Hey there my fellow Warrior Wives! I’m finally
hammering through my mound of emails that I have sadly let accumulate over the
last 3 ½ months due to my overall busy work schedule, and a little bit of
laziness. Sad but true; all work and no play makes me non-responsive and blah.
I’m working on it though. It’s a new year and all
that jazz, you know.
Alas, with the ringing in of the New Year comes a
new motivation and commitment to this blog and re-connecting to all you crazy
kids that actually read what I have
to say here- you poor unfortunate souls you (said in my best Ursula voice- too
much Little Mermaid for me thanks to my lovely niece). Either way, I’m stoked
to know you are there, and are reading, and enjoying my sometimes tyrannical
tirades, and acknowledging my general fiery awesomeness. True story. Hey, if I
don’t blow my head up who will? Just as long as it doesn’t excel to that of a
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade balloon big, I can afford to give myself a few
over exaggerated credits… or two.
Oh, how I digress…
Any-whoville. I came across an email from a lovely
reader by the name of Soul Sister Sara, (by the by, your name rocks my socks.
I’m crushing hard core- get it girl!) who indicated that she was advised that
she would qualify for tuition assistance from the VA now that her hubby’s
rating has been increased to 100% disabled. She wrote that she has been having
a hell of a time trying to find out how to get the ball rolling in applying for
this benefit, did not know where to even start, and wanted to know if I had
ever heard about this benefit and have any pointers for her. I have heard that
dependents of a Vet who is considered either 100% disabled due to service
connected injuries, or who is deceased and was a veteran of foreign war
(that’s where they kind of nail you if your vet had no foreign war
involvement), are eligible for education assistance. I usually refer back to the
caregiver support website whenever I am unclear about a benefit or need verification.
Here is what I was able to pull from the site regarding the post 9/11 GI Bill:
Survivors & Dependents Assistance (DEA)
Summary of Benefits
Dependents'
Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to
eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of
education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate
programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may
take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may
be approved under certain circumstances.
Eligibility
You
must be the son, daughter, or spouse of:
·
A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled
as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out
of active service in the Armed Forces.
·
A veteran who died from any cause while such permanent
and total service-connected disability was in existence.
·
A servicemember missing in action or captured in line of
duty by a hostile force.
·
A servicemember forcibly detained or interned in line of
duty by a foreign government or power.
·
A servicemember who is hospitalized or receiving
outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and
is likely to be discharged for that disability. This change is effective
December 23, 2006.
Period of Eligibility
If
you are a son or daughter and wish to receive benefits for attending school or
job training, you must be between the ages of 18 and 26. In certain instances,
it is possible to begin before age 18 and to continue after age 26. Marriage is
not a bar to this benefit. If you are in the Armed Forces, you may not receive
this benefit while on active duty. To pursue training after military service,
your discharge must not be under dishonorable conditions. VA can extend your
period of eligibility by the number of months and days equal to the time spent
on active duty. This extension cannot generally go beyond your 31st birthday,
there are some exceptions.
If
you are a spouse, benefits end 10 years from the date VA finds you eligible or
from the date of death of the veteran. If the VA rated the veteran permanently
and totally disabled with an effective date of 3 years from discharge a spouse
will remain eligible for 20 years from the effective date of the rating. This
change is effective October 10, 2008 and no benefits may be paid for any
training taken prior to that date.
For
surviving spouses (spouses of service members who died on active duty) benefits
end 20 years from the date of death.
How to Apply
You
should make sure that your selected program is approved for VA training. If you
are not clear on this point, VA will inform you and the school or company about
the requirements.
Obtain
and complete VA Form 22-5490, Application for Survivors' and Dependents'
Educational Assistance. Send it to the VA regional office with jurisdiction
over the State where you will train. If you are a son or daughter, under legal
age, a parent or guardian must sign the application.
If
you have started training, take your application to your school or employer.
Ask them to complete VA Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification, and send both
forms to VA.
Section
301 of Public Law 109-461 adds a new category to the definition of
"eligible person" for DEA benefits. The new category includes the
spouse or child of a person who:
VA
determines has a service-connected permanent and total disability; and at the
time of VA's determination is a member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized
or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment; and is likely to
be discharged or released from service for this service-connected disability.
Persons
eligible under this new provision may be eligible for DEA benefits effective
December 23, 2006, the effective date of the law.
DEA
provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans
who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or
who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition.
The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be
used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job
training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial,
deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.
Special
Restorative Training is available to persons eligible for DEA benefits. The
Department of Veterans Affairs may prescribe special restorative training where
needed to overcome or lessen the effects of a physical or mental disability for
the purpose of enabling an eligible person to pursue a program of education,
special vocational program or other appropriate goal. Medical care and
treatment or psychiatric treatments are not included.
Special
Vocational Training is also available to persons eligible for DEA benefits.
This type of program may be approved for an eligible person who is not in need
of Special Restorative Training, but who requires such a program because of a
mental or physical handicap.
Hope
this will be helpful in making 2013 your year to pursue your education dreams!
