R 251014Z APR 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MR//
TO MARADMIN
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UNCLAS //N01014//
MARADMIN 213/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MRV//
SUBJ/MONTGOMERY GI BILL (MGIB) FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE TOP-UP//
REF/A/DOC/PL/YMD:001030//
NARR/REF A IS PUBLIC LAW 106-398, NATIONAL DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FY 2001.//
RMKS/1. THIS MARADMIN PROVIDES INFORMATION AND ESTABLISHES
POLICY FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF TUITION ASSISTANCE TOP-UP.
THE TOP-UP PROGRAM ALLOWS MONTGOMERY GI BILL (MGIB) PARTICIPANTS
TO USE TUITION ASSISTANCE (TA) IN CONJUNCTION WITH MGIB BENEFITS
AS AUTHORIZED BY THE REF, AND WAS EFFECTIVE 01 NOV 00.
2. THE AMOUNT OF THE BENEFIT CAN BE EQUAL TO THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE TOTAL COST OF A COLLEGE COURSE AND THE AMOUNT OF TA
THAT IS PAID BY THE MILITARY FOR THE COURSE. THE AMOUNT OF THE
BENEFIT IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THAT THE PERSON WOULD RECEIVE
FOR THE SAME COURSE IF REGULAR MGIB BENEFITS WERE BEING PAID.
IN NO CASE CAN THE AMOUNT PAID BY THE MILITARY COMBINED WITH
THE AMOUNT PAID BY VA BE MORE THAN THE TOTAL COST OF THE COURSE.
3. THE TA TOP-UP PROGRAM DOES NOT IMPACT THE MONTHS OF
ENTITLEMENTS UNDER THE REGULAR MGIB PROGRAM. IT DOES, HOWEVER,
AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF THE EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT AVAILABLE UNDER THE
REGULAR MGIB PROGRAM AND ANOTHER 36 MONTHS UNDER TA TOP-UP MGIB
PROGRAM.
4. IF A PERSON RECEIVES THE TOP-UP BENEFIT, HIS OR HER REGULAR
MGIB BENEFITS WILL BE REDUCED BY THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF TOP-UP
RECEIVED. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MGIB BENEFIT IS CURRENTLY WORTH
$23,400 FOR A FULL-TIME STUDENT WITH AT LEAST 3 YEARS OF ACTIVE
DUTY SERVICE. IF THAT PERSON RECEIVES $3,000 IN TOP-UP
BENEFITS, FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MONTHS, THE REGULAR MGIB AMOUNT
AVAILABLE WILL BE REDUCED TO $20,400. THE MEMBER WOULD STILL
HAVE 30 MONTHS OF TOP-UP ENTITLEMENTS OR 36 MONTHS OF REGULAR
MGIB ENTITLEMENTS REMAINING.
5. THE BENEFIT IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL COURSES THAT BEGAN ON OR
AFTER OCTOBER 30, 2000. A COPY OF THE TUITION ASSISTANCE
AUTHORIZATION FORM (NAVMC 10883, PAGE 2) THAT HAS BEEN SIGNED
BY AN AUTHORIZED EDUCATION OFFICER IS REQUIRED. COPIES OF THE
AUTHORIZATION FORM ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUR UNIT EDUCATION OFFICE
OR THE BASE EDUCATION OFFICE. SERVICEMEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT
REQUESTED MGIB BENEFITS BEFORE SHOULD SUBMIT AN APPLICATION
(VA FORM 22-1990) TO ESTABLISH MGIB ELIGIBILITY.
A. THE STUDENT WILL SEND THE TA AUTHORIZATION (AND THE
APPLICATION IF NEEDED) TO THE APPROPRIATE REGIONAL EDUCATION
PROCESSING OFFICE IN ATLANTA, GA, BUFFALO, NY, MUSKOGEE, OK,
OR ST LOUIS, MO.
THE APPLICATION FORM AND THE ADDRESSES OF THE OFFICES ARE
AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.GIBILL.VA.GOV. CLAIMS
SHOULD SPECIFY THAT TUITION ASSISTANCE TOP-UP IS BEING
CLAIMED.
6. THE TOP-UP PROGRAM IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME TO
PERSONS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MGIB SELECTED RESERVE
PROGRAM.
7. HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS (MRV) MGIB MANAGERS ARE NATALIE
GALVIN AND MERLIN LEWIS-ELLIS, DSN 278-9644, COMM (703) 784-9644.//
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