Online Education Blog

Military families have eagerly awaited the finalization of rulings for family transferability with the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The Department of Defense made announcements back in May about their intentions behind family transferability, but the legislation was still in process of being passed.

The Department of Defense has now announced that family members can register for transferability to their dependents on June 29.

Service members interested in this financial aid benefit available to their spouse or children will be able to apply beginning June 29 through the Transferability of Educational Benefits (TEB) website, which will be found at: http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB/.

The Department of Defense is offering re-enlistments and service extensions to make this available to as many military personnel as possible. Bob Clark, the leading legislator for family transferability for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, supports that this provision is meant as a method of military retention.

Once service members process their dependents through the Department of Defense, dependents are considered potential applicants through the Department of Veteran Affairs as if they were active duty, reserve, or veterans under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The Department of Defense also guarantees that dependents will be able to use their benefits for August 1, 2009, despite the late arrival of their applications. This obviously is going to leave their hands full.

The official rulings are:

The final rules allow transferability of a portion or all of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for any member of the armed forces (active duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted) on or after August 1, 2009, who is eligible for the benefit, and:

• Has at least six years of service in the armed forces on the date of election and agrees to serve four additional years in the armed forces from the date of election.
• Has at least 10 years of service in the armed forces (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of election, is precluded by either standard policy or statute from committing to four additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute, or is or becomes retirement-eligible during the period from Aug. 1, 2009, through Aug. 1, 2013.

For those eligible for retirement on Aug. 1, 2009, no additional service is required.

For those who have an approved retirement date after Aug. 1, 2009, and before July 1, 2010, no additional service is required.

For those eligible for retirement after Aug. 1, 2009, and before Aug. 1, 2010, one year of additional service after approval of transfer is required.

For those eligible for retirement on or after Aug. 1, 2010, and before Aug. 1, 2011, two years of additional service after approval of transfer are required.

For those eligible for retirement on or after Aug. 1, 2011, and before Aug. 1, 2012, three years of additional service after approval of transfer required.

Read the Pentagon’s official policy here.

Tomorrow, the Yellow Ribbon Program list of participators will finally be unveiled.