Veterans Benefits 
The Veterans Administration is authorized by law to provide a wide range of benefits to those who have served their country in the Armed Forces and to their dependents. This webpage is designed to introduce you to some of the benefits you may be eligible for while attending Las Positas College.
Veteran's Benefits
- Post 9/11 GI Bill, Chapter 33
- Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, Chapter 30
- Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve, Chapter 1606
- Montgomery GI Bill- Activated Reservists, Chapter 1607
- Veap, Chapter 32
- Survivor's & Dependents, Chapter 35
- The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E), Chapter 31
- Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP)
- VA Workstudy Program
- Tuition Assistance Program
POST 9/11 GI Bill, Chapter 33
The Post 9/11 GI Bill is a new education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits are payable for training pursued on or after August 1, 2009. No payments can be made under this program for training pursued before that date. For more information on the Post 9/11 GI Bill CLICK HERE
Transfer of Post-9/11 GI-Bill Benefits to Dependents (TEB)
For the first time in history, service members enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill program will be able to transfer unused educational benefits to their spouses or children starting Aug. 1, 2009.
Official DoD TEB website. (Non VA link)
More Information for VA GIBill.va.gov Website
Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, Chapter 30
The Montgomery GI Bill establishes a program of educational benefits for eligible persons entering military service after June 30, 1985. Military pay is reduced each month for the first 12 months of duty service in order to establish an educational fund. The maximum entitlement is 36 months of full-time benefits. Monthly benefit rates are determined by the VA. Benefits terminate 10 years after date of separation.
Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve, Chapter 1606
To be eligible for educational assistance a person must have a 6-year obligation to serve in the selected reserve signed after June 30, 1985. Maximum entitlement is 36 months of full- time benefits which terminate ten years from the date of eligibility or the day following separation from a reserve component.
Montgomery GI Bill-Activated Reservists, Chapter 1607
The new benefit, Chapter 1607, makes certain individuals who were activated after September 11, 2001 either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits. The Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and VA are working on an implementation plan for this new benefit. REAP payments are currently being processed but there is a large backlog.
You will receive 36 months of full time entitlement at your given rate. A Chapter 1607 participant may not use more than 48 months of entitlement under any combination of VA Educational programs. For example, if you’ve already used 20 months of Chapter 1606, you will only receive 28 months of Chapter 1607. Remember, that's 36 months at the full time training rate.
VEAP, Chapter 32
The Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) provides benefits to individuals who initially entered active duty after 12/31/76 and while serving on active duty voluntarily contributed to an educational assistance fund. Maximum entitlement is 36 months of full-time benefits. Benefits terminate ten years from the date of discharge. Monthly benefit rates are determined by VA
Survivor's & Dependents, Chapter 35
Survivors and dependents of a veteran may be eligible for benefits if the veteran died while on active duty, died after discharge from active duty of a service-connected disability, is permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-connected disability, or listed as missing in action for a total of more than 90 days. Eligible persons are entitled to a maximum of 45 months of full-time benefits. Payments are usually provided for children between the ages of 18 and 26.
The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
(VR&E) program, Chapter 31
The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program is administered by a different department of VA than regular education benefits. This program has two key goals:
- First, to assist the service-disabled veteran to prepare for, obtain, and maintain suitable employment.
- Second, for those persons who are severely disabled and that gainful employment is not an option, assistance may be provided to allow that person to live more independently in his or her community.
More information about Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits may be found at: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/index.htm, by calling 1-800-827-1000, or by visiting your local VA Regional Office (go to this link and click your state for a list of offices: http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/division_flsh.asp?dnum=3).
VETERANS RETRAINING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VRAP)
Congress passed, and the President has signed into law, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Included in this new law is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). VRAP offers up to 12 months of training assistance to unemployed Veterans.
The VRAP offers 12 months of training assistance to Veterans who:
- Are at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
- Are unemployed on the date of application
- Received an other than dishonorable discharge
- Are not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
- Are not in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
- Are not enrolled in a federal or state job training program
The program is limited to 45,000 participants from July 1, 2012, through September 30, 2012, and 54,000 participants from October 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014. Participants may receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the monthly full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program (currently $1,473 per month). DOL will offer employment assistance to every Veteran who participates upon completion of the program.
Participants must be enrolled in a VA approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certificate, and train the Veteran for a high demand occupation.
