Working with Veterans WASFAA - 2011

1. Working with VeteransWASFAA - 2011 Mike MacCallum, PhD Dean, Financial Aid, EOPS, and Veterans Affairs Long Beach City College mmaccallum@lbcc.edu

2. The GI Bill • Began after World War II • Historically, the first form of financial aid • Extended for Korean Vets • Reinstated during the Vietnam era • Vietnam era veterans—retroactive Korean War • After Vietnam, changed to voluntary • 1984: Montgomery GI Bill • New in August 2009: Post 9/11 GI Bill • Major revisions effective August 2011

3. General Provisions • 36 months of full time benefits • Prorated for less than full time enrollment • If changing from one separate GI Bill to another, can receive 48 months of benefits • Must be used within 10 years (15 years for Chapter 33) • May be extended for medical reasons

4. General Provisions Monthly payments direct to veteran or dependent Must be enrolled in an approved program (State approving agency) Can only be paid for classes required for degree objective Implies the need for an ed plan Veterans must follow ed plan exactly

5. General Provisions • May have to pay money back for withdrawals • Satisfactory progress requirements may be stricter than those of the institution

6. Chapter 33—The New GI Bill • Eligibility • On active duty since 9/11/01 • On active duty for 36 months to receive 100% benefits • Prorated if less than 36 months • Time in training doesn’t count • Can switch Chapter 30 to 33, but not back • Must enroll more than 50% of full time • At least 7 units in a semester program

7. Chapter 33—The New GI Bill Tuition Cost of tuition and fees up to the most expensive in-state, undergraduate, public institution Schools whose tuition and fees exceed that of the most expensive in-state schools, may participate in the Yellow Ribbon Schools contribute up to half the remaining fees VA will match dollar for dollar Schools may limit number of participants

8. Chapter 33—The New GI Bill Monthly housing allowance Comparable to E-5 with dependents housing allowance in same zip code as the school http://www.gibill2008.org/calculator.html

9. Chapter 33—The New GI Bill Books and supplies Up to $1,000 per year, based on 24 units $1,000 ÷ 24 = $41.67 per unit 15 units for fall = 15 x $41.67 = $625.05 12 units for spring = $374.95 Nothing left for summer

10. Chapter 33—The New GI Bill Relocation $500, one time if relocating from highly rural area

11. Institutional Eligibility • Must be approved by the State Approving Agency (SAA) • Degree granting or clock hour • Submit 3 catalogs each year • Each program the school offers must be approved • CC transfer programs approved once, update when needed

12. Institutional Responsibilities • Certify veteran’s enrollment • Number of units enrolled • Minus any non-required classes • Beginning and ending dates • Veteran’s degree objective • Tuition and fees • Report changes to veteran’s enrollment • Monitor satisfactory progress • May differ from that of the school

13. Changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Effective August 1, 2009, but not payable until October 1, 2011 • Expands the Post-9/11 GI Bill to include Active Service performed by National Guard members under title 32 U.S.C. for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the National Guard; or under section 502(f) for the purpose of responding to a national emergency

14. Changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Effective March 5, 2011 • Limits active duty members to the net cost for tuition and fees prorated based on the eligibility tiers (40%-100%) previously established for Veterans. • Same limitations apply to transferee spouses of active duty servicemembers

15. Changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Effective August 1, 2011 • Pays all public school in-state tuition fees • Private and foreign school costs are capped at $17,500, annually • The Yellow Ribbon program still exists for out-of-state fees and costs above the cap

16. Changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Effective August 1, 2011 • Prorates housing allowance by the student’s rate of pursuit (rounded to the nearest tenth) • A student training at a rate of pursuit of 75% would receive 80% of the BAH rate • Break or interval pay is no longer payable under any VA education benefit unless under an Executive Order of the President or due to an emergency, such as a national disaster or strike

17. Changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Effective August 1, 2011 • Allows reimbursement for more than one license or certification test • However, entitlement is now charged • Allows reimbursement of fees paid to take national admissions exams • (e.g., SAT, ACT, GMAT, LSAT) • Allows those eligible for both Chapter 31 and 33 to choose the Chapter 33 BAH

18. Changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Of interest to school certifying officials • Reporting fees paid to schools increases from $7 to $12 and $11 to $15 per student per year • Requires that reporting fees only be used for the purpose of certification • Standard college degree programs offered at accredited public and private-not-for-profit schools are deemed already approved for VA Education Benefits

19. Changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Of interest to school certifying officials • Allows the VA to use SAAs for compliance and oversight duties • Allows VA to disapprove courses

20. Changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Effective October 1, 2011 • Allows students to use the Post 9/11 GI Bill for: • Non-college degree programs • On-the-job and apprenticeship training • Flight programs • Correspondence training • Housing allowance is now payable to students enrolled solely in distance learning

21. Financial Aid and Veterans Five points of contact

22. Financial Aid and Veterans • Five points of contact: • Dependency status • Contribution from VA educational benefits • Veteran’sincome questions • Income reduction • Dependents of veterans

23. Financial Aid and Veterans • Dependency status (Question 49) • Select “Yes”if: • You have engaged in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or were a member of the National Guard or Reserves who was called to active duty for purposes other than state or training purposes, or you were a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies • And, you were released under a condition other than dishonorable. • There is no minimum amount of time in service as long as it was active duty.

24. Financial Aid and Veterans • Dependency status (Question 49) • Answer “Yes” if you are not a veteran now but will be one by June 30, 2012 (for 2011/12). • This is less stringent than the VA’s definition of veteran for receiving certain VA benefits. • Students serving in ROTC or currently attending a U.S. military academy are not veterans for financial aid purposes.

25. Financial Aid and Veterans • Contribution from VA Educational Benefits • Effective 2009/10, veterans benefits are eliminated fromCongressional need analysis methodology

26. Financial Aid and Veterans • The 2011/12 FAFSA • Questions 43e (credit) • Combat pay or special combat pay. Only enter the amount that was taxable and included in your adjusted gross income. Do not enter untaxed combat pay.

27. Financial Aid and Veterans • The 2011/12 FAFSA • Questions 44g (income) • Housing, food and other living allowances paid to members of the military, clergy and others (including cash payments and cash value of benefits). Don’t include the value of on-base military housing or the value of a basic military allowance for housing.

28. Financial Aid and Veterans • The 2011/12 FAFSA • Questions 44h (income) • Veterans noneducation benefits, such as Disability, Death Pension, or Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and/or VA Educational Work-Study allowances.

29. Financial Aid and Veterans • Income reduction • Veterans who leave the military to attend school full time and live off their GI Bill may have their EFCs recalculated by professional judgment using projected year or projected school year income.

30. Financial Aid and Veterans • Dependents of soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11/01 • Zero EFC for Pell Grant purposes only • If Pell eligible, use zero EFC for all other aid • If not Pell eligible, use actual EFC for other aid • 2009/10: Emails to colleges • 2010/11: ISIR DoD match flag http://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/110609DODMatch.html

31. Working with Veterans VET NET Ally

32. VET NET Ally • Similar to Safe Zone training • Developed by Marshall Thomas • Associate Director, Learning Assistance Center • California State University Long Beach • mthomas@csulb.edu • Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps (1986-1992) • Doctoral dissertation

33. Definitions • Veteran • Combat • Non-combat • Service member • Active vs. reserve duty • Department of Defense (DoD) • OEF/OIF • Dependent

34. Why I Joined • Every year about 280,000 people join the military

35. Why I Joined • There are many reasons why people join the military • Most people join for a combination of reasons • Economic incentives - Career preparation • Adventure - Family tradition • Patriotism - Rite of passage • Change of environment

36. Military Culture – Boot Camp • Basic training required by all services • Physical • Mental • Emotional • Tailored to the unique needs and characters of each service • The “self” is replaced by the “team” • In a society that has few rites of passage Boot Camp provides one

37. Military Culture - Terminology • Bulkhead • Porthole • Deck • Chow • Mess hall • Leave • Cover • Head/latrine • Colors

38. Military Culture - Customs

39. Military Culture - Camaraderie

40. Military Culture • Vocabulary/Language • Hierarchical Society • Chain of command • History • Customs and courtesies • Uniforms • Immediate response to orders • Physical fitness and ongoing training

41. Military Culture – After Boot Camp • Life after basic training differs greatly by • Service • Occupational specialty • Geographic location • Whether one is in a combat zone • If you met one vet, you met one vet

42. Military Culture – Duties • Large bases are like cities • Each service member performs a role in his/her city • “Three hots and a cot” • Pay twice a month • Medical/dental benefits • Weekends and holidays • 30 days paid vacation per year

43. Military Culture – Duties • Service members can be deployed • Anywhere • Anytime • Continuous training • Policing one another • It is all about the team, the unit, the mission • Plenty of leadership and educational opportunities

44. Military Culture – Duties • Saluting officers • Proper uniform • Inspections • Colors • Ceremonies • Promotion • Change of command • Observe the proper chain of command

45. Military Culture – Getting Out • Becoming a civilian • Losing camaraderie • Getting a job • Getting dressed • Finding housing • Eating • Finding health and dental care

46. Military Culture – Getting Out • Being a veteran • Pride in service • Silence about service • A Band of Brothers • An acquired sense of superiority over those from other services

47. Military Culture – Getting Out • Becoming a student • Choosing a major • Selecting classes • Studying • Questioning authority • Being a fellow student

48. Getting Out – Veterans Needs • Camaraderie • Respect • Acceptance • Minimize the bureaucracy • Patience • Accurate and timely information

49. Working with Veterans TBI and PTSD

50. Working with Veterans • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) incidence • 30% Vietnam veterans • 10% Gulf War (Desert Storm) • 6-11% Afghanistan veterans • 12-20% Iraqi veterans • PTSD more acute for women veterans