Dollars and sense for reservists pursuing higher education

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Leo Brown
  • 442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, MO --  Dollars and sense. That's what awaits Airmen at the 442nd Fighter Wing's Education and Training office.

A "must stop" for military members wanting financial help in covering educational and training costs at accredited institutions and in select programs, the office has information on the Montgomery G.I. Bill, Tuition Assistance (TA) and the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP).

Tech. Sgt. Ron Watkins, the office's education and training technician for seven years, said he is more than willing to take the time to ensure Airmen understand how each program can benefit them.

"Working with students and getting to see them graduate is very rewarding," he said. "You get to see the end-result of the work you did with each student. I definitely put in a lot of time and effort to ensure each person gets served and gets paid."

Sergeant Watkins said that Airmen, regardless of the program they use, need to be aware of and adhere to several rules so they don't cheat themselves out of full benefits.

The Montgomery G.I. Bill, named after former Mississippi Congressman Gillespie "Sonny" Montgomery, who, in 1984, revamped the original 1944 G.I. Bill, is one of the best known programs in the military. Sergeant Watkins said it can be used for a host of programs aside from traditional universities and colleges.

"The G.I. Bill is unique because you can attend technical or vocational schools and use it," he said. "You can use it for teacher certification or even for flight training. Whatever institution you're enrolled at has to be accredited, of course, and there are other guidelines for using it."

Sergeant Watkins said the G.I. Bill money can also be used for apprenticeships and various other programs offered by companies or unions.

"One person at 3M in Springfield used that money for internal training with her company and she earned college credits for it, too" he said.

While G.I. Bill money can be used for a variety of costs, Sergeant Watkins said Airmen need to understand that TA is "strictly a reimbursement program" for tuition costs only. He said it cannot be used for books, fees or other expenses, although it will cover labs as long as they are for credit.

"People, especially younger Airmen who may not have a lot of money, shouldn't count on TA money to fund another semester," he said. "It takes time - typically four to six weeks - for the system to work. It has to go from me to Air Force Reserve Command headquarters and from there to DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Service). Members will get paid, but it's not always timely.

"Probably the number one thing for people to be aware regarding TA deals with supporting documentation," Sergeant Watkins said. "Every semester, bar none, you have to have your degree plan, proof of course cost, proof of semester hours per course and paid receipts."

One such point, he noted, is that since applications for TA are done online, many customers "think that's all they need to do. They'll fill out the forms, but they don't get supporting documentation.

"By Air Force instruction, paperwork has to be in place seven days prior to a course start date," he said. "We have to have time to put everything together."

The sergeant said another consistent problem he encounters is customers not providing him their course grades.

"By Air Force instruction, they're required to provide me a passing grade within 60 days of course completion," Sergeant Watkins said. "All these directions are included in a 'student briefing sheet' they initial and sign every semester. If they don't follow these directions, they could forfeit reimbursement."

TA and G.I. Bill money can be used for associate, bachelor or master degree programs, but it cannot be used for doctoral programs.

Sergeant Watkins also said members cannot "double-dip" from the federal government.
"You can't use the G.I. Bill and TA for the same courses," he said. "However, you can use the G.I. Bill first as a full-time student and then use tuition assistance for subsequent classes."

Sergeant Watkins noted that REAP, established to help reservists and guardsmen who have deployed for at least 90 straight days since the 9-11 attacks, "was designed to be more in line with the active duty, as far as the amount of G.I. Bill money a member receives for the amount of time he spent 'in country.'

"The more time you spend 'in country,' the more money you receive, up to 80 percent of active-duty benefits," he said. "It basically allows a military member to receive more G.I. Bill money than if he hadn't deployed."