Military-Affiliated Education Benefits

CNM and the Veterans Resource Center staff are trained to assist the unique education journeys of military-affiliated students. 

Those seeking tuition assistance (TA) should be considered for all forms of financial aid. Potential students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) as part of their higher education process and visit their respective Military Service's education portal for additional information. 

In addition, potential students who are an active Service member should receive approval prior to enrolling in an educational institution. 

• Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty-Chapter 30
• Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) Benefits-Chapter 31
• Post-9/11 GI Bill® Chapter 33
• Survivors and Dependent Assistance-Chapter 35
• Montgomery GI Selected Reserve-Chapter 1606

Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty-Chapter 30

The MGIB-AD program—sometimes known as Chapter 30—provides education benefits to Veterans and Service Members who have at least two years of active duty.

Type of Assistance  

Assistance may be used for college degree and certificate programs, technical or vocational courses, flight training, apprenticeships or on-the-job training, high-tech training, licensing and certification tests, entrepreneurship training, certain entrance examinations, and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Benefits are generally payable for 10 years following your release from honorable active service. Get the Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty pamphlet (PDF).

Available Benefits and Eligibility

Eligible Service Members may receive up to 36 months of education benefits. The monthly benefit paid to you is based on the type of training you take, length of your service, your category, any college fund eligibility, and if you contributed to the $600 buy-up program. You usually have 10 years to use your MGIB benefits, but the time limit can be fewer or more years depending on the situation. View current payment rates.

$600 Buy-Up Program

Some Service Members may contribute up to an additional $600 to the GI Bill® to receive increased monthly benefits. For an additional $600 contribution, you may receive up to $5,400 in additional GI Bill® benefits. The additional contribution must be made while on active duty. View increased monthly rates and contact your personnel or payroll office.

Eligibility

You may be eligible 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 Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty categories.

Apply

Apply now by going to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website and completing a VA Form 22-1990.

Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) Benefits-Chapter 31

The Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) program is a program designed to assist veterans with service connected disabilities; to overcome employment handicaps, and to maintain suitable employment.

You May Be Eligible for VA Veteran Readiness & Employment If

• You served on or after September 16, 1940;
• You have been rated with a 10% service-connected disability;
• You need Vocational Rehabilitation to overcome an employment handicap;
• You have been approved for Vocational Rehabilitation program after applying.

Educational Benefits for Training

Once you have been approved by the VA as eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation, please contact the VA office at the CNM Financial Aid office.

VA will pay for tuition and fees, required books, and expendable supplies each term while approved for training. VA will also provide a monthly subsistence to help with living expenses.

Attendance and Participation While Awaiting VA Tuition and Fee Payments

Effective August 1, 2019, any student using Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits) is protected from any penalties imposed by the College while waiting for the VA to make tuition and fee payments. Learn more about Section 103, PL 115-407.

How to Apply for Vocational Rehabilitation

You can apply by filling out VA Form 28-1900, and mail it to:

Department of Veterans Affairs 
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation 
500 Gold Ave SE 
Albuquerque, NM  87102

You can also apply online at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.

For more information, call (505) 224-3090 or the VA Toll-Free at (800) 827-1000.

Post-9/11 GI Bill® Chapter 33

If you have at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after Sept. 10, 2001, and are still on active duty, or if you are an honorably discharged Veteran or were discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, you may be eligible for this VA-administered program. The program has a few specific components, outlined below. You can also review the program pamphlet.

• Yellow Ribbon Program
• Transfer of Entitlement Option
• Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship for the children of Service Members who died in the line of duty after Sept. 10, 2001.

Types of Training

The following assistance is approved under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®:

• Accelerated payments
• Correspondence training
• Entrepreneurship training
• Flight training
• Independent and distance learning
• Institutions of higher learning undergraduate and graduate degrees 
• Licensing and certification reimbursement
• Vocational/technical training, non-college degree programs 
• National testing reimbursement
• On-the-job training
• Tuition Assistance top-up 
• Tutorial assistance
• Vocational/technical training

Benefits and Eligibility

For approved programs, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally payable for 15 years following your release from active duty. Institutions of higher learning participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program may make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill® entitlement. The following payments may also be available:

• Monthly housing allowance
• Annual books and supplies stipend
• One-time rural benefit payment

See the current payment rates for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. 

Some Service Members may also transfer unused GI Bill® benefits to their dependents.

Attendance and Participation While Awaiting VA Tuition and Fee Payments

Effective August 1, 2019, any student CH33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) is protected from any penalties imposed by the College while waiting for the VA to make tuition and fee payments. Learn more about Section 103, PL 115-407.

Other Factors to Consider

• Full tuition and fees [based on the student’s eligibility] are paid directly to the school for all public school in-state students.
• For those attending private or foreign schools, tuition and fees are capped at the national maximum rate. Learn more about the Post-9/11 GI Bill® on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.
• If you’re attending a private institution of higher learning in Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Texas, you may be eligible for a higher tuition reimbursement rate.
• If you're attending a private or a public institution of higher learning (either private or public) as a nonresident, out-of-state student you may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program and entitled to additional education-related costs not covered by VA. Not everyone is eligible for this assistance.

Apply

Apply now by going to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website and completing a VA Form 22-1990.

Survivors and Dependent Assistance-Chapter 35

The Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or of Veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition.

Type of Assistance

Benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Get the DEA pamphlet and information on the Marine GYSGT John David Fry Scholarship.

Those eligible for DEA benefits may also be eligible for this additional assistance:

• Special Restorative Training VA may prescribe special restorative training where needed to overcome or lessen the effects of a physical or mental disability for the purpose of enabling an eligible person to pursue a program of education, special vocational program, or other appropriate goal. Medical care and treatment or psychiatric treatments are not included.

• Special Vocational Training VA may also approve these benefits for an eligible person who is not in need of special restorative training, but who requires such a program because of a mental or physical disability.

• Section 301 of Public Law 109-461 adds a new category to the definition of eligible person for DEA benefits. The new category covers the spouse or child of a person who VA determined has a service-connected permanent and total disability; and is at the time of VAs determination is a member of the armed forces who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment; and is likely to be discharged or released from service for this service-connected disability. Persons eligible under this new provision may be eligible for DEA benefits effective Dec. 23, 2006, the effective date of the law.

Available Benefits and Eligibility

You may receive up to 45 months of education benefits. Effective Oct. 1, 2013, some DEA beneficiaries may be eligible for up to 81 months of GI Bill® benefits if they use the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program in conjunction with an entitlement from other VA education programs. View current payment rates.

Eligibility

You must be the child or spouse of:

• A Veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of active service in the armed forces.
• A Veteran who died from any cause while such permanent and total service-connected disability was in existence.
• A Service Member missing in action or captured in line of duty by a hostile force.
• A Service Member forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
• A Service Member who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability. This change is effective Dec. 23, 2006.

Other Factors to Consider

If you are a child and wish to receive benefits for attending school or job training, you must be between the ages of 18 and 26. In certain instances, it is possible to begin before age 18 and to continue after age 26. Marriage is not a bar to this benefit. If you are in the armed forces, you may not receive this benefit while on active duty. To pursue training after military service, your discharge must not be under dishonorable conditions. VA can extend your period of eligibility by the number of months and days equal to the time spent on active duty. This extension cannot generally go beyond your 31st birthday, there are some exceptions.

If you are a spouse, benefits end 10 years from the date VA finds you eligible or from the date of death of the Veteran. If VA rated the Veteran permanently and totally disabled with an effective date of three years from discharge, a spouse will remain eligible for 20 years from the effective date of the rating. This change is effective Oct. 10, 2008, and no benefits may be paid for any training taken prior to that date.

For surviving spouses of Service Members who died on active duty, benefits end 20 years from the date of death.

Apply

To apply, take these steps depending on your situation:

• Make sure that your selected program is approved for VA training. VA can inform you and the school or company about the requirements.
• Apply now by going to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website and completing a VA Form 22-5490.

Montgomery GI Selected Reserve-Chapter 1606

The MGIB-SR program provides education and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve, including the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components and VA makes the payments.

Types of Training

Assistance may be used for college degree and certificate programs, co-op training, technical or vocational courses, flight training, apprenticeships or on-the-job training, high-tech training, licensing and certification tests, entrepreneurship training, certain entrance examinations, and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Get the Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve pamphlet (PDF).

Available Benefits and Eligibility

You may be entitled to receive up to 36 months of education benefits. View current payment rates.

Eligibility

To qualify, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve signed after June 30, 1985. If you are an officer, you must have agreed to serve six years in addition to your original obligation. For some types of training, it is necessary to have a six-year commitment that begins after Sept. 30, 1990.
• Complete your initial active duty for training (IADT).
• Meet the requirement to receive a high school diploma or equivalency certificate before completing IADT. You may not use 12 hours toward a college degree to meet this requirement.
• Remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit. You will also retain MGIB-SR eligibility if you were discharged from Selected Reserve service due to a disability that was not caused by misconduct. Your eligibility period may be extended if you are ordered to active duty.

Other Factors to Consider

Your eligibility for the program normally ends the day you leave the Selected Reserve.

An exception exists if you are mobilized or recalled to active duty from your reserve status in which case your eligibility may be extended for the amount of time you are mobilized PLUS four months. For example, if you are mobilized for 12 months, your eligibility period is extended for 16 months12 months of active duty PLUS four months. Even if you leave the Reserves after mobilization, you may have additional eligibility under the MGIB-SR.

If your unit is deactivated during the period beginning on Oct. 1, 2007, through Sept. 30, 2014, or you are involuntarily separated for reasons other than misconduct you will retain your original period of eligibility, which is 14 years from the date of your first six-year obligation with the Selected Reserves.

Apply

Follow these steps to become eligible and apply:

1. Get the DD Form 2384-1, Notice of Basic Eligibility, when you become eligible for the program from your unit. Your unit will also code your eligibility into the DoD personnel system so VA may verify your eligibility.
2. Then make sure your selected program is approved for VA training. If you are unsure, VA will inform you and the school or company about the requirements.
3. Apply now by going to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website and completing a VA Form 22-1990.