Post-9/11 GI Bill

This part establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for carrying out the Post-9/11 GI Bill. It establishes policy for the use of supplemental educational assistance "kickers", for members with critical skills or specialties, or for members serving additional service; for authorizing the transferability of education benefits; and for the DoD Education Benefits Fund Board of Actuaries. The prompt implementation of the Interim Final Rule is of critical importance. It will procedurally close existing gaps in the implementation of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, title V, Public Law 110-252 (the "Post-9/11 GI Bill"), and ensure that key benefits provided for in the Post-9/11 GI Bill become available to military personnel by the date mandated by Congress. Because of the complexity of implementing this provision throughout the Department of Defense, which will require each military branch to communicate its own administrative procedures to the military members for transferring their educational benefits, the need for overarching policy guidance is critical. In addition, Department of Defense policy is required to support the companion implementing rules from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which are already in place. The Administration has expressed considerable interest in making this valuable benefit available to military personnel as quickly as possible. With a new academic year beginning in this autumn, it is critical that the Department of Defense begin immediately the complicated task of implementing administrative procedures and informing the military community about this program. Implementing this policy through an Interim Final Rule will make this possible.