Benefit Description
The Montgomery GI Bill® - Active Duty program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Vocational flight training is approved from September 30, 1990. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty.
Category I
- You must have first entered active duty after June 30, 1985, and had your military pay reduced by $1200. This amount is non-refundable.
- If you are now on active duty, you may begin using these benefits after completing two years of service.
- You may also be eligible if you enlisted for 2 years of active duty with an obligation to serve 4 years in the Selected Reserve (the 2 by 4 program). You must have entered the Selected Reserve within 1 year of your release from active duty.
- If you are separated from active duty, you must have an honorable discharge, and you must have completed your initial period of obligated active duty. Under certain circumstances, an early discharge or release from active duty may permit you to be eligible for MGIB benefits. This early release could reduce the amount of your entitlement.
- Members of the National Guard who first entered active duty on or after November 28, 1989, under Title 32 U.S.C. (Active Guard Reserve or AGR), and who never served on active duty before entering AGR service, may use this active duty to establish MGIB eligibility. These members also are required to have their military pay reduced by $1200, which is non-refundable.
- You must obtain a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate before your first period of active duty ends. Completing 12 credit hours toward a college degree meets this requirement.
