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FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MR//
TO MARADMIN
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UNCLAS //N00907//
MARADMIN 208/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MR/MRV//
SUBJ/MONTGOMERY GI BILL (MGIB) ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION (BUY UP)//
REF/A/DOC/OASD/YMD:010215//
NARR/REF A IS OASD MEMORANDUM REGARDING CHANGES TO MONTGOMERY GI BILL
(MGIB) PROGRAM.//
RMKS/1. NEW LEGISLATION AFFECTING PARTICIPANTS IN THE MONTGOMERY GI
BILL (MGIB) PROGRAM WAS ENACTED BY REF A. EFFECTIVE 1 MAY 2001,
ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS WHOSE ORIGINAL FEDERAL EDUCATION BENEFIT PROGRAM
IS THE MGIB PROGRAM MAY MAKE AN ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION (BUY UP)
OF UP TO $600 TO RECEIVE AN INCREASED MONTHLY BENEFIT. THE MGIB
BENEFIT WILL INCREASE BY $1 FOR 36 MONTHS FOR EACH ADDITIONAL $4
CONTRIBUTED. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A MEMBER CONTRIBUTES THE ENTIRE $600
ADDITIONAL AMOUNT, THE MONTHLY MGIB BENEFIT WILL BE INCREASED BY
$150 PER MONTH. THE CURRENT MGIB BENEFIT FOR FULL-TIME SCHOOL
ENROLLMENT FOR VETERANS IS $650 PER MONTH. THIS ADDITIONAL
CONTRIBUTION WOULD RESULT IN A TOTAL MGIB MONTHLY BENEFIT OF $800.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF LESS THAN $600 WILL BE ALLOWED, BUT THE BENEFIT, A
MAXIMUM OF $5,400, WILL BE REDUCED PROPORTIONALLY. PARTICIPANTS CAN
ONLY DRAW THIS BENEFIT AFTER PAYING THE REQUIRED $1200 AND SERVING A
MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS.
2. MEMBERS ENROLLED IN MGIB PROGRAM BY REASON OF INVOLUNTARY
SEPARATION, CONVERSION FROM VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
(VEAP), CONVERSION FROM VIETNAM-ERA GI BILL, OR ENROLLMENT DURING
THE OPEN PERIOD FROM 1 DECEMBER 1988 THROUGH 30 JUNE 1989 ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE FOR THIS OPTION. ONLY PERSONNEL WHO ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY
AFTER 1 JULY 1985 AND ENROLLED IN MGIB DURING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF
ACTIVE DUTY ARE ELIGIBLE.
3. MEMBERS ELECTING THIS OPTION CAN CONTRIBUTE THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT
ONLY WHILE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY. THIS IS NOT WAIVERABLE, IT IS
LAW. ELIGIBLE MGIB PARTICIPANTS SEPARATING BETWEEN 1 MAY AND 15 MAY
2001 WILL HAVE UNTIL 20 MAY 2001 TO MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL
CONTRIBUTIONS.
4. MEMBERS WHO WERE ON ACTIVE DUTY ON THE DATE OF ENACTMENT OF THIS
LEGISLATION, 1 NOVEMBER 2000, BUT SEPARATE BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE DATE
OF 1 MAY 2001, HAVE UNTIL 31 JULY 2001 TO CONTRIBUTE.
5. ACTION FOR COMMANDING OFFICERS:
A. INFORM ELIGIBLE MEMBERS WHO SEPARATED PRIOR TO 1 MAY 2001
TO CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (DVA) AT 888-442-4551
OR EMAIL WWW.GIBILL.VA.GOV FOR PAYMENT PROCEDURES.
B. ENSURE ALL ELIGIBLE MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF THE OPPORTUNITY
TO CONTRIBUTE A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF $20 UP TO $600 TO RECEIVE
INCREASED MONTHLY MGIB BENEFITS.
C. CONFIRM ELIGIBILITY BY VERIFYING MEMBERS' ENROLLMENT AND
ELIGIBILITY FOR ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION BENEFITS. NOTE: THOSE
ENROLLED IN MGIB PROGRAM BY VIRTUE OF CIRCUMSTANCES OUTLINED IN
PARAGRAPH 2 ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
D. PREPARE AND HAVE MEMBER EXECUTE ANOTHER DD FORM 2366 AND
INSERT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN BLOCK 3, SERVICE UNIQUE EDUCATION
BENEFITS: "AUTHORIZED UNDER PL 106-419 TO CONTRIBUTE AN ADDITIONAL
$600 MAXIMUM TOWARD MY EXISTING GI BILL BENEFIT. THE MINIMUM
CONTRIBUTION IS $20. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE."
E. PREPARE AND HAVE MEMBER EXECUTE A METHOD OF PAYMENT MEMO.
INCLUDE THE PREFERRED METHOD AND AMOUNT OF PAYMENT (LUMP SUM
PAYMENT(S) OR MONTHLY DEDUCTIONS), THE MEMBER'S SOCIAL SECURITY
NUMBER, AND THE MEMBER'S SIGNATURE ON THE MEMO.
F. REPORT THE REQUIRED UNIT DIARY ENTRY, PER DFAS-KC MESSAGE
(PAAN), FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE MARINES WHO ELECT TO PARTICIPATE BY
MONTHLY PAY DEDUCTION IN $20 INCREMENTS UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $100.
G. PROVIDE MEMBER WITH COPIES OF DOCUMENTS (DD FORM 2366 AND
METHOD OF PAYMENT MEMO). INSTRUCT MEMBER TO SAFEGUARD THESE
DOCUMENTS SINCE THEY WILL BE REQUIRED BY THE DVA WHEN MAKING CLAIMS
FOR BENEFITS. THE MEMBER'S LES WILL BE PROOF OF PAYMENT.
H. FORWARD THE DD FORM 2366 AND METHOD OF PAYMENT MEMO TO THE
DISBURSING/FINANCE OFFICE FOR PROCESSING FOR LUMP SUM PAYMENTS.
PERSONAL CHECKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FROM MEMBERS.
6. ACTION FOR DISBURSING AND FINANCE OFFICERS: FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE
MARINES WHO ELECT A LUMP SUM CONTRIBUTION (PAYMENT), PROCEDURES
WILL BE PUBLISHED BY A DFAS-KC MESSAGE (PAAN).
7. ACTION FOR DFAS-KC: GENERATE THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE ON ALL
MARINES LES': ANY MGIB PARTICIPANT WHO INITIALLY ENTERED ACTIVE
DUTY ON OR AFTER 1 JULY 1985 AND WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
$600 ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION MUST CONTACT THEIR ADMIN UNITS AND PAY
MINIMUM $20 UP TO $600.
8. THIS BENEFIT IS NOT APPLICABLE TO RESERVE PERSONNEL.
9. THE HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS (MRV) MGIB MANAGERS ARE NATALIE
GALVIN AND MERLIN LEWIS-ELLIS, DSN 278-9644, COMM (703) 784-9644.//
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