Can my military spouse utilize my education benefits?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 May 2019 16:17:17 -0400

My husband and I are both army reserve, due to injury, he is flagged for pt test therefore unable to apply for any of his education benefits, however, I am not flagged, so I should be able to access mine, would I be able to transfer mine to him just like a normal dependent? Would the benefits he get be different because he is military as well and not civilian?

Response by SFC Andrew Miller made May 1 at 2019 4:29 PM

SFC Andrew Miller — Wed, 01 May 2019 16:29:58 -0400

Post 9/11 GI Bill rules have recently changed and is the only one that can be transferred. If you have active duty time and qualify you must have at least 6 years of service and less than 16, and commit to an additional 4 years.

No other benefits are transferable. What state are you in, there might be state benefits.

Response by 1SG Eddie Smith made May 1 at 2019 5:00 PM

1SG Eddie Smith — Wed, 01 May 2019 17:00:07 -0400

I am assuming you are referring to Post 9/11 GI Bill, right? I can answer your questions, but please tell me what education benefits or benefit you are referring to.

This is why I am asking you to specify:

"he is flagged for pt test therefore unable to apply for any of his education benefits"

This "flag" has nothing to do with applying for, being eligible for, or using Post 9/11 education benefits, or Mongomery GI Bill Active Duty, or Montgomery GI Selected Reserve for that matter. Well, maybe Selected Reserve, because you have to use that benefit while you are a reservist unless you were mobilized, the Reserve makes determination of eligibility for that education benefit, so different rules could apply. But, for the other two, a flag has no impact.

Time in an active duty status is what counts for educations benefits (Post 9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill) as a Servicemember. If a Veteran, then active duty time and type of discharge, which must be Honorable, determines eligibility for education benefits.

Education benefits I just mentioned do have differences if being used as a Veteran (civilian) or if being used by a Servicemember. For example:

Active duty / Active Guard Reserve Servicemembers are NOT eligible for the Monthly Housing Allowance under the Post 9-11, same applies if you transferred the benefit to a spouse, they are not eligible for the monthly housing allowance as long as the spouse making the transfer is in an active status. That's one of the main differences in using education benefits as a Servicemember compared to using as a Veteran (civilian). Apart from that, the benefits are pretty much the same.

A traditional guard or reservist do receive monthly housing allowance when using Post 9/11.

But in this case, as you described you and your spouse are Servicemembers. Not sure why you would want or need to transfer education benefits to your spouse unless you have earned more months of education benefits than your spouse has and your spouse needs more months to complete a degree and you are not going to use.

For reservist, I believe you must have a six-year commitment and be able to serve that time from the date the transfer of Post 9/11 is requested/approved.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill is the only education benefit that can be transferred to a spouse or children of a Servicemember.

Please don't hesitate to ask more questions for clarification.

Response by SGT Thomas Seward made May 2 at 2019 12:37 AM

SGT Thomas Seward — Thu, 02 May 2019 00:37:16 -0400

Check with your state. Texas has the Hazelwood Act, but I’m not sure if other states have anything like it. My wife and kids each get 150 hours of free tuition college.