ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 022139Z MAY 01 ZYB MIN PSN 617056J25
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS //N05350//
NAVADMIN 103/01
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/N1//
 
SUBJ/OPTIONAL INCREASED BENEFITS FOR MGIB PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS//
 
REF/A/PUBLIC LAW 106-419/NOTAL/YMD:20001101//
 
REF/B/OASD/MEMO/YMD:20010215//
 
NARR/REF A IS VETERANS BENEFITS AND HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF
2000.  REF B IS DOD POLICY GUIDANCE//
 
RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN PROVIDES NEW LEGISLATION AFFECTING
PARTICIPANTS IN THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL (MGIB) PROGRAM ENACTED BY REF
 
A.  EFFECTIVE 1 MAY 01, ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS WHOSE ORIGINAL
FEDERAL EDUCATION BENEFIT IS MGIB PROGRAM MAY MAKE AN ADDITIONAL
CONTRIBUTION, UP TO $600, TO RECEIVE AN INCREASED MONTHLY BENEFIT.
THE MGIB MONTHLY BENEFIT WILL INCREASE BY $1 FOR EACH $4
CONTRIBUTION.  FOR EXAMPLE, IF A MEMBER CONTRIBUTES THE ENTIRE $600
ADDITIONAL AMOUNT, THE MONTHLY MGIB BENEFIT WILL BE INCREASED BY
$150 PER MONTH.  CURRENT MGIB BENEFIT FOR FULL-TIME SCHOOL
ENROLLMENT, OFF ACTIVE DUTY, IS $650.  THIS ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION
WOULD RESULT IN A TOTAL MGIB MONTHLY BENEFIT OF $800.
 
2.  PERSONNEL ENROLLED IN MGIB PROGRAM BY REASON OF INVOLUNTARY
SEPARATION, CONVERSION FROM VEAP, CONVERSION FROM VIETNAM-ERA GI
BILL, OR ENROLLMENT DURING THE OPEN PERIOD FROM 1 DEC 88
THROUGH 30 JUN 89 ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS OPTION.  ONLY
PERSONNEL WHO ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY AFTER 1 JUL 85 AND ENROLLED IN
MGIB DURING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF ACTIVE DUTY ARE ELIGIBLE.
 
3.  MEMBERS ON ACTIVE DUTY AFTER 1 MAY 01 ELECTING THIS OPTION CAN
CONTRIBUTE THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT ONLY WHILE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY.
THIS IS NOT WAIVERABLE.  THOSE WHO WERE ON ACTIVE DUTY ON DATE OF
ENACTMENT OF THIS LEGISLATION, 1 NOV 00, BUT SEPARATE BEFORE THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1 MAY 01, HAVE UNTIL 31 JUL 01 TO CONTRIBUTE.
PERSONNEL OFFICES/PSD'S WILL INFORM ELIGIBLE MEMBERS SEPARATING
PRIOR TO 1 MAY 01 OF THE MGIB PROGRAM BOOSTER OPTION AND RECOMMEND
THEY KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (DVA) AT
888-GIBILL1 FOR PAYMENT PROCEDURES.  SEPARATED MEMBERS WILL MAKE
PAYMENT DIRECTLY TO DVA.
 
4.  ACTION FOR PERSONNEL OFFICES/PSD'S:
    A.  CONFIRM ELIGIBILITY BY VERIFYING MEMBERS ENROLLMENT ON THE
MONTGOMERY GI BILL ACT OF 1984 (MGIB) FORM (DD 2366).  NOTE:
THOSE ENROLLED IN MGIB PROGRAM BY VIRTUE OF CIRCUMSTANCES OUTLINED
IN PARA 2 ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.  IF DD 2366 IS NOT AVAILABLE LOCALLY,
CALL NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604) AT 1-800-962-1425 OR DSN:  882-4258 FOR
VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY.
    B.  PREPARE ANOTHER DD 2366 AND INSERT THE FOLLOWING
STATEMENT IN BLOCK 3 "SERVICE UNIQUE EDUCATION BENEFITS":
"AUTHORIZED UNDER PL 106-419 TO CONTRIBUTE AN ADDITIONAL $600
MAXIMUM TOWARD MY EXISTING GI BILL BENEFIT.  THE MINIMUM
CONTRIBUTION IS $20, INCREASED BY $4 INCREMENTS.  CONTRIBUTIONS ARE
NON-REFUNDABLE."  MAIL ORIGINAL TO COMMANDER, NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND
(PERS-313), 5720 INTEGRITY DRIVE, MILLINGTON, TN 38055-3130.  FILE
COPY IN FIELD SERVICE RECORD (ENLISTED).
    C.  PROCESS PAYMENT OPTION OF SERVICEMEMBER.  PAYMENT
PROCEDURES WILL BE PUBLISHED SEPARATELY BY DFAS VIA MILITARY PAY
ADVISORY.
    D.  PROVIDE MEMBER WITH COPIES OF DOCUMENTS (DD 2366 AND
CASH COLLECTION VOUCHER, IF APPLICABLE).  INSTRUCT THE MEMBER TO
SAFEGUARD THESE DOCUMENTS, AS WELL AS LEAVE AND EARNINGS STATEMENTS
REFLECTING CONTRIBUTIONS, SINCE THEY WILL BE REQUIRED BY THE DVA
WHEN MAKING CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS.
 
5.  ACTION FOR COMMANDERS/COMMANDING OFFICERS/OIC'S:  ENSURE ALL
ELIGIBLE MEMBERS KNOW ABOUT THE OPTION TO CONTRIBUTE THIS ADDITIONAL
AMOUNT FOR AN INCREASED MONTHLY MGIB PROGRAM BENEFIT.  ALL ELIGIBLE
SAILORS MUST BE AWARE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE A MINIMUM
AMOUNT ($20 PER MONTH) TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS OPPORTUNITY.
 
6.  RTC AND OFFICER ACCESSION POINTS MUST INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION
IN MGIB PROGRAM BRIEFINGS AND PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS ON CONTRIBUTING
TO THIS PROGRAM.  NEW ACCESSIONS DESIRING TO CONTRIBUTE ADDITIONAL
MONEY MUST SIGN ANOTHER NEW DD 2366 OR, IF CONTRIBUTING AT THE
SAME TIME AS ELECTING BASIC MGIB, THE PERSONNEL OFFICE WILL TYPE THE
STATEMENT FROM PARA 5 IN THE "SERVICE UNIQUE EDUCATION" BLOCK.
LOCAL PROCEDURES FOR COLLECTION FROM NEW ACCESSIONS CAN BE DEVELOPED
FROM GUIDANCE FORTHCOMING FROM DFAS MILITARY PAY ADVISORY.
 
7.  THIS IS A GOOD DEAL.  MGIB PROGRAM BENEFIT RATES RECEIVE ANNUAL
COST OF LIVING INCREASES.  COMBINING THE BASIC BENEFIT WITH THE
INCREASED MONTHLY "BOOSTER" OF UP TO $150 WILL SIGNIFICANTLY OFFSET
EDUCATION COSTS FOR MEMBERS.  IF COMBINED WITH THE CURRENT MGIB
BENEFIT AMOUNT, THE MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION OF $600 RESULTS IN A NINE
TO ONE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IF THE FULL 36 MONTHS OF BENEFIT IS USED.
 
8.  POC IS MRS. KATHY WARDLAW, NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604), AT
1-800-962-1425/DSN 882-4275 OR E-MAIL: P604@PERSNET.NAVY.MIL.
 
9.  RELEASED BY VADM NORB RYAN, JR., N1.//
 
BT