$&%#* GI Bill...

[Monkeybomb]

I put in for my GI bill years ago and they told me i wasn't eligble. I went to my State Rep. They got it squared away that day.

I paid my cash and did 5 years and was denied.

[Blkside]

Im currently using mine for my BA in CJ but didnt know you can use it for the academy.

[JTShooter]

You can use it for damn near everything, including flight training.

I'll get a set amount while in the academy, and then another, slightly smaller amount for when I'm on FTO (it's considered on the job training) IF I ever get it that is....

[stillamarine]

Your academy has to participate in it. And it doesn't matter if your agency sponsors you through the academy or not. My dept runs it own academy and it participates so I could use it.

As far as flight training you can't use it for your private pilots license, but you can use it for any endorsement pass that.

[Unit453]

I've been waiting for 6 months for the on the job training to go through. I'm starting to believe that its not gonna happen at all. They already owe me 6 grand. I cant even get through to a human on the phone. I get recording after recording and then it eventually tells me "due to an unprecedented number of calls, blah blah, blah" and hangs up on me.

[JTShooter]

Gotta call right when they open at 7am central time. That's the ONLY time I've ever got a hold of anyone... expect to wait on hold 10-30 minutes...

[65alpha]

I haven't received a payment since June 24th, and haven't been able to get through to anyone until this morning. I've been calling the number (1-888-442-4551) several times a day everyday of every week for 2 months and always get the "all lines are busy" recording, then I get hung up on. Today I tried a different approach. I looked up the address of my regional VA office (Buffalo, NY for me) and typed that address into Google Maps. The location box was displayed on the map, and under the "more info" tab I was able to find a phone number for that office. Since none of the regional office numbers can be found on the VA's website (like they are a guarded secret or something) all I could think to myself was "JACKPOT!" I dialed the number and a human being picked up on the first ring, no menus or anything. I explained my situation and she said I should be receiving payment within 2 weeks, and if I don't to call back and ask for her by name.

For everyone's reference, the four MGIB regional office phone numbers are as follows:
Northern Region (Buffalo, NY) - (716)857-3159
Southern Region (Decatur, GA) - (404)929-6472
Central Region (St. Louis, MO) - (314) 231-1260 ‎
Western Region (Muskogee, OK) - (800) 827-1000 ‎

Hopefully this helps. Used in conjunction with DACP's tip for saying you were transferred, you should be able to at least get someone on the phone. Good luck!

EDIT: I was exaggerating somewhat on the tenacity of my phone calls over the past 2 months, but only slightly.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

You can get GI Bill payments until your probationary period is over - not just FTO.

[onetime_u]

Dog Gonnit! Alpha65 there on to us, I called that number this morning (NY)and Cindy, that's what the voice mail said, has a recording that says call that worthless toll free number that can only give us the same info on VA wave web site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IrishLacrosse]

Try to get your hands on the NavyTimes dated 26October, there is quite a bit of info about the GI bill in this issue.

[stillamarine]

You can get GI Bill payments until your probationary period is over - not just FTO.

Yeah my dept doesn't allow us to do that Be nice though! We only get it during the Academy.

[952melvin]

Contacting a Congressman did nothing for me....said it was against political ethics for him to try to do anything or help me.

I am still waiting for my new claim under the Post 9/11 to catch up. I filed mad early, and ended up doing the advanced emergency (we are jacked up and we know it) payment.

I was owed around $7,000.......now I have no clue what they owe me, and so far have gotten only about $4400. They have yet to pay my tuition which would be nice since I paid it to the school already, so that money is for my pocket and living expenses. I would not be able to do it, but luckily to pick up the slack I have a $1700 limit on my credit card to live off of while waiting for the GI bill to come. Its been like this for a year, and would have been the year before that but I had to spend a year to even get the GI bill in the first place.

[Unit453]

952, you're in bad shape. Luckily, last year, I had a $10,000 limit on my card to live on, but they were no where near as delinquent as they are today. They owe me about $6500 as of right now. I dont know what else I can do.

[Dean27]

on the new GI bill, I understand in order to qualify you need to be a full time student to get the E-5 Housing. Now is it what the VA considers full time? or what the school considers full time? I had someone tell me it was what the VA considers full time and thats 3 classes, just trying to confirm that.