ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 031700Z MAY 01 ZYB MIN PSN 628618J31
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS  //N07040// 
NAVADMIN 105/01
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/N1//
 
SUBJ/MGIB ENROLLMENT FOR CERTAIN VEAP PARTICIPANTS//
 
REF/A/PUBLIC LAW 106-419/NOTAL/11JAN2000//
 
REF/B/OASD/MEMO/15FEB2001//
 
REF/C/MSG/DFAS CLEVELAND OH/011700ZMAR2001//
 
NARR/REF A IS VETERANS BENEFITS AND HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF
2000.  REF B IS DOD POLICY GUIDANCE.  REF C IS MILITARY PAY
ADVISORY 33/01.//
 
RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN PROVIDES MGIB PROGRAM ELECTION PROCEDURES FOR
VEAP MEMBERS.
 
2.  COMMANDERS/COMMANDING OFFICERS/OICS MUST ENSURE ALL VEAP
PARTICIPANTS ARE COUNSELED ON REQUIREMENTS AND BENEFITS OF BOTH
VEAP AND MGIB PROGRAMS SO SAILORS CAN MAKE AN INFORMED ELECTION.
THE FOLLOWING RULES APPLY:
    A.  THE VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VEAP) IS THE
EDUCATION PROGRAM AVAILABLE TO SERVICEMEMBERS WHO ENTERED ACTIVE
DUTY INITIALLY FROM 1 JAN 77 THROUGH 30 JUN 85.  REF A ENACTED
LEGISLATION AFFECTING PARTICIPANTS IN VEAP AND DOD ANNOUNCED
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IN REF B.
    B.  PER REF A, SAILORS ON ACTIVE DUTY WHO PARTICIPATED IN VEAP
ON OR BEFORE 9 OCT 96 AND SERVED CONTINUOUSLY FROM THAT DATE
THROUGH 1 APR 00, CAN ELECT TO ENROLL IN THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL
(MGIB) PROGRAM OR REMAIN IN VEAP.
    C.  "PARTICIPANT" MEANS A VEAP ACCOUNT EXISTS; HOWEVER, THERE IS
NO REQUIREMENT TO HAVE MONEY IN THE ACCOUNT.  MEMBERS WHO NEVER
PARTICIPATED IN VEAP ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR MGIB PROGRAM ENROLLMENT
AND CANNOT ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY.
    D.  THE COST TO CONVERT FROM VEAP TO THE MGIB PROGRAM IS $2,700.
MGIB PROGRAM BENEFITS FOR PERSONNEL WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR ACTIVE
DUTY CURRENTLY TOTAL $23,400 ($650 PER MONTH FOR FULL-TIME SCHOOL
ENROLLMENT FOR 36 MONTHS).  PERSONNEL ON ACTIVE DUTY RECEIVE THE
COST OF TUITION AND FEES, NOT TO EXCEED $650 PER MONTH.  VEAP PAYS
UP TO A TOTAL OF $8,100 ($300 PER MONTH FOR 27 MONTHS).
    E.  VEAP CONVERSION CONSIDERATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (DVA) WEBSITE WWW.GIBILL.VA.GOV/
EDUCATION/NEWS/INTERIMUPDATE.HTM#VEAPCONVERSIONS.  BY 31 OCT 01,
SAILORS MUST DOCUMENT THEIR DECISION TO ELECT OR DECLINE ENROLLMENT
IN THE MGIB PROGRAM USING MONTGOMERY GI BILL ACT OF 1984 DD 2366.
    F.  ONCE THE DECISION IS MADE, IT CANNOT BE CHANGED.  ELIGIBLE
MEMBERS WHO DO NOT COMPLETE A DD 2366 DOCUMENTING THEIR
ELECTION BY 31 OCT 01, WILL RETAIN VEAP AS THEIR EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM.
 
3.  NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604) HAS IDENTIFIED ELIGIBLE MEMBERS AND WILL
MAIL ENROLLMENT PACKAGES TO THEM AT THEIR DUTY STATIONS.  ELIGIBLE
MEMBERS WHO HAVE AN URGENT NEED FOR ENROLLMENT; I.E., ARE CURRENTLY
ENROLLED IN SCHOOL, SHOULD CONTACT NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604) CUSTOMER
SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE PHONE NUMBERS LISTED IN PARA 5 BELOW.
 A.  IF A MEMBER BELEIVES THEY PARTICIPATED IN VEAP, BUT DOES NOT
RECEIVE A PACKAGE, THEY SHOULD CONTACT NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604)
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE.
    B.  IF A CONVERSION PACKAGE FROM NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604) ARRIVES
FOR A SERVICEMEMBER WHO HAS DETACHED FROM YOUR ACTIVITY, ENSURE IT IS
FORWARDED TO THEIR NEW PDS.
    C.  ELIGIBLE SAILORS WILL TAKE THE PACKAGE MAILED TO THEM TO
THEIR PERSONNEL OFFICE/PSD FOR COMPLETION OF DD 2366 AND IF
APPLICABLE, VA FORM 24-5281 (VEAP REFUND FORM).  WHEN ELECTING
ENROLLMENT IN MGIB PROGRAM ON DD 2366, SAILORS AGREE TO A
NONREFUNDABLE PAYMENT OF $2,700 WITHIN 18 MONTHS OF THEIR ELECTION.
THE DVA CANNOT PAY MGIB PROGRAM BENEFITS EARLIER THAN THE DATE OF
ELECTION AND PRIOR TO PAYMENT OF THE $2,700 CONTRIBUTION.
    D.  PERSONNEL OFFICES/PSD/DISBURSING OFFICE WILL:
        (1) ASSIST MEMBERS IN COMPLETING DD 2366 AND WITNESS
THEIR ELECTION.  IF THE MEMBER DOES NOT HAVE THE DD 2366 WHICH
WAS MAILED TO THEM, A NEW FORM WILL BE PREPARED WITH THE FOLLOWING
STATEMENT PLACED IN THE "SERVICE UNIQUE EDUCATION" BLOCK, "PL
106-419 CONVERSION FROM VEAP TO MGIB PROGRAM.  IF I ENROLL, I MUST:
(1) DISENROLL FROM VEAP; (2) PAY $2,700 BY PAY REDUCTION OR LUMP
SUM NOT LATER THAN 18 MONTHS FROM THIS DATE; (3) MAINTAIN A COPY OF
THIS FORM ALONG WITH PAYMENT RECORDS TO VERIFY CONVERSION.
ELIGIBILITY BEGINS ONCE THE $2,700 IS PAID."
        (2) DISTRIBUTE COMPLETED DD 2366:
            (A) ORIGINAL AND ONE COPY TO:  COMMANDER, NAVY
PERSONNEL COMMAND, PERS-604, 5720 INTEGRITY DRIVE, MILLINGTON, TN
38055-6040.  WHERE APPLICABLE, ATTACH A COPY OF CASH COLLECTION
VOUCHER FOR LUMP SUM PAYMENT TO THE DD 2366 BEING MAILED TO
NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604).
            (B) ONE COPY TO MEMBER. (IF MEMBER ENROLLS, COPY WILL BE
NEEDED WHEN APPLYING FOR BENEFITS.)
            (C) ONE COPY IN FIELD SERVICE RECORD (ENLISTED).
NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604) WILL ENSURE OFFICER DD 2366 IS MICROFICHED.
        (3) PROCESS PAYMENT OPTION OF SERVICEMEMBER IAW REF C.
$2,700 MUST BE PAID WITHIN 18 MONTHS OF THE DATE OF ELECTION SHOWN
ON THEIR DD 2366; FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF
BENEFITS AND FORFEITURE OF MONEY PAID.  PAYMENT OF THE REQUIRED
$2,700 CAN BE MADE BY THE FOLLOWING METHODS:
            (A) PAY REDUCTION OF $150 PER MONTH FOR 18 MONTHS FOR
A TOTAL OF $2,700;
            (B) LUMP SUM PAYMENT OF $2,700; OR
            (C) PARTIAL SUM OF LESS THAN $2,700 WITH A PAY
REDUCTION OF AN AMOUNT FOR A GIVEN TIME PERIOD TO COLLECT THE
BALANCE WITHIN 18 MONTHS OF THE CONVERSION ELECTION.
        (4) ADVISE MEMBERS WHO ARE SEPARATING, BUT NOT RETIRING,
THE FULL $2,700 MUST BE PAID BEFORE LEAVING ACTIVE DUTY.
        (5) ADVISE MEMBERS WHO ARE RETIRING IF THE ENTIRE $2,700
IS NOT PAID PRIOR TO RETIREMENT, THEY MAY HAVE MONTHLY AMOUNTS
REDUCED FROM RETIRED PAY BY COMPLETING A DD 2558.
DISBURSING OFFICE WILL FORWARD MEMBER'S DD 2558, A COPY OF
THEIR DD 2366 SHOWING THEIR ELECTION TO ENROLL AND COPIES OF
DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE THE AMOUNT COLLECTED WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY
TO DFAS CLEVELAND, RETIRED PAY OPERATIONS (PRR).
        (6) ADVISE MEMBERS WHO CURRENTLY HAVE AN ALLOTMENT FOR
THEIR VEAP ACCOUNT, THEY MUST STOP THE ALLOTMENT.  WITHDRAWAL OF
VEAP MONEY IS REQUIRED FOR MEMBERS WHO ELECT ENROLLMENT IN THE
MGIB PROGRAM.  WHERE APPLICABLE, COMPLETE AND DISTRIBUTE
VA FORM 24-5281.
    E.  NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604) UPON RECEIPT OF THE COMPLETED FORMS
WILL:
        (1) VERIFY ELIGIBLITY.
        (2) MAKE THE APPROPRIATE DATA ENTRIES.
 
4.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
    A.  TO RECEIVE MGIB PROGRAM BENEFITS, AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE
IS REQUIRED.
    B.  BEFORE APPLYING FOR MGIB PROGRAM BENEFITS SAILORS MUST
HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR AN EQUIVALENCY CERTIFICATE (GED),
OR HAVE COMPLETED 12 SEMESTER HOURS IN A COLLEGE DEGREE PROGRAM.
    C.  MEMBERS CAN USE A MAXIMUM OF 48 MONTHS OF ENTITLEMENT
UNDER MORE THAN ONE DVA EDUCATION PROGRAM.  FOR EXAMPLE, IF A
MEMBER ALREADY USED 20 MONTHS OF VEAP BENEFITS, THEY WOULD HAVE
28 MONTHS (48 MINUS 20) OF ENTITLEMENT UNDER THE MGIB PROGRAM
BENEFITS.  MEMBERS CAN CONTACT DVA AT 1-888-GIBILL1
(1-888-442-4551) TO DETERMINE AMOUNT OF VEAP BENEFITS USED.
    D.  ABOUT 27,000 ACTIVE DUTY AND VETERAN NAVY PERSONNEL
WILL HAVE THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONVERT TO THE MGIB PROGRAM.
THIS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.  THE MGIB
PROGRAM CAN BE USED FOR PROGRAMS IN COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES,
TECHNICAL OR BUSINESS SCHOOLS, RESIDENCY COURSES IN NON-COLLEGE
DEGREE SCHOOLS, CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, WORK-STUDY, APPRENTICESHIP,
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS, REFRESHER, REMEDIAL AND
DEFICIENCY COURSES, TUTORIAL ASSISTANCE AND FLIGHT TRAINING.
SERIOUS CONSIDERATION MUST BE GIVEN TO THIS LIMITED ENROLLMENT
OPPORTUNITY.
 
5.  MGIB PROGRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604)
REPRESENTATIVES CAN BE REACHED AT (DSN) 882-4258 OR (C)
1-800-962-1425.
 
6.  POC IS MS. KATHY WARDLAW, NAVPERSCOM (PERS-604), AT (DSN)
882-4275, (C) 1-800-962-1425, OR (E-MAIL) P604@PERSNET.NAVY.MIL.
 
7.  RELEASED BY MATTHEW G. HENRY, N1(ACTING).//
 
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