What Educational Benefits are Available to Me

1
What Educational Benefits are Available to Me? To
date, there are 14 Voluntary Education Programs
available to assist ARNG Soldiers in their
educational pursuits. Three areas concern- ing
benefits you may be entitled to include
Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) or ACES TA, the
MT National Guard Scholarship Program, and
the Montgomery GI Bill
(MGIB). Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) or
Active Army TA (ACES) Application for FTA for
Traditional Soldiers Eligibility for FTA
hinges on active satisfactory participation
(drill status) in the ARNG. Comple- tion of IADT
is not a factor. Submit your application on-line
at www.virtualarmory.com. After entering the
website, click on Federal Tuition Assistance.
This will send you into a different website. You
will need your AKO Username/Password. Click on
Apply for Tuition Assistance. Follow the
instructions. You will receive a confirmation
email once your application is received by the
MTARNG Education Office. Application for ACES TA
for AGRs Go into www.goarmyed.com. If you
are a new user, you will need to request a
Username/ Password. Download the Statement of
Understanding (SOU). Fort Carson, CO is our
servicing Education Center for AGRs. They will
upload your TA Request to the GoArmyEdPortal.
Fax/scan your SOU, School Name, Degree Program,
and copy of AGR Orders to 719-526-2105 or
douglas.e.mckenzie_at_conus.army.mil. POC is
719-526-8055 or 719-526-2124.
MT NG Scholarship Program Montana National Guard
Members may qualify to receive up to 1200 per
term/semester to assist with college
education. The Montana Legislature again funded
the MT NG Scholarship Program with 500,000 to be
used during the biennium period of 1 July 2007
through 30 June 2009. The funding is shared by
both Soldiers and Airmen and is administered on a
first come first service basis, pending the
availability of funds. A stipend of up to 400,
with a maximum annual payment of 1000, will be
available to those who qualify for Federal
Tuition Assistance. Those who do not qualify for
FTA will be eligible to receive 75 per credit up
to 1200 per semester with a maximum annual
payment of 2400. Unit Members eligible for the
Scholarship Program should complete Sections I
and II of the application form and submit it to
their unit full-timer for further processing as
soon as they have been accepted or enrolled at a
Montana State Institution of Higher Learning in
an undergraduate degree-granting program, 2-year
vocational technical college, or Veterans
Administration (VA) Approved MT Training Program.
This benefit does not include graduate degree
programs. Church affiliated schools are
excluded. Schools with physical locations on
Malstrom AFB are included. Money will be
reserved up-front. Payment will not be made
until grades have been submitted to the
appropriate entity. See DMAMT Circular 621 for
the Eligibility Criteria and application form at
http//ngmtc2-30000-02/hro/education.cfm or
contact your unit full-timer.
Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) ARNG Soldiers may
receive benefits from any of the four MGIB
programs if they meet the eligibility
requirements. The four programs include
MGIB - Selected Reserve (SR) -Chapter 1606
Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP)
Chapter 1607 the MGIB Kicker Program and MGIB
Active Duty (AD). For information regarding the
MGIB (ie. current rates, eligibility criteria,
application forms, frequently asked questions,
etc.) log on to www.gibill.va.gov. If unsure
whether you qualify for any of the MGIB programs,
contact your unit full-timer. Log into
www.gibill.va.gov to apply for benefits.
Complete VA Form 22-1990. (This is an initial
application that only needs to be completed one
time. You do not need to wait until you are
enrolled in a school/training program to apply).
Submit this on-line. Additionally, print out a
hard copy and mail the form plus a copy of all DD
Form 214s to MTs VA Regional Office located in
St. Louis (the address is on the form). It may
take up to 12 weeks for processing. Upon
approval, the Department of Veterans Affairs
(DVA) will send you a certificate of eligibility.
Upon enrollment into a VA Approved Education
Program, visit the VA Representative located at
your school/training program. Present the VA Rep
with your certificate of eligibility. The VA Rep
will complete a VA Form 22-1999 (Enrollment
Certification) form and submit to DVA. If you
have not received your certificate of eligibility
after 12 weeks, call 1-888-GIBILL1 (442-4551) to
speak with a DVA Education Case Manager. The
counselors are there to service you and welcome
your direct call.
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11 more Programs!! The programs listed below are
also available to assist ARNG Soldiers in their
educational pursuits Student Loan Repayment
Program (SLRP) Money to repay student
loans. Health Professional Loan Repayment
(HPLR) Money to repay loans for AMEDD
officers. ROTC Scholarships Guaranteed
Reserve Forces Duty and Dedicated Army
National Guard. eDISCOVER
Career self-assessment, counseling tool. AARTS
Documentation of military training/experience.
Available at http//aarts.army.mil.
Troops to Teachers http//www.proudtoservea
gain.com. Spouses to Teachers
http//www.spousestoteachers.com. Army
eLearning Hundreds of vocational/prep
programs for promotion points/potential
college credit. Student Guide to Success
Free test preparation (videos, materials,
etc.) to test out of college examinations. Testing
/Certification and Licensing Testing
opportunities to help Soldiers gain college
credit and credentials. Military Counselors
WebBoard A place for education counselors
to share/ discuss information on
educational issues. Helpful Information Q I
received educational benefits under The
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program
(Chapter 31). Am I eligible to receive FTA as
well? A No. This would constitute a
duplication of benefits. See paragraph E2.1.6 of
the DODI 1322.25.
Q Im a Traditional Guardsman. Are there any
educational benefits for my spouse/dependents? A
Two scholarship programs are available The MT
NG Thrift Shop Scholarship and the CCM Roger K.
Larsen Scholarship. Spouses are able to CLEP and
the MTARNG Educ Svc Ofc offers free counseling
and can proctor exams. Another idea Google
Scholarships. There are hundreds of nationwide
scholarship opportunities available to spouses
and dependents. Q What is a NOBE and how do I
get one? A This is your Notice of Basic
Eligibility for the MGIB-SR, DD Form 2384-1. You
can print this yourself from www.nationalguardbene
fits.com. If unable to access this form, contact
your unit full-timer. Q I am taking a summer
on-line course. The start/end dates are 22 Jun
0714 Aug 07. Do I qualify for the MT NG
Scholarship Program? A No. Your Courses
Start Date must have a begin date of 1 July 2007
or forward in order to qualify for this biennium.
Q I am considering applying for the MT Law
Enforcement Academy. Can I use my MGIB?

A Yes. To verify and research other
programs approved for VA training, go to
www.gibill.va.gov. Click on Education Benefits.
Then, click on Search for Approved Education
Programs. Type in requested information and
begin your search. You may be amazed at all of
the approved non-accredited and accredited
programs - do a MT Specific search or type in key
word(s). For further guidance, click on
Education Benefits. Then click on Education
Programs Covered by the GI Bill. Q This
brochure is helpful, but I still have questions.
Where should I start? A
Your chain of command. Next, your unit
full-timer. Were here to serve you. You may
also contact the MTARNG Education Service Office
direct at 406-324-3238.
Montana Army National Guard
ARNG VOLUNTARY Education Programs 1 July 2007
Get CUTE Competent, Up to date, Technically
proficient, and Educated.
REFERENCES AR 621-5 dtd 060711 DODI 1322.25 dtd
970205 ARNG Vol Educ Programs (NGB-ARM Policy
07-13) dtd 070316 ARNG Federal Tuition
Assistance, (NGB-ARM Pol 07-15) dtd 070515
DMAMT Circular 621 dtd 070701