Sunday, August 26, 2012

Pentagon Reports Death of Female Soldier in Afghanistan


Published: Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012 - 9:09 am
The U.S. Army says a soldier based at Fort Campbell, Ky., has been killed in Afghanistan.
The Army says 20-year-old Pfc. Patricia L. Horne of Greenwood, Miss., died Aug. 24 in Bagram, Afghanistan. She was assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

                                    Rest in Peace....we will never forget you.



Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/26/4758274/fort-campbell-soldier-killed-in.html#storylink=cpy
Pfc. Patricia L. Horne of Greenwood is the 25th women to be killed in action in AFG war.

Friday, August 10, 2012

VA Cites Progress on Treating Women Patients

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT: Women Veterans Social Justice: Women Veterans Services (Part 1)

Women Veterans Social Justice: Women Veterans Services (Part 1)

Just click the link above!

UPDATE: FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES & YOUR BENEFITS

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Local Vets Speak Out on Military Sex Assault


BY: Max Freund

Every day for six months in the early ’90s, Joan had daily bouts with her boss, fending off unwanted sexual advances in his tiny, broom closet of an office.
“He would call me into his office and would push me into the corner” and then sexually assault her, said the former Army specialist whose boss, a sergeant first class, also outranked her at the military hospital where they worked.
Joan, who now works in Iowa City and goes by an alias to share her story, is a survivor of military sexual trauma, or MST. The latter is the military classification for sexual assault and harassment.
It’s a widespread problem. According to annual reports, the Department of Defense lists 3,192 reports of sexual assault in fiscal 2011, up from 2,688 in fiscal 2007. The Pentagon’s sexual assault prevention and response office estimates, however, that only 13.5 percent of incidents in the ranks are reported.
The documentary “The Invisible War,” which is being screened Friday at The Englert Theatre in Iowa City, is attempting to open the Pandora’s box on the seldom-discussed issue.
Local survivors
Joan and Brigid, both in their early 40s, did not know each other during their military careers, but today the friends use pseudonyms to co-author a blog — Enemy in the Wire — that catalogs their battles with military sexual trauma.
Brigid, a Cedar Rapids resident, said she suffered multiple assaults during her 10 years in the Iowa National Guard. She recalls the details of one when she was a teenager that occurred away from Iowa during active duty for training. Brigid was raped by two fellow trainees.
“I was passed out, drunk, and I woke up to being raped by two men,” Brigid said, recalling that she and a handful of close friends had rented a hotel room for a weekend getaway.
Brigid had gone to bed and thought the door was locked behind her. However, the two men were able to enter the room, lock themselves in and begin assaulting her.
“(My friends) broke the door down,” she said. “They witnessed my rape.”
The two men were training classmates, but neither was part of the group with whom Brigid was on vacation.
Brigid’s friends were able to chase the rapists away and persuaded her to report the incident to the Army’s criminal investigation command. She said reporting led to a six-month battle with military investigators, who forcibly ostracized her from her friends and threatened her with charges of sodomy and other offenses.
“You don’t tell. I broke the rules; I told,” she said. “And that is why a lot of women don’t come forward — because it was your fault anyway. What did you expect when you put on those boots? What did you expect? You want to play in a man’s world, well, you’re going to have to play with the men.”
Brigid eventually dropped her charges and returned to her National Guard post in Iowa, where she said she experienced multiple cases of sexual harassment and another rape by a commanding officer.
Joan had fewer issues with commanding officers and investigators than Brigid, since Joan chose to not come forward with formal complaints.
“Part of it was because it was very embarrassing, and part of it was because I had no proof,” said Joan, adding it would have been her word against an officer’s.
Both women say the sexual abuse was a leading cause of their leaving the military. They have since successfully filed claims for benefits with the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the sexual assaults and are receiving financial compensation.
Military response
"Joan" and "Brigid" have dog tags that read "NOT INVISIBLE," part of the promotion for the documentary The Invisible War. Photographed on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in the Gazette studio in Cedar Rapids. (Liz Martin/The Gazette-KCRG)
Because of the high number of sexual assaults, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced early this year two policies to ease the process for men and women who report abuse.
The first allows victims who file a report to request an expedited transfer to a different unit. The unit commander must respond within 72 hours.
The second policy standardizes the retention period of all sexual assault records — 50 years — to streamline the process for veterans who file claims with Veterans Affairs.......

READ MORE HERE 

Mind Field: PTSD & the Military

Can the Armed Forces afford to accurately diagnose soldiers--and their families--with psychological issues stemming from war?

By Keegan Hamilton Wednesday, Aug 8 2012

Nature calls, even in a war zone. And so, in April 2008, when John Byron Etterlee was stationed at an American military base in Baghdad, working the night shift at an Army tactical operations center, he carried his rifle as he stepped outside to use the outhouse. Suddenly, just as he began to relieve himself, he heard an ominous buzz in the sky above.


Etterlee, a stout Georgia native with a blond crew cut and thick spectacles, hustled out of the portable toilet and gazed up into the darkness. The buzz sounded like a small airplane approaching, but Etterlee, already midway through his second tour of duty inIraq, realized the white streak tearing through the night was an incoming rocket.
"For a split second I thought, 'Oh my God, am I going to die?' " the 35-year-old soldier recalls matter-of-factly in his slow Southern cadence. "I thought it was coming toward me. Fifteen seconds later I heard a loud explosion that shook the buildings. The rocket hit maybe 50 yards outside the gate."
Nobody was injured in the attack, and Etterlee's desert outpost incurred no serious damage. In hindsight, he says, it was just another close call during a span when he and his unit became accustomed to mortar fire, IED detonations, and other random explosions. But for some reason, perhaps because of the embarrassing circumstances, this particular brush with death has stuck with him. "I almost pissed in my pants," Etterlee says with a halfhearted chuckle. "It wasn't funny when it happened, but it's kinda funny now."
A chemical-weapons specialist tasked mainly with keeping records and maintaining equipment, Etterlee had limited combat experience during his time in Iraq. Nevertheless, his vehicle was once nearly struck by a roadside bomb, and one of his closest friends was killed in action in a separate incident. When he returned home toJoint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in late 2008, the chemical weapons specialist was clearly rattled. His wife forced him to spend nights on the couch because he punched, kicked, and thrashed in his sleep. He was prone to outbursts of anger. He tried to avoid conversations about the war, and, when co-workers inevitably swapped battle stories, his heart pounded and his mind raced.
He says he tried to seek help, but to no avail. "I went to chaplains more times than I can count," Etterlee says. "I went to my chain of command, and basically got the runaround. Nobody put me on any kind of formal treatment program."
On top of his mental issues, Etterlee was struggling financially. He and his wife divorced. And then, during a training exercise at Fort Lewis, he suffered herniated discs in his back while dragging a fellow soldier in a simulated rescue situation. Despite the painful back injury, he was briefly redeployed to the Middle East. Back at the base again in 2010, Etterlee was at the end of his rope.
READ MORE HERE 

Reports of Military Suicides on the Rise: Will Licensed Counselors be Allowed to Help Now?


After over a decade as an Army Behavioral Health Specialist, BH-related experiences on 2 overseas deployments, from reports I was privy to while working in my active duty position in Washington, D.C., and from countless stories from military friends, co-workers, and clients, I have personally noted that interpersonal relationships were/are the most common theme amongst Troops contemplating or attempting suicide. This is something not “treated” with a diagnosis and a pill but that’s what our Troops typically get. Finally a U.S. publication has printed the truth: Our Troops need therapeutic counseling to address their most serious mental health needs. See the article link below.
The article reveals research clearly indicating that our Troops need the services of professionals who can specifically address the actual reasons behind the suicide rates, among other things. Troops’ mental health issues need to be addressed with actual counseling and therapy—not what they most often receive. As I’ve discussed in previous blogs, currently no military branch allows Licensed Counselors/Therapists to serve in the military as a Behavioral Health Officer. That is, of course, unless they are also a master’s level Social Worker, a Psychiatric Nurse, a Clinical or Counseling Psychologist, or a Psychiatrist. With the VA it’s not much better. Despite the efforts of organizations such as the ACA and despite Congress’s recent mandate to start hiring Licensed Counselors and Therapists, they are still only opening up the positions to Social Workers in most cases.
I have been running my mouth to anyone who would listen about this for years. Why is every military branch still excluding the Professional Counseling and Therapist professions? Why is the VA still not hiring professionals in THE fields of expertise to best address what Troops and their Families are needing most? NOT just diagnoses, NOT just pills, NOT just Army Social Workers pumped out of an accelerated program. But a well-rounded mental health care system. One that stops excluding professionals who are best suited to assist in the most common mental health issues.


READ MORE HERE

New Study: U.S. Military Suicide Rate Now Likely Double or Triple Civil War’s


Can medical data from the U.S. Civil War help us better understand military suicides?
Your recent Time cover story in the July 23 issue detailed the tragic facts that suicide rates among active-duty U.S. military personnel rose dramatically over the past decade. Military suicide rates doubled between 2001 and 2006, while remaining flat in the general population, with more military fatalities attributed to suicide than to actual combat in Afghanistan during that period.
To make matters worse, we do not understand why. Stressors related to military training, overseas deployment, transition back to civilian life, and combat are widely believed to be major driving factors. However, 31% of soldiers who committed suicide had never been deployed to a war zone. Furthermore, suicide rates in British military forces have also increased recently, though to a lesser degree, and do not exceed the rate of the general population.
Is there a lack of historical context?
Compounding our inability to understand this current phenomenon is the lack of adequate historical data to provide context on whether high suicide rates were typical of prior wars. Review of archival records from past wars might help shed some light on the current military suicide epidemic.
In a recent study (Frueh & Smith, 2012) we reviewed historical medical records on suicide deaths among Union forces during the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), a brutal war that many consider the first modern one, and for the year immediately after the war to estimate the suicide rate among its Union combatants. We also reviewed these same historical records for data on rates of alcohol abuse and other probable psychiatric illnesses.
White active-duty Union military personnel suicide rates ranged from 8.74 – 14.54 per 100,000 during the Civil War, and surged to 30.4 the year after the war. For black Union troops, rates ranged from 17.7 in the first year of their entry into the war (1863), to 0 in their second year, and 1.8 in the year after the war.
For comparison, the current rate of U.S. military suicides is just over 20 per 100,000 troops. To further put these figures into current context, there were more military suicides in 2010 (total suicides = 295), than during the entire four years of the Civil War, for which we found 278 documented Union suicides, and forces were of comparable size.
Thus, current suicide rates in the U.S. military are probably two to three times higher than those documented during the Civil War. Rates for other available psychological domains, including chronic alcoholism, “nostalgia,” and insanity, were extremely low (< 1.0%) by modern day standards during the Civil War.
Of course, we should interpret data from the U.S. Civil War cautiously, not simply because of its age, but because medicine and society in the 1860s were psychologically naïve. There was almost no awareness or understanding of mental illness then. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), now understood to be a common post-combat reaction did not exist in the medical literature at the time. Moreover, it is possible (but by no means certain) that the stigma of suicide and psychological problems may have biased against reporting.
What about combat intensity?
As noted by preeminent Harvard psychologist, Richard J. McNally (2012), these Civil War findings occurred within the context of extremely intense combat operations. In reviewing historical data on rates of killed in action, he notes that the death rate for Union forces during the Civil War was 48 times higher than for modern U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And yet, emotional problems and disability (from many different causes) has risen dramatically among U.S. military personnel and veterans, even since the Vietnam war.


READ MORE: http://ti.me/N07LOy


Thursday, August 9, 2012

Lawsuit alleges paperwork mistake has cost veterans millions


WASHINGTON — Some combat injured sailors and Marines may have been cheated out of millions in veterans disability payments because of paperwork mistakes made by the services, according to a class-action complaint brought against the military this week.
Officials from the National Veterans Legal Services Program filed the lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of three combat veterans, but said they believe more than 1,000 may have been affected.
Bart Stichman, joint executive director of NVLSP, said the men lost about $20,000 in disability benefits each because service officials failed to note their injuries were combat related. Without that designation, Department of Veterans Affairs officials were forced to withhold disability payouts from the men for several years.
Navy and Marine Corps officials directed requests for comment to the Department of Justice, which would defend the services in the suit. Department of Justice officials said they are reviewing the case, but did not offer any rebuttal to or explanation for the alleged errors.
Stichman estimates the mistakes cost veterans a combined $20 million in lost disability payments.
“Someone was asleep at the wheel on this,” he said. “We’re not seeing this problem with the Army or the Air Force. But the Navy and Marine Corps didn’t do what they were supposed to.”
The problem stems from a 2008 change in how veterans disability benefits were awarded.
Marine Corps veteran Randy Howard, one of the plaintiffs named in the lawsuit, received more than $24,000 in a payout from the service in 2008 after officials determined his traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder — the result of two combat tours in Iraq — made him unable to stay on active duty.
Under the old rules, any servicemember separated for serious injuries would receive a lump-sum payout from the military, but their veterans disability checks would be delayed until the VA “recouped” that same amount.
READ MORE HERE

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Army Conducts Largest Mental Health Study

12th Public Affairs Detachment  
Story by Sgt. Joshua Holt


CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – The Army Study To Assess Risk and Resilience in Service members research team is currently conducting a study to better understand the risks and factors associated with mental health, stress and suicide.

The Army STARRS research study is a partnership between The National Institute of Mental Health and the U.S. Army to identify the factors that may pose risks to soldiers’ emotional well-being and overall mental health.

“It’s the largest study of mental health risk and resilience that the military has ever conducted,” said Dr. Kevin Quinn, medical psychologist, NIMH program officer, Army STARRS. “We want to understand what might put a soldier at risk or what might make a soldier resilient to things that can increase or decrease the potential for suicide.”

“What we need to do, and what the study is designed to do is to contact a lot of soldiers,” said Quinn. “We’re on track with all the studies to have interviewed or surveyed 100,000 soldiers.”

The team assembled by NIMH includes participants from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, University of Michigan, Harvard Medical School, NIMH and Army staff members.

The research will help the Army understand risks and factors of suicide, said Quinn. The rate of suicide has risen over the past five to seven years, but it is still an exceedingly rare event.

The study is designed to provide basic data to help aid other organizations studying prevention and risks associated with suicide, Quinn said.

Researchers look at the participant’s entire life, not just their military career.

“The basic component that’s involved in the majority of all the studies is the survey,” said Quinn. “We might look at the kinds of experiences that a soldier may have in the past before they ever entered the Army.”

The study will examine several different factors of the soldier’s life including: stress, deployments, exposures to trauma, family and personal history and demographics.

The survey can be taken in two different formats: a paper-and-pencil version and a computerized version. The method of testing would be determined by the research staff based on the location of the personnel being surveyed and the materials and equipment available.

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/92706/army-conducts-largest-mental-health-study#ixzz22tVUsVQx 

What are Some of DoD's Specialized Care Programs for Chronic Illnesses and PTSD?

Specialized Care Program (SCP) Track I


What Is It?

The SCP Track I is an intensive treatment program designed to address persistent disabling symptoms attributed by service members to deployment or other military exposure. It features three-weeks of multidisciplinary treatment of patients in small groups of three to eight individuals.

The program is based upon internationally recognized centers for management of chronic illness. It provides state-of-the-art care for those suffering from multiple symptoms such as:
Fatigue
Headache
Digestive Problems
Weight Gain
Joint Pain
Skin Rash
Memory Problems
Weight Loss



The Program's Goals
  • Improve conditioning and decrease symptoms via a gradual, paced physical reactivation program.

  • Provide opportunities to improve work performance and other activities of daily living.

  • Promote overall well-being, symptom reduction, improved coping and decreased healthcare utilization through the practice of positive health behaviors and skills.

  • Actively involve each participant in creating an individualized symptom management plan.

What Type of Care Is Provided?

The Specialized Care Program is designed to meet each participant's needs at a variety of levels. In addition to treatment of physical symptoms, there are interventions to assist in dealing with the stressors which accompany chronic pain and chronic illness such as loss of former abilities, strain on relationships, and transition from the military.
This program provides carefully coordinated delivery of care that takes into account many medical perspectives.

SCP Track I patients work closely with an internist and a health psychologist. Other members of the health care team include a, physical therapist, nurse, clinical social worker, and a nutritionist. A range of other medical specialists are also available depending on a patient's medical needs. 

The Program includes:
  • A thorough review of medical history and past diagnostic testing with an internist
  • Education regarding symptoms and personal health care management
  • Support and education for family members
  • Group and one-on-one meetings to discuss the impacts of physical symptoms, life stressors, and military experiences
  • Information regarding benefits for veteran
Who Can Participate?

The SCP Track I is available to members of all armed services and components, as well as to family members affected by persistent symptoms. The Specialized Care Program emphasizes treatment over evaluation.

Prior to admission to the Specialized Care Program, each person's medical record is extensively reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals. The purpose of this review is to determine whether or not the Specialized Care Program would be an appropriate treatment


What Is the Specialized Care Program SCP Track II?

  • Intensive, three-week, multi-disciplinary treatment program for patients with deployment-related stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or difficulties adjusting to re-deployment

  • Comprehensive program designed to accommodate a need for treatment of operational stress and PTSD associated with recent combat deployments

  • Focus on supportive treatment for service members from OEF/OIF with difficulties readjusting upon return who attribute concerns to operational stress or other operational issues and:
    • Assistance through other treatment venues has been unsuccessful or

    • Treatment resources at local and specialty care settings under existing standards of care have been exhausted or

    • Treatment resources at local and specialty care settings are not available to meet the specific treatment needs of the patient and

    • Patient continues to experiences difficulties in functional status and quality of life.

  • Designed to prevent chronic PTSD which creates higher usage of medical/behavioral health resources

  • Designed to reduce co-morbid health concerns such as depression, substance abuse, and domestic violence which contribute to high utilization of healthcare services
What Type of Care Is Provided by the SCP Track II?
  • Each SCP-Track II treatment plan is designed to meet individual patient needs

  • An internist evaluates/provides needed medical treatment for physical symptoms

  • Program teaches patients strategies to deal with the physiological, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive effects of stress/trauma and their resultant consequences on social, occupational, emotional, and interpersonal functioning and quality of life

  • Treatment program is group oriented, with three to eight individuals going through 3 week program as a group in order to facilitate trust and mutual support
What Are the Key Elements of Care for SCP Track II?
  • Behavioral health and self-care strategies and treatment modalities including:
    • Cognitive-behavioral therapy

    • Group exposure therapy

    • Physical reactivation

    • Stress management (relaxation training, massage therapy, yoga and acupuncture)

    • Educationally-based self-care focus with relapse prevention follow up

    • Multiple phone call follow up contacts for 10 months with clinician to secure improvements

    • Functional status emphasis and return to duty

  • Multi-disciplinary staff (physician, psychologist, social worker, nurse, physical therapist)

  • Structured, day-hospital milieu, 0730 - 1600 for three weeks, Mon.- Fri.

  • Ease of access to other referral sources within the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) system

How Are People Referred to the Program?
  • Military health system clinicians can refer patients meeting admission criteria to the program
    • Patients must be ambulatory and capable of some exercise

    • Patients musts be stable enough for independent functioning

  • Referral must include evaluation by a mental health professional to rule out significant co-morbid mental illness, e.g., psychosis, suicidality, active substance abuse

  • For healthcare facilities lacking evaluation assets, referrals for evaluation may be made to DHCC Ambulatory Care Program

  • The individual's command must approve program attendance

  • For additional referral information click here.




Invisible Injuries of War: What Heals and Who's Listening?

By: Joseph Bobrow
Founder of the Coming Home Project


We all know the story of the Three Little Pigs: The house made of bricks proved to be the strongest. The flagship DoD facilities built by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio, Tex.,  and the National Intrepid Center of Excellence or NICoE, in Bethesda, Md., are state-of-the-art facilities. I have visited them, met their leaders, and seen the service members receiving excellent care. Having also contributed the invaluable Fisher Houses for service members' families, the Fund is now planning to build a total of nine treatment centers for brain injuries and psychological disorders at the largest military bases, at a cost of over $100 million, which they will raise as they did the previous $150 million.
By catalyzing public attention, the Fund is not averse to using public embarrassment as a motivator. Martin Edelman, an original Fund Board member, said that building things for the military could "force it's balky bureaucracy to act." Given the urgency of the issue, the thousands needing care and the tens of thousands soon to be needing care, I have no argument with the Fund's tactics.
But stop and think a minute. How long has it taken governmental health entities, Congress, the military, private and public funders and the general public to even begin to recognize and address the dangerous tendency to see only the visible injuries of war and to ignore the unseen wounds? We humans privilege what we can see. It is far more difficult to grasp the powerful impacts that escape the eye such as the PTS continuum and mild-moderate TBI. Might this factor now be at play in what kinds of resources are funded? I think the answer is yes.
In five years of caring for thousands of post 9/11 vets and families, our data has convinced me that most potent force in combating PTS and related unseen impacts of war trauma is hidden in plain sight: the experience of community and a trustworthy network of peer support. Why? Because this is what bonds service members to one another in the war zone and family members and caregivers on the homefront. We can and must leverage it to facilitate the most healing and empowering transition to civilian life.
The DoD medical command is strapped for staff and funds and this situation will become worse not better over the next few years. According to the recent Institute of Medicine report, the Department of Defense has "a woeful lack of information on the effectiveness and related costs of its post-traumatic stress disorder treatment programs, despite having spent millions of dollars on various initiatives to address psychological health and traumatic brain injury." Programs must address the whole person, including the family and wider support systems such as the community.
Although forcing the Pentagon's hand is not in itself objectionable, the question I raise is a pragmatic one: Is the 100 million dollars for the nine centers on military bases, and the hundreds of additional millions of dollars needed to properly staff, fund and maintain excellence at these centers for decades to come, the best use of these massive financial investments? I maintain that the answer is no.
The New York Times article refers to these nine centers as a "network." We need networks alright: real, empowering and durable support networks of veterans, spouses, parents, teens and other family members. Networks of professional care providers and family caregivers. Isolation kills and community heals. Troops come home to a community, not a series of isolated services. A safe place of welcome, belonging, and understanding, without judgment -- a true home -- is a palpable but ignored and therefore invisible factor. Brick and mortar structures in no way guarantees a real home.
READ MORE HERE 

Monday, August 6, 2012

GUIDE: GI Bill, Employment and Education Program

Which program is best for me or my dependent?


  • Try out the "Road Map For Success" application here that will help you decide which program meets your needs! 
                                                               ~or~
  • Check out VA's "Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment VetSuccess Programs" here, if you are a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 20% or more and are interested in other options for employment, education and independence! 

What if I already know which program I want to use?

  • If you are ready to start the application process to receive or transfer education benefits, you can get started here

What if I need to verify my monthly attendance for benefit payment?
    • You need to verify your attendance every month before payment is issued if you are attending an Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) or Non-College Degree (NCD) program and are receiving one of the following:
      • Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty
      • Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve
      • Reserve Educational Assistance Program - REAP
      • Veterans Retraining Assistance Program - VRAP
                                                      Verify HERE! 
            How Much Money Will I Get Under The Post-9/11 GI Bill?

            The Post-9/11 GI Bill reimburses your tuition & fees to your school and makes housing and other payments directly to you.
            Your school will receive a percentage, as determined by your length of active duty service, of the following:
            1. For resident students at a public Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) all tuition & fee payments are reimbursed.
            2. For private and foreign IHLs tuition & fee reimbursement is capped at $17,500 per academic year (that amount will change to $18,077.50 August 1, 2012).
            3. For students whose tuition & fees exceed this maximum amount per academic year who are attending a private IHL in AZ, MI, NH, NY, PA, SC or TX and have been enrolled in the same program since January 4, 2011 schools will be reimbursed either the actual cost of the program or the maximum in-state tuition & fee reimbursement rate for the 2010-2011school year, whichever is greater.
            4. For reimbursement information for on-the job or apprenticeship programs click here
            5. For reimbursement information for vocational flight training programs click here
            If you are attending a public IHL as a non-resident student or a private IHL that is more expensive than the annual cap you may be eligible for extra payment under the Yellow Ribbon program.
            You may also be directly paid:
            • A monthly housing allowance (MHA) equal to the basic allowance for housing (BAH) amount payable to an E-5 with dependents, in same zip code as your school.  This allowance is paid proportionately based on your enrollment.
              • If you are attending school at the 1/2 time or less rate or are on active duty or the spouse of an active duty member receiving "Transferred Benefits" you will not receive any MHA. 
              • If you are attending school overseas you will receive a MHA of $1,346.88 a month for 2011 which is the average amount for all CONUS locations (that amount will change to $1,368.00 for the 2012 academic year.
              • If you are enrolled solely in distance learning you will receive a housing allowance equal to 1/2 the national average.
            • A yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1000 paid proportionately based on enrollment
            • A one time payment of $500 may be payable to certain individuals relocating from highly rural areas.


            How Much Money Will I Receive if I am using the Montgomery GI BILL? 


            Educational Assistance Allowance for trainees under the Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (Ch. 30 of title 38 U.S.C.). The following basic monthly rates are effective October 1, 2011.

            For trainees on active duty, payment is limited to reimbursement of tuition and fees for the training taken. If you participated in the “$600.00 buy-up” rates can be found HERE


            The following rates apply to those completing an enlistment of three years or more.



            Institutional Training
            Training Time
            Monthly rate
            Full time
            $1,473.00
            ¾ time
            $1,104.75
            ½ time
            $736.50
            less than ½ time more than ¼ time
            $736.50**
            ¼ time or less
            $368.25 **
            OJT Rates effective October 1, 2011
            Apprenticeship and On-Job Training
            Training Period
            Monthly rate
            First six months of training
            $1,104.75
            Second six months of training
            $810.15
            Remaining pursuit of training
            $515.55
            Correspondence and Flight - Entitlement charged at the rate of one month for each $1,473.00 paid.
            Cooperative - $1,473.00
            ** Tuition and Fees ONLY. Payment cannot exceed the listed amount.

            The following rates apply to those completing an enlistment of less than three years.

            Institutional Training
            Training Time
            Monthly rate
            Full time
            $1,196.00
            ¾ time
            $897.00
            ½ time
            $598.00
            less than ½ time more than ¼ time
            $598.00 **
            ¼ time or less
            $299.00 **


            Apprenticeship and On-Job Training
            Training Period
            Monthly rate
            First six months of training
            $897.00
            Second six months of training
            $657.80
            Remaining pursuit of training
            $418.60

            Correspondence and Flight - Entitlement charged at the rate of one month for each $1,196.00 paid.
            Cooperative - $1,196.00
            ** Tuition and Fees ONLY. Payment cannot exceed the listed amount.

            Basic Institutional Rates for persons with remaining entitlement under Chapter 34 of Title 38, U.S.C. Chapter 30 Category II rates effective October 1, 2011.
            Institutional Training
            Training Time
            Monthly rate
            No

            Dependents
            One

            Dependent
            Two

            Dependents
            Each additional dependent
            Full time
            $1,661.00
            $1,697.00
            $1,728.00
            $16.00
            ¾ time
            $1,246.25
            $1,272.75
            $1,296.25
            $12.00
            ½ time
            $830.50
            $848.50
            $864.00
            $8.50
            Less than ½ time; more than ¼ time
            $830.50**

            ¼ time or less$415.25**

            Cooperative Course
            Training periodMonthly rate
            No

            Dependents
            One

            Dependent
            Two

            Dependents
            Each additional dependent
            Oct. 1, 2011 - Sept. 30, 2012
            $1,661.00
            $1,697.00
            $1,728.00
            $16.00
            Correspondence - 55% of the approved charges
            Flight - 60% of the approved charges
            ** Tuition and Fees ONLY. Payment cannot exceed the listed amount.
            Apprenticeship and On-Job Training
            Training Period
            Monthly rate
            No
            Dependents
            One
            Dependent
            Two
            Dependents
            Each additional dependent
            First six months of pursuit of program
            $1,207.50
            $1,219.88
            $1,230.75
            $5.25
            Second six months
            $866.53
            $875.88
            $883.58
            $3.85
            Third six months
            $539.35
            $545.48
            $550.20
            $2.45
            Remaining pursuit of program
            $527.45
            $533.23
            $538.48
            $2.45


            How Do I Chose A School? Is it Approved?
            • To find a school or program please use this very helpful VA provided tool HERE!

            For handouts, information and brochures to print and share, please click HERE!


            What Are My Other Options- Click HERE for information on the below?
            • Other Programs
            • Reserve Educational Assistance (REAP)
            • Survivors & Dependents Assistance (DEA)
            • Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
            • Educational Assistance Test Program
            • National Call to Service Program
            • Veterans Retraining Assistance Program

            To Contact VA or Have Your Questions Answered:


            Contact Information
            Ask A Question
            • You can send us a secure email that will usually be answered within 48 hours or less. You can also search for answers to frequently asked questions and register to be notified of any updates to the information. This contact method is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can also be utilized worldwide.
            Click HERE to enter the "Ask A Question" website.

            Telephone
            1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).

            Be advised this line only accepts calls from 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM central time Monday - Friday and you may experience long hold times.

            Overseas
            If you are overseas you can contact us via telephone during business hours, M - F 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM EDT. Students and School Certifying Officials calling from outside the United States may call the Buffalo Regional Office at 716-857-3196 or 716-857-3197. Once connected, the caller can immediately enter "option 1" to be placed in a special priority queue. This is not a toll-free number but the caller will be routed to the next available Customer Service Representative for priority service. This is for Overseas customers only, all others should call the toll-free number or contact us via the Questions & Answers section of this website.


            Information used above was provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs websites