Will a Bad National Guard Discharge Affect My Active Duty Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits?
Q: I have an honorable discharge from my time on active duty from 2010-2013 and am currently using my GI Bill benefits from that time. I am also currently in the National Guard. If I were to receive a General under Honorable Conditions discharge from my current service in the National Guard, how would that effect my GI Bill benefits earned from my previous honorable discharge?
A: Your three years on active duty that successfully ended with an Honorable discharge secured your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. Nothing at this point will take them away.
And to take that one-step further, you should be at the 100% tier on your New GI Bill, meaning the VA would pay your all of your tuition to attend a public school in the state of your residence or up to $19,198. 31 per year if you choose to go to a private school.
Regardless of you attend a public or private school, as a full-time student you would get the full authorized housing allowance amount, which is based on the zip code of your school and the number of credits you take each semester. And it gets better; you would also get up to $41.67 per credit per semester in book stipend money. However there is an annual limit – $1,000 per academic year.
So go ahead and enjoy your 36 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill entitlement. If you use it wisely, it is enough for you to get a four-year degree. Just keep in mind that you only have 15 years from your date of discharge to use your New GI Bill benefits. After that they expire and are gone forever.