Will transferring from the Army Reserves to Active Duty affect my GI Bill?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 21:26:41 -0500

So let’s say I submit a DD368 to get released from my Reserve unit so I can go to Active Duty. While it’s going up the Chain of Command, I am attending and finishing college while using my Montgomery GI Bill. As far as I know the DD368 takes 4-8 months to go through and be accepted. If I finish and pass my college courses before the DD368 is accepted, would it negatively affect my Montgomery GI Bill even if I finished the courses?

I am an 88M trying to reclass to 31B because my career will look good starting there.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 15 at 2022 9:44 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 21:44:31 -0500

Contact one of these four gentlemen... they are very knowledgeable in Military related questions/issues.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 16 at 2022 7:23 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 07:23:38 -0500

I'm not sure how going AD could negatively impact your GI Bill. It's there for you to use. But, on a cautioned side, perhaps wait until you're done with classes before submitting the 368.

Response by COL Randall C. made Dec 16 at 2022 8:41 AM

COL Randall C. — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 08:41:24 -0500

I assume you're using MGIB-SR (GI Bill for reserves) right now and your question about "negatively affect" it is either 1) won't be able to take advantage of it because you're not in the selected reserve or 2) decrease your benefits.

Regarding #2 first. Yes, it will. You have 36 months of benefits under the MGIB program. If you use one or more of these months under MGIB-SR, it will decrease the same number of months you have under MGIB-AD or the Post 9/11 GI Bill - regardless if the rate you are reimbursed under the programs is different.

Regarding #1 ... it depends. Based on a different question you asked where you said you were in the reserves for three years, and since you're an E4, I assume you enlisted directly into the reserve component. What I don't know is if you were ever ordered to active duty - that's going to have a big impact in the 'continuation' of your eligibility.

Your eligibility under the MGIB-SR "usually ends the day you leave the Selected Reserve" and none of the exceptions seem to fit you (separated because of a disability or some other situations that happened between 2007 and 2014), so on face value the answer is 'Yes'.

However, the question is if you would immediately become eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and how much would you be eligible for under the program, and that depends on how much active duty time you have. Once you hit 90 days of active duty (I don't believe IADT is counted in this), then you will be eligible for for 50% of the program rates and this goes up to 100% after 3 years.

You've got a bit of a complicated question, so to get an more definitive answer, contact the department in the VA that deals with educational benefits:

GI Bill hotline
[login to see]
Hours: Monday through Friday,
8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET
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* https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/docs/gibguideseries/chooseyoureducationbenefits.pdf

chooseyoureducationbenefits.pdf

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 16 at 2022 11:50 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 11:50:23 -0500

There is no set time on the completion of a 368. I have had one completed in a couple months. I would heed the advice of others and maybe wait until you have finished your classes.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 16 at 2022 4:04 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 16:04:56 -0500

I was in the same situation. I got f@cked by the VA. They subtracted the years I used the when I was in the reserves from the post 9-11 GI Bill. I lost out on tens and thousands of dollars. I am still pissed.