Office of the Registrar

Andruss Library

Veteran Affairs

Upon admission to the university, students eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill or Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits must report to the Veterans Affairs Desk in the Registrar's Office, 150 Student Services Center. You will be given a Welcome Packet that includes a letter outlining our expectations, the appropriate benefit application for the Chapter you are filing under, a Request for Physical Education Credit for Basic Training and a list of VA contacts.

A copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD-214) Member 4 and a Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) are necessary to complete the application process. FREE copies of DD-214 may be obtained via on-line access through www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs or students may contact their unit of assignment, education office, or personnel office to determine the web sites where they can obtain copies of DD-214s and Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) forms.

Two credits are awarded for Basic Military Training (BMT), which will meet the general education Fitness and Recreational Skill requirement. In order to receive those credits we must receive a copy of your DD-214 and a completed Request for Physical Education Credit for Basic Training form.

Students eligible for VA education programs can only receive benefits under one program at any given time and cannot receive more than a maximum of 48 months of benefits under any combination of VA education programs. This includes the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the MGIB Chapters 30, 31, 35, 1606 and 1607.

Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008:

The VA began accepting applications and election letters for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) on May 1, 2009.

Students should not apply for Chapter 33 unless they understand the implications of making this irrevocable decision. The best place for students to get the most up-to-date information is at http://www.gibill.va.gov. Students can access Frequently Asked Questions and search for Post-9/11 GI Bill information. There are currently 43 Q and A’s to read. If a student does not find the answer they want there, they may use the secure e-mail to “Ask a Question” of the VA. They will receive a written answer in 3-5 working days.

Students should contact the VA through the “Ask a Question” or by calling 1-888-442-4551 to determine their eligibility before they apply for Chapter 33.

The maximum basic benefit under Post 9/11 (Chapter 33) provides the following:

To access more detailed information regarding tuition and fees, housing stipend and books and supplies payments visit www.gibill.va.gov . To speak to a VA representative call 1-888-442-4551.

Students currently receiving the MGIB Chapter 30 will have two options. The length of time remaining on your current entitlement should be a key factor for you in deciding which choice is most beneficial for you. Current MGIB Chapter 30 recipients have the following two options:

  1. Those individuals electing to receive the Post-9/11 GI Bill in lieu of their current Montgomery GI Bill Chapter 30 benefits will be limited to receiving benefits for the amount of time remaining on their current MGIB entitlement.
  2. Chapter 30 recipients may also choose to exhaust their remaining entitlement under the MGIB and then apply for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, in which case they may be eligible for an additional 12 months (maximum) under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. In order to be eligible for the additional 12 months under Post 9/11 a student must exhaust their current MGIB Chapter 30 entitlement.

Students currently receiving the MGIB Chapters 1606 and 1607, if they qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), are eligible for a total of 48 months of benefits. They do not need to exhaust their current MGIB benefits to receive the additional 12 months of benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Chapters 1606 and 1607 must have Chapter 33 qualifying service.

Each veteran will be different based on their length of service and type of service. It is imperative that you have as much information as possible regarding the Post 9/11 GI Bill in order for you to decide which benefit would be most beneficial to you. You can access this web page for a comparison of benefits and payment rates and factors to consider before making a final decision: http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/CH33/Benefit_Comparison_Chart.htm

We recommend each individual veteran use the "Ask a Question" feature on the VA website www.va.gov or call the VA at 1-888-442-4551 to determine their eligibility BEFORE they make the irrevocable election.

All Chapter 30 (MGIB Active Duty), Chapter 1607 (REAP) and Chapter 1606 (MGIB Selected Reserve) must complete a 22-1990 application and verify their enrollment on the last day of each month or up to two weeks afterwards by phone at 1-877-823-2378 or online at www.gibill.va.gov; follow the link to the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) program. If you use WAVE you can be updated by the VA through email of your status and when you are due to verify. You must verify your enrollment every month when you are taking classes. You should receive your payment about seven days after you verify if you have no change in enrollment. If you have signed up for Direct Deposit, you'll get paid a few days sooner.
Chapter 31 (Disabled Veterans) should contact Matthew Dragwa at the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1123 East End Blvd. Wilkes Barre, PA 18702, 570-821-2502, matthew.dragwa@vba.va.gov . The VRandE will approve your eligibility and forward the necessary paperwork to the Veterans Affairs Desk at Bloomsburg University.
Chapter 35 (qualified dependents of deceased or disabled veterans) students need a copy of their birth certificate listing the names of both parents and documentation listing the veterans Social Security Number, percentage of disability and entitlement in order to apply for benefits. The VA requires that the veteran be 100% disabled for dependents to receive benefits under Chapter 35.
Students can hear an automated message confirming the processing of their latest payment by calling 1-888-442-4551. Choose option 1 for information on your educational benefits and enter the requested information. You may also press 0 to be connected to a VA representative.

Each semester your benefits must be renewed. At the beginning of each semester, the number of credits scheduled for students currently receiving benefits will be verified and a certification will be sent to restart your benefits. If there are no changes to your status and you will be continuing to attend Bloomsburg University there is nothing you need to do. Schedules are routinely checked for changes four times each semester. After the start of each semester please contact the Veterans Affairs Desk if you drop, add or withdraw from classes, withdraw from the University or are deployed

Summer Semesters: Any benefit recipient who will be taking classes during a summer semester and wishes to continue to receive their benefits over the summer must notify the Veterans Affairs Desk in the Office of the Registrar. Otherwise your credits will be certified for the Fall and Spring Semesters only.

Deployment: In the event you are called to active duty during a semester the Military Deployment Procedure will go into effect. You must notify the Office of the Registrar of you deployment and provide a copy of you orders.

Official Military Transcripts: Students who have served in the military and wish to obtain credits for their military experience must have official transcripts submitted to Registrars Office. Military transcripts will be evaluated and credits will be issued based on Bloomsburg University’s evaluation of courses taken. Order forms for official transcripts can be obtained on-line at each of these web-sites:

Study Abroad

GI Bill recipients who plan to study abroad and wish to continue receiving their benefits should be aware of the following conditions: The foreign school must be an institution of higher learning and be VA approved. If the foreign school is VA approved they will submit your certification for benefits. If the foreign school is not VA approved it must have a partnership with Bloomsburg University and if a partnership exists we will submit your certification for benefits. In addition, a Form 22-1995, Request for Change of Program or Place of Training, must be submitted for Veterans studying abroad.

More information on foreign study can be found at www.gibill.va.gov. Click on: Information for Benefit Recipients / Going to a Foreign School.

To continue to receive benefits under the GI Bill during your study abroad please contact Veterans Affairs in the Office of the Registrar at extension 4269 well in advance of your departure to appropriately facilitate your request.

You may contact Deb Pavlick, Veterans Affairs with any questions or concerns at 570-389-4269 or by email, dpavlick@bloomu.edu.