SPC Private RallyPoint Member5629636<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>My back is pretty severely injured and I need surgery to correct the issue. My biggest problem with this is that I don’t think I have enough time to get the surgery before my ETS (I’m thirteen months out). I’m thinking of taking a class at Syracuse to get my foot in the door and decide what my major is going to be, because if I have to be medically discharged I want to continue my education. My biggest concern is that if I take the one class, I won’t be able to use the GI bill to pay the rest of the way through a good school that I want to go to.If I use the GI bill to pay for a college level course while on active duty can I still use it to go full time after I ETS?2020-03-05T02:00:59-05:00SPC Private RallyPoint Member5629636<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>My back is pretty severely injured and I need surgery to correct the issue. My biggest problem with this is that I don’t think I have enough time to get the surgery before my ETS (I’m thirteen months out). I’m thinking of taking a class at Syracuse to get my foot in the door and decide what my major is going to be, because if I have to be medically discharged I want to continue my education. My biggest concern is that if I take the one class, I won’t be able to use the GI bill to pay the rest of the way through a good school that I want to go to.If I use the GI bill to pay for a college level course while on active duty can I still use it to go full time after I ETS?2020-03-05T02:00:59-05:002020-03-05T02:00:59-05:00SFC Private RallyPoint Member5629647<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Get the surgery while you are on active duty. Thirteen months is enough time, and if it's not, you extend long enough to get the surgery and recover. If you don't recover, you get medically discharged and receive disability. If you separate and then get the surgery you will possibly receive no disability and definitely not receive any separation pay or medical retirement.<br /><br />While on active duty you use tuition assistance not your GI Bill. You can use your GI Bill but that would be very foolish and no education counselor will allow you to do that while you have unspent TA waiting to be used.Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2020 2:15 AM2020-03-05T02:15:42-05:002020-03-05T02:15:42-05:00MAJ Bryan Zeski5629877<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Also, instead of GI Bill, look at Tuition Assistance.Response by MAJ Bryan Zeski made Mar 5 at 2020 5:26 AM2020-03-05T05:26:38-05:002020-03-05T05:26:38-05:00SFC Michael Hasbun5631727<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Why would you waste your GI Bill on Active Duty? Use TA.Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Mar 5 at 2020 2:49 PM2020-03-05T14:49:53-05:002020-03-05T14:49:53-05:00Cpl Tou Lee Yang5631823<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If you're getting medically discharge, you would qualify for a VA rating. A VA rating of 30% and higher will qualify you for Voc-Rehab, Chapter 31. However, in order to use Ch 31 benefit you have to exhaust your GI Bill e.g. Ch 33.Response by Cpl Tou Lee Yang made Mar 5 at 2020 3:23 PM2020-03-05T15:23:13-05:002020-03-05T15:23:13-05:00MSgt Michael Smith5632056<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>YesResponse by MSgt Michael Smith made Mar 5 at 2020 4:29 PM2020-03-05T16:29:47-05:002020-03-05T16:29:47-05:00Mike Chaison5633329<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>ermResponse by Mike Chaison made Mar 6 at 2020 1:26 AM2020-03-06T01:26:45-05:002020-03-06T01:26:45-05:002020-03-05T02:00:59-05:00