Years ago, as a new Navy wife, I discovered I needed a different set of skills, knowledge, and resources to not just ‘survive’ Navy spousedom but to thrive. That moment taught me a valuable lesson, “Knowledge is important, but knowledge applied rightly is power.” That experience set my feet on a path of discovery and sharing of resources, best practices, wisdom, and understanding to be the strong Navy wife my husband deserved.
That lesson stands true for today’s military and veterans. There are resources, information, best practices, and benefits for our amazing servicemembers and veterans that, when applied, help them build their next best chapter of life. There are many resources for our amazing veterans and servicemembers with a focus on education.
Over the years, beginning with WWII, Congress recognized the need and obligation to aid our military as they transition from military service to civilian life. This aid begins before they leave the service with a course called TAP – Transition Assistance Program. This course briefs those soon separating from the military with information, resources, and insight on the transition and benefits they will receive.
Congress reformed the education benefits for the military from the Montgomery GI Bill to the new Post 9/11 (Forever) GI Bill. This new robust benefit enables servicemembers to go to school full-time to complete a degree or training more quickly. Benefits of this Bill include payment of tuition and fees, a housing allowance, and a stipend for books. It can be used at any accredited college, university, or trade school which is assisting veterans in building their future with a degree or training.
There are other benefit programs for our veterans and service members to assist with education. Below is a list with a brief description of the program (or chapter as the VA calls them).
VA Educational Benefits
Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill®
The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) is available to those who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces. The MGIB-AD program—sometimes known as Chapter 30—provides education benefits to Veterans and Servicemembers who have at least two years of active duty.
Chapter 31: Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Vet Success Program (VocRehab).
The purpose of VocRehab is simple: Assist service-disabled Veterans to train for, find, and hold down a suitable job, or achieve independence in daily living. VocRehab is for service-connected Veterans, at least 10% disabled, who want to take their careers in a direction that previous training and current disabilities make difficult.
Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill®
The Post- 9/11 GI Bill is an education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty after September 10, 2001.
Chapter 35: Survivors’ & Dependents’ Educational Assistance
The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or of Veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition.
Chapter 1606: Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserves (MGIB – SR)
MGIB-SR program provides education and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard or Air National Guard. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components and VA makes the payments.
MGIB-SR Kicker
The MGIB-SR kicker is an enlistment or reenlistment education incentive that certain Selected Reserve members can use to increase the amount of money they receive when using their Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) to go to school. Of course, the purpose of a kicker is to encourage quality people to enlist and extend their enlistment in the various Selective Reserve branches.
Chapter 1607: The Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
The Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) is a recent Department of Defense education benefit program, designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to
Active Duty in response to war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress. This program makes certain individuals who were activated after September 10, 2001, either eligible for education benefits or increased benefits.
Fry Scholarship
The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship), a scholarship for children and dependents of Veterans. If your parent or spouse was an active-duty service member who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, you may qualify for this benefit.
Eligibility: Transitioning service members within six months prior to discharge from active duty, veterans within one year following discharge from active duty, any Servicemember or Veteran eligible for a VA education benefit, and all current VA education beneficiaries.
‘GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.va.gov/education.
To begin using your GI Bill Education Benefits apply at www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply
Benefit Overview – DOD Programs
Military Tuition Assistance (TA)
Military Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and Reservists. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition expenses of its members. For more information and to begin using your benefits apply at: www.armyignited.com
MyCAA – Scholarship for Military Spouses
The My Career Advancement Account Scholarship is a workforce development program that provides eligible military spouses with up to $4,000 in financial assistance for licenses, certifications, or associate degrees to pursue an occupation or career field. For more information: www.militaryonesource.mil/education-employment/for-spouses/mycaa-scholarship
Members of the PA National Guard also receive benefits from the state for their service.
Benefit Overview – Pennsylvania National Guard/Air Guard
EAP is state-funded program; it provides educational assistance for eligible members of the Pennsylvania National Guard. EAP funding is awarded regardless of financial need. In addition, reductions or adjustments of PA State Grants cannot be as a result of a service member receiving EAP.
House Bill 1324, known as the Pennsylvania GI Bill, was signed into law on July 1, 2019. The Bill authorized the Military Family Education Program (MFEP) which allows spouses and children of Pennsylvania National Guard members to attend college at no or reduced cost.
Under the PA GI Bill, Pennsylvania National Guard members who commit to an additional six years of service can receive five years of higher education benefits for their spouses and children. The program will provide for 10 semesters of tuition-free education for family member(s). The benefit must be used at a Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) approved educational institution,
At Geneva, we are proud of our HERO GRANT which helps military and veteran students who are out of benefits or not at the 100% level in their benefits. The Geneva Hero Grant reduces tuition by $100 per credit for undergraduate studies and $150 off for graduate studies.
For more information on your benefits, deployment policies, and scholarships, please visit: www.geneva.edu/military. If you have any questions, contact Beth Wiruth at 724.847.6534 or biwiruth@geneva.edu.
-Beth Wiruth, Military Enrollment Specialist
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Nov 18, 2022
It is not an easy process to transfer from one college to another. There are a lot of challenges that come with transferring, but there are also many resources to make the transition easier. Read more!
Open Houses are a great opportunity for prospective students to come to campus to experience all that the college has to offer and receive more insight than when they would on just a campus tour alone. Here is what one can expect when attending a Geneva College Open House.
You just graduated from high school - congratulations! Now, reality may be hitting that the start of college will be here in a flash. I am here to gently nudge you toward being well prepared with a checklist of things to do before you attend college in the fall.
Leading up to your momentous senior year, there is so much to think about. What should the last year of high school look like? How should I prepare? What should I prepare for? Good questions. I would like to supply you with a basic “thinking list” rather than a "to-do" list. No pressure to do anything just yet, but I invite you to contemplate some questions and consider how you may answer them.
Summer Orientation is designed to welcome both incoming students and parents on a journey together along with Geneva faculty and staff to ensure a well-informed, smooth transition into college. The college strongly recommends that incoming students attend Summer Orientation.
Like anything new, the start of college can bring a lot of fears and doubts that are quite overwhelming. So, from a past freshman to you, here are some questions and worries I had about the college life and reasons why they shouldn’t stop you from having that full college experience.
When you’re a junior or senior in high school, this is a great time to start thinking about your college application. When you fill out these applications, you’ll need to make sure yours stands out from the competition. How can you give your college application a boost? For an impressive application, consider pursuing one or more of these summer activities.
To encourage students to enter STEM education, Geneva is offering the Noyce Grant. The purpose of this grant is to provide students with financial assistance and stability during their pursuit of their STEM degree. The hope is to open students' minds to the possibility of using their STEM degree to teach in the K-12 grades in their future careers.
The college transfer process shouldn't be avoided simply because it seems strange or unusual. In reality, it's a perfectly normal approach to making progress towards graduation. The sooner misconceptions about transferring are put to rest, the sooner students can carve the unique paths through college that serve them best.
Learn more about Geneva College.
Have questions? Call us at 724-847-6505.
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