I'm leaving the military in about a year and half and was wondering what kind of advice, financial and personal that I can get. Any tips on maximizing my GI bill would be helpful as well.
2007-08-24 00:10:42 · 3 answers · asked by Jon 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
I was a service member who used the GI Bill, now I work for education centers downrange, first in Kuwait and now in Kosovo. These suggestions should help you on your way to getting your degree.
Sign up today for the Plus Up program. This will allow you to add an extra $5,400 to your GI Bill for only a $600 contribution. You have to have it paid off by the time you leave active service; however, if you don't have it fully paid off you will still receive extra money, but not the entire $5,400. It equates to an extra $150 a month to your GI Bill payment for 36 months. See the education center to pick up the form.
Apply for financial aid, since you are a service member, regardless of your age, you do not have to put down your parents info on the financial aid form. This should give you enough money to cover your tuition, it did for me, but I went to a State school, which are cheaper than private schools. www.fafsa.gov
Apply for a VA Workstudy position. I did this. You work 25 hours a week and get paid every two weeks. It's not much, about $638 every two weeks, but it's tax free, and if your boss was as cool as mine, you wouldn't be working 25 hours, but more like 15 and still being able to write in 25 for the week.
Apply for scholarships, they have tons of them out there, not all of them are for a lot of money, but every couple of hundred dollars really do add up.
You should also look into disability. If any thing on your doesn't work all that well, you should see a military doctor for it, that way when you get out, you will have a record of it and it will be easier to prove it. Depending on how much you qualify for, is also tax free money that you can put toward anything you like.
Good luck.
2007-08-24 00:42:22 · answer #1 · answered by panzerfahrer81 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are you planning on working full- or part-time while you are going to college? Some companies are very good about flexible scheduling and even some educational assistance, for ex-military making transition to civilian life.
2007-08-24 19:39:34 · answer #2 · answered by sagacious_ness 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
one day at a time just like deployments like dis one I am on in Afghanistan for another 10 months.
2007-08-24 07:20:40 · answer #3 · answered by lilone_onpnt02 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋