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Questions on the GI Bill (Tuition Aid)


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Nah. Not Butters. There is no hiring wave! I kid. Good to have you on the dark side Butters. It's been too quiet here.

To answer your question, I was advised that the GI bill is not the govt reimbursing your cost, but I would get some other opinions too. I am in the same boat.

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Disclaimer:  NOT a tax professional....

In general, any item to be (potentially) deducted on one's income taxes is limited to the actual out-of-pocket cost one incurs.  If the course cost you nothing, there's nothing to deduct.  If you claim the cost of the course, and if you further somehow dodge the GI Bill money as being a "reimbursement" for the cost, then the money becomes "income."  No free lunch--the totals will all even out somewhere on your form.  Unless you have some reason specific to your own tax situation to "move" the money around to different areas on your return, I wouldn't suggest trying to game the IRS on this....  I definitely wouldn't recommend claiming the tuition as an expense and making no accounting of the GI Bill money....

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14 hours ago, Bandit6139 said:

"Transfer contracts in place prior to 180 days after the date of enactment of the legislation will be grandfathered. Transfer contracts signed after that date will be subject to the lower housing rate."

BLUF:  Transfer your benefits soon or your kids will get 50% less housing allowance.  

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Question for the class:

I had originally planned to go to med school after separating from active duty but ended up taking the easy route and getting an airline job.  Now, I have the GI bill that is not being used. 

Does anyone know if I can use it towards getting a seaplane or helicopter rating even though I already have an ATP?  I was thinking of burning it on that or something like a masters degree in beer brewing or distilling.  

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3 hours ago, ARAMP1 said:

Question for the class:

I had originally planned to go to med school after separating from active duty but ended up taking the easy route and getting an airline job.  Now, I have the GI bill that is not being used. 

Does anyone know if I can use it towards getting a seaplane or helicopter rating even though I already have an ATP?  I was thinking of burning it on that or something like a masters degree in beer brewing or distilling.  

*AHEM*

Instead of a MS in beer brewing, how about opening up your own brewery instead!

Status looks outdated.

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4 hours ago, DEVIL said:

What about claiming whatever the gov't didn't cover for masters classes as a work related education expense???

I did so.  Mostly just mileage and the one or two books that I actually bought, in my case, since TA covered 100% of my pay-the-fee/get-your-B degree, but the same logic would apply to excess tuition.

Standard disclaimer:  YMMV, and I am NOT a tax professional....

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On ‎1‎/‎28‎/‎2016 at 10:10 PM, ARAMP1 said:

Question for the class:

I had originally planned to go to med school after separating from active duty but ended up taking the easy route and getting an airline job.  Now, I have the GI bill that is not being used. 

Does anyone know if I can use it towards getting a seaplane or helicopter rating even though I already have an ATP?  I was thinking of burning it on that or something like a masters degree in beer brewing or distilling.  

You can use you Post 911 GI Bill for any flight training you want as long as it is Part 141/142. I have yet to find a qualifying school for the Seaplane rating in the Northwest. Lost of schools you can get extra type ratings.

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Question for the class:

I had originally planned to go to med school after separating from active duty but ended up taking the easy route and getting an airline job.  Now, I have the GI bill that is not being used. 

Does anyone know if I can use it towards getting a seaplane or helicopter rating even though I already have an ATP?  I was thinking of burning it on that or something like a masters degree in beer brewing or distilling.  

You can use you Post 911 GI Bill for any flight training you want as long as it is Part 141/142. I have yet to find a qualifying school for the Seaplane rating in the Northwest. Lost of schools you can get extra type ratings.

GOTDAMMIT! That's three hours of my life spent Googleing GI-Bill Seaplane, then GI-Bill Helicopter, the GI-Bill Super-Constellation type rating course, then...

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On January 19, 2016 at 10:17 AM, Butters said:

Now I will answer Champ's question. No, I will not be paying for any Airline or Air Line interview prep. I am not one of these scared little kids that that thinks the world outside the Air Force is this completely foreign culture that I have no chance of ever understanding. I know how to wear a suit (I have been doing it my whole life), I know how to present myself in a interview (I have done several, in the Air Force and out) I know how to Network (been doing that as well, helped me to stay at the same base for 11 years). I know how to read about an Airline or Air Line to see what is important to them. Also, Emerald Coast does not take the GI Bill.

YMMV, but I found the Emerald Coast interview prep to be well worth the money, as did others in my Sqdn.  Granted the current airline hiring environment is very permissive, but I got hired at my #1 choice on the first crack.  The prep class I attended was 95% military dudes, and I think that everyone was a little shocked at how differently civilian companies perceive answers to interview questions.  A tweak here and there may be the difference between the CJO or a TBNT.  Technique only.

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On January 19, 2016 at 2:17 PM, Butters said:

I am not one of these scared little kids that that thinks the world outside the Air Force is this completely foreign culture that I have no chance of ever understanding. I know how to wear a suit (I have been doing it my whole life), I know how to present myself in a interview (I have done several, in the Air Force and out) I know how to Network (been doing that as well, helped me to stay at the same base for 11 years). I know how to read about an Airline or Air Line to see what is important to them. Also, Emerald Coast does not take the GI Bill.

You're gonna be a blast on a 4 day trip.

Butters: "Meet at the bar for a cold one?"

Captain: "No thanks man, I've got some 'stuff' to take care of, gonna call it a night."

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On 1/19/2016 at 3:17 PM, Butters said:

Now I will answer Champ's question. No, I will not be paying for any Airline or Air Line interview prep. I am not one of these scared little kids that that thinks the world outside the Air Force is this completely foreign culture that I have no chance of ever understanding. I know how to wear a suit (I have been doing it my whole life), I know how to present myself in a interview (I have done several, in the Air Force and out) I know how to Network (been doing that as well, helped me to stay at the same base for 11 years). I know how to read about an Airline or Air Line to see what is important to them. Also, Emerald Coast does not take the GI Bill.

Butters--is it possible...  I mean, just.  Maybe.  Possible...  that you "don't know what you don't know" on this topic...?  Weren't you the guy on here who loved to shout down anyone who so much as speculated that an airline hiring boom was looming?  (You know, the one that's currently in full swing?)

Seriously, anyone who uses ECIC et al is a "scared little kid"?  That comment's a five-yard penalty for douchemanlike conduct, friend....

Everyone will get something different out of interview prep.  Maybe you really DO have everything that could possibly be relevant to getting & succeeding in an interview already in your skill set--in which case, good for you!!  But, if you don't think it's worth $400 bucks & a day of your time to "verify" that you're already perfect (or, perhaps, uncover those areas where a little polish just might help...), well....  Good luck!

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  • 6 months later...
On 3/23/2014 at 1:14 PM, Chida said:

NSplayr:

 

Half-truth. You can get 9/11 GI Bill in the Guard but then your are committed to the Guard for the same ADSC (i.e. 4 years' satisfactory participation). ADSC is a misnomer or misapplied in many people's minds because Active Duty Service Commitment doesn't necessarily mean "Active Duty Component". What it means is Active Duty as in Active Status, whether it's the Active Duty Component or Reserve Component.

 

So, when they say leave if you want to leave they are probably saying you can go to another squadron in the Guard. You're not tied to the unit you signed up with, but you are tied to the Guard. It's up to their discretion if they want to let you transfer to AFRC--in other words, since you owe the Guard they don't have to let you go to the Reserve and vice versa.

Is this still the case?  Dudes leaving AD after 10 yrs, goin to the guard/reserve and transferring on day 1?  Here's a scenario, dude leaves AD, goes to the guard and gets hired by an airline.  Does his one year probation at the airline and fulfills a part time guard gig in the meantime.  Does that count for the 4 year commitment in the guard if you do part time for 4 years, or do you have to be a tech/AGR type?

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Part-time counts. I separated and joined the ANG. The transfer paperwork took a few months but I signed a contract that I am obligated to be a DSG only for 4 years. I specifically asked about it and was told that anything beyond part-time is up to me, but the obligation is only part-time. This is one of the better kept secrets of the RC. I know several dudes that were stuck on AD because of that ADSC. 

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I did the same thing.  About 1 and a half into my 4-year "commitment," which is a joke compared to AD since I'm a DSG right now and an extremely part-time one at that.  Great benefit in that my time "in the service" now counts for the GI bill transfer just as much as time on AD.  FWIW my transfer contract was approved and the clock started ticking like 2 weeks into my time in the Guard...YMMV.

Edit to add: apparently I asked this same question and had it answered 2.5 years ago...good times!  System works as advertised I'm happy to report!

Edited by nsplayr
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Heads up on the GI Bil if using it for your kids college. They will need to sign up for their own account on the Veterans benefit site so a Certificate of Eligibility can be generated. If you get this done early, it makes the financial wickets easier to run. 

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  • 1 month later...

Post 9/11 GI Bill housing stipend question for guardsmen/reservists...

My wife is going to start a MA program in January and we're considering using some of my transfered 9/11 GI bill months to pay for it.  Obviously the benefit is much more generous if you're collecting the housing stipend as well.

I'm a part-time guardsman, so I'm fairly confident that drilling and logging AFTPs won't interfere with the housing stipend, but I'm wondering about AT or other Title 10 days.  Spouses of AD service members don't receive the housing stipend, and I'm not sure if I would be considered "on active duty" for those days I'm on AT or Title 10.

Anyone experienced this or something similiar?  Have a great POC at the VA (haha!) who could answer specific questions? :beer:

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  • 6 months later...

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