National Entrepreneurship Month on November, 2024: What kind of certifications can one pursue using the Post 911 GI Bill?

November, 2024 is National Entrepreneurship Month 2024.

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What kind of certifications can one pursue using the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

From the Veterans Affairs website: "Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, vocational/technical training, on-the-job training, flight training, correspondence training, licensing and national testing programs, entrepreneurship training, and tutorial assistance. "

I'm currently using it for a graduate degree, and know lots of people who are using it, or have used it, for their bachelor's degree.

One thing to keep in mind is that you have a certain amount of months of use of the GI Bill outside the monetary part of it. For example, if you have 36 months of GI Bill and 100% coverage based on your years of service, it is much more cost-effective to spend it for a full semester of tuition (that would cost you, say, $20,000) than it is to spend it on 4 months of some type of certification course (that might cost $1,500).

I realized this personally when I normally took two courses per semester using the GI Bill, and then had one semester where I only took one course. I used up the same amount of months of what I had left of the Bill, but only got half of the "bang" for the buck.

Overall, you should use it for whatever is best for your own personal situation, as long as you understand what you're using up.

I opted out of the MGIB when I joined the military

I opted out of the MGIB when I joined the military,are there other ways for Veterans to get money for school?

The Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty, called "MGIB" for short, provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible veterans for:

College

Technical or Vocational Courses

Correspondence Courses

Apprenticeship/Job Training

Flight Training

High-tech Training

Licensing & Certification Tests

Entrepreneurship Training

Certain Entrance Examinations

Who is Eligible?

You may be an eligible veteran if you have an Honorable Discharge, AND you have a High School Diploma or GED or in some cases 12 hours of college credit, AND you meet the requirements of one of the categories below:

CATEGORY I

Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985

Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for first 12 months

Continuously served for 3 years, OR 2 years if that is what you first enlisted for, OR 2 years if you entered the Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty and served 4 years ("2 by 4" Program)

CATEGORY II

Entered active duty before January 1, 1977

Served at least 1 day between 10/19/84 and 6/30/85, and stayed on active duty through 6/30/88, (or 6/30/87 if you entered the Selected Reserve within 1 year of leaving active duty and served 4 years)

On 12/31/89, you had entitlement left from Vietnam-Era GI Bill

CATEGORY III

Not eligible for MGIB under Category I or II

On active duty on 9/30/90 AND separated involuntarily after 2/2/91,

OR involuntarily separated on or after 11/30/93,

OR voluntarily separated under either the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) or Special Separation Benefit (SSB) program

Before separation, you had military pay reduced by $1200

CATEGORY IV

On active duty on 10/9/96 AND you had money remaining in a VEAP account on that date AND you elected MGIB by 10/9/97

OR entered full-time National Guard duty under title 32, USC, between 7/1/85, and 11/28/89 AND you elected MGIB during the period 10/9/96, through 7/8/97

Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for 12 months or made a $1200 lump-sum contribution

How Much Does VA Pay?

The monthly benefit paid to you is based on the type of training you take, length of your service, your category, and if DOD put extra money in your MGIB Fund (called "kickers"). You usually have 10 years to use your MGIB benefits, but the time limit can be less, in some cases, and longer under certain circumstances.

How Can I Apply?

You can apply by filling out VA Form 22-1990, Application for Education Benefits.

How Can I Get More Information?

Call toll free 1-888-GI-BILL-1

When should i start applying for job in another state?

When should i start applying for job in another state?

My suggestion would be to look at national chains with locations in your area and in Chicago. Get hired in your area and then transfer. That way when you move to Chicago you have a job.

I did that when I decided to start grad school. The company has locations both places and I was able to move. They didn't pick up moving costs because it was my choice rather than them requesting it. But it sure was great to be able to tell potential landlords that I had a job when I looked for an apartment.

There are lots of types of chains, figure out what interests you and pursue that. I'd look on their website for job postings.. My favorite job board is indeed.com because they pull from a variety of job sites - the biggies like Monster and CareerBuilder along with my local paper and sites I've never heard of.

Good luck!

P.S. I grew up in Chicago and still get back every couple months for family events. If you'd like some info on specific neighborhoods, I'd be happy to try and help.

Also on this date Friday, November 1, 2024...