Benefits for Active Military in College

Hey everyone, I'm exploring my post-high school options and considering enlisting in the military. I've heard that serving in the military can come with college benefits, but does this apply to every single branch? Are there certain conditions I should be aware of?

Yes, serving in the military can absolutely come with sizeable benefits for college education, and this applies universally across all U.S. military branches - the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and the more recently established Space Force. Profiting from these benefits primarily depends on the length of your service and your discharge status, among some other conditions.

The primary vehicle for these benefits is the GI Bill, and there are two types you might consider: the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

The Montgomery GI Bill provides education benefits to eligible service members who have actively enrolled and paid $1,200 towards this program while serving. The standard benefit provides education and training benefits for up to 36 months, but the amount you receive will be based on several factors such as your time in service, category of service, and type of training or education in which you are enrolled.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill, on the other hand, is geared towards those who served after September 10, 2001. It covers in-state tuition and fees at public universities, a monthly housing allowance, and an annual books and supplies stipend. If you've served at least 90 days on active duty since this date, you're eligible.

To qualify for the full Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, you should serve at least 36 months. Serving at least 90 days but less than six months, for example, would make you 40% eligible. The percentage of benefits goes up as your service time increases.

You should know that you have 15 years to use these benefits after your last 90 days of active service. It's also important to realize that if you're honorably discharged, you can transfer these benefits to your dependents.

In addition to tuition assistance through the GI Bill, there are also resources available to military members to help with other aspects of college. For example, the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) offers programs that can help service members gain college credit for what they learn in the military.

Keep in mind, these are the federal benefits and each state may have additional benefits for veterans and active duty military members, so it's worth looking into the specific benefits offered by the state where you plan to attend school.