Application availability target date is May 1st and will be available online and the UTKVA office. If you submit an application between now and August for any other chapter besides Chapter 33, make sure that it is not an application that has the ELECTION TO RECEIVE OR DENY CHAPTER 33 STATEMENT. Once you fill out that application and sign at the bottom, it is an irrevocable decision to receive that benefit.
You may be eligible if you served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty after September 10, 2001, and you are still on active duty or were honorably (notice that this is not anything other than dishonorable, it must be HONORABLE)-
- discharged from the active duty; or
- released from active duty and placed on the retired list or temporary disability retired list; or
- released from active duty and transferred to the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; or
- released from the active duty for further service in a reserve component of the Armed Forces.
You may also be eligible if you were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001.
Training for National Guard is not eligible.
Periods of Active Duty can be added together to equal 90 days.
Elections
If, on August 1, 2009, you are eligible for one of these programs:
- Chapter 30
- Chapter 1606
- Chapter 1607
and you qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you may make an irrevocable election to receive benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This will be included on the new applications and may be released in the form of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs to all eligible persons.
**Note: Once you receive benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you will no longer be eligible to receive benefits under the program from which you elected the Post-9/11 GI Bill.