Posted on Dec 7, 2015
2016 National Defense Act Contains Education and GI Bill Changes
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Were you aware that in 2016 that you will not be able to use your GI Bill and receive unemployment?
If you are getting out of the military or lose your job and decide to go back to school using your GI Bill, Congress has decided that you should not be able to receive unemployment. But those using scholarships or grants will still be able to.
http://www.military.com/education/2015/12/01/2016-ndaa-education-changes.html
"No More Unemployment While Getting The GI Bill
Congress was surprised and upset to learn that many veterans were receiving free tuition at school, a housing allowance to pay all their housing costs, $1,000 a year book stipend from their GI Bill and then turning around and drawing unemployment. This was a loophole in the law nobody saw coming and apparently quite a few people took advantage of, enough to cause Congress to insert language into the law prohibiting the receipt of unemployment benefits while receiving the Post-9/11 GI Bill."
If you are getting out of the military or lose your job and decide to go back to school using your GI Bill, Congress has decided that you should not be able to receive unemployment. But those using scholarships or grants will still be able to.
http://www.military.com/education/2015/12/01/2016-ndaa-education-changes.html
"No More Unemployment While Getting The GI Bill
Congress was surprised and upset to learn that many veterans were receiving free tuition at school, a housing allowance to pay all their housing costs, $1,000 a year book stipend from their GI Bill and then turning around and drawing unemployment. This was a loophole in the law nobody saw coming and apparently quite a few people took advantage of, enough to cause Congress to insert language into the law prohibiting the receipt of unemployment benefits while receiving the Post-9/11 GI Bill."
Posted in these groups: 
GI Bill
Employment
GI Bill Employment
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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I understand why they did this, but I don't entirely agree. The GI Bill provides a housing allowance and pays tuition directly to the school. This housing allowance does not cover meals, incidentals, gas, vehicle maintenance, etc. The veteran is unemployed, and in many states the BAH from the GI Bill is not considered income. If the state's unemployment laws allow a veteran to collect unemployment while in school, that's their prerogative. Yes, the GI Bill provides more assistance for those attending school then most students get, but unless the state wrote it into their unemployment laws, there's no restrictions on other students using Federal Financial Aid and receiving Unemployment. If you are attending school full-time, you likely don't have time for a job. So I hope everyone gets really comfortable living on someone's couch so you can use your 'housing allowance' to survive until you finish your education. Veterans are not college-aged students who have the option of living with their parents or in the dorms, they have families, children, etc.
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Well, we certainly don't want unemployed vets bettering themselves through education, now do we? That would be silly!
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SGT Lawrence Little
It's crap that thy did this because it negates the benefit. If a SM is working and going to school, they should be able to collect benefits the same as anyone else if they lose their job. The GI Bill doesn't provide a living wage and it's for the expense of going to school, not for the expense of unemployment. You can still use scholarships and grants if you collect unemployment, why discriminate against SM's for using the GI Bill? It's been allowed up until this stupid provision was made in December 2015. What chickenshit that we veterans have for representation.
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