The Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve, referred to as Chapter 1606, caters to education benefits for service members of the Selected Reserve and other services such as Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard Reserve, and National Guard as well. This benefit aims to help the qualifying soldiers access higher education, however it calls for a monthly verification on their part in order to maintain the benefits. The good news is that it is quite easy.
In the first place, if you have not yet applied for Chapter 1606 benefits, you may do so by visiting va.gov. Remember to print out the confirmation page after submitting the application, as this document may be required by the school certifying official. After you register in classes, you will also have to do an enrollment verification. For most schools including NC State, there is a portal in which you can submit your COE or other papers indicating that you are eligible for the Chapter 1606 benefits. In the same system used by the school, look for something like “VA Certification Request” under the Veterans Information section.
Every month, Chapter 1606 recipients must verify their enrollment, which is a unique requirement for this benefit. The VA has a system called WAVE (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment) where you can log in and confirm your enrollment status starting on the first of each month. If you’d rather verify by phone, you can also call the VA at 888-442-4551. The VA emphasizes flexibility with these options, allowing students to choose the method that works best for them. However, be aware that if you drop credit hours or make changes to your schedule, your benefits may be affected. This could even lead to a potential debt to the VA or your school, depending on the timing and extent of the changes.
In accordance with regulations under Chapter 1606, the payment of monthly allowances is usually made at the beginning of month following the effective month of payment. Hence, the eligible member can only receive a benefit for the active days of enrollment within that particular month. Some institutions, for example, NC State, have GI Bill programs that allow students to pay for their education on a schedule that approximates the monthly payments available to students covered under Chapter 1606 of the VA.
Lastly, newly admitted students should also understand that Chapter 1606 benefits help in payment of only certain courses that a student is registered for. Changes to enrollment previously certified by the VA—such as withdrawing from a course, or a grade exclusion request—may alter your benefit status. If you are not sure about the impact of making certain changes on your eligibility for benefits or payment, the most advisable place to turn to is the veterans’ benefits office at your institution, where professionals offer help.
In the end, the process of verifying and certifying your Chapter 1606 benefits becomes a simple, one-time chore to be conducted on a monthly basis in order to ensure continuous payments to you. This is made possible by consistently utilizing WAVE or calling the VA to report through any changes in enrollment, filing all the relevant papers, and making sure that all the education benefits are intact.
