Well?
Q: So I need to know first off if I can use my husband’s Post 9/11 GI Bill to go to cosmetology school? I also need to know how to go about transferring his funds in order to use them. He also told me that I couldn’t go to school unless I was going in the state of LA where his reserve unit is located. Will I be paid BHA and receive other benefits as well … I’m so confused!
A: O.K., we’ll step through this logically so you can have a better understanding of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. First, yes, some cosmetology schools are approved by the VA for the GI Bill, including four Aveda Institutes in your home state of LA – in Baton Rouge, Covington, Lafeyette, and New Orleans.
Second, you can’t transfer his funds – he has to do it. The question is does he want to?
Third, because the Post 9/11 GI Bill is a federal GI Bill, it can be used anywhere in the United States, plus in many foreign countries. So he is not correct in saying you have to use it in LA.
Fourth, if he is not serving on active duty on a Title 10 order in support of a contingency operation or part of the AGR program, then yes, you would get the Post 9/11 GI Bill housing allowance – not BHA as that is a totally different pay benefit. You would also get up to $87 monthly in a book stipend by attending a non-degree course.
The VA would pay your tuition directly to your school, up to the tier percentage of his Post 9/11 GI Bill, so your housing money and book stipend would be your money to spend on things like your share of the unpaid tuition (if he is at a tier less than 100%) or you have to pay out-state tuition and to buy books and supplies you need for your course.
From the way your question is worded, I’m assuming either your husband truly does not understand the Post 9/11 GI Bill or he does not want to make a transfer of benefits to you and is throwing up these roadblocks so he doesn’t have to tell you he doesn’t want to transfer benefits to you. I think I have addresses all of the roadblocks of which none of them are valid.
Your next move is up to you.
-
-
-
-
Stumble!
