With Two Daughters Ages 23 and 27, Can I Transfer My Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits to Them?
Q: Mr. Kness. I have been in the USAR since 1996, Rank E-7, retirement date is 2016. I MOB’d for 9 months in 2003 out of Ft Stewart GA. I MOB’d 2 times to Kuwait (2008 and 2011). I have two daughters ages 23 and 27. Both are married. One lives in Georgia the other Florida. Question: Do I qualify or am I eligible to still transfer my GI BILL to either one of my daughters? Thank you Sergeant Major.
A: As a USAR servicemember, you normally would only have the Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) at best. However, because you have mobilized three different times after September 10, 2001, you have some eligibility under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
Assuming your deployments to Kuwait were each one year in duration, when added to your other 9-month mobilization, you would have a total of 33 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill eligible time. Thirty-three months puts you at the 90% tier.
When it comes to transferring benefits, you have an edge over your active duty brethren; they can’t transfer benefits unless they are at the 100% tier. Assuming you have not used any of your MGIB-SR months, you would have 36 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits at 90% coverage that you could transfer to a spouse or one of your daughters. Your 27-year old would not be a viable GI Bill benefit recipient due to her being over age 26 – the maximum allowance age in which to use Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
However, your 23-year old certainly could receive and still have time to use two academic years’ worth of benefits (18 months). With 18 months still left, you could either transfer those to your spouse or choose to use them yourself. No use letting them go to waste!
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