Veterans Benefit from Members' Expertise of GI Bill

Thursday, June 19, 2008

(The Communicator/PEF)

Veterans benefit from members’ expertise of GI bill

By DEBORAH A. MILES

PEF members at the state Division of Veterans’ Affairs Bureau of Veterans’ Education play an integral role in helping veterans throughout the state access millions of dollars in GI awards each year.

“Many veterans don’t use all the benefits available to them,” said Jeffrey Kaye, an associate in Veteran’s Education and PEF Division 325 member.

“We are one of the state’s best kept secrets,” Kaye said. “Our bureau is the state’s approving agency. We approve educational programs for veterans including certificates and diplomas at institutions of higher learning and non-college degree-schools, as well as apprentice and on-the-job training programs.”

How does approving and certifying educational programs relate to collecting federal tax-free dollars?

“A lot of the veterans may not be able to attend college after serving our country,” said Wally Williams, another associate at the bureau.

“For example, a veteran working at the state Division of Parole (DOP) may be able to have his probationary/ training period approved for on-the-job training benefits,” Williams said. “If the person is eligible and the agency is cooperative, we can assist by approving the job title for on-the-job training benefits. Once we do that, as we have done at DOP, the eligible veteran can receive his GI Bill benefits.”

Williams said PEF members who served in the armed forces or National Guard may be still eligible for GI Bill benefits, within 10 years of their military discharge.

“If approved by the Bureau of Veterans’ Education, many state agencies could have their new hires receive GI Bill benefits while beginning employment with the state,” Williams said. “State agencies already approved include Corrections, state Police, DOP, Transportation and Labor.”

The process for approving statewide educational courses and programs is quite an undertaking for the bureau’s six associates.They spend a lot of time in the field making sure all appropriate programs are approved to ensure GI Bill payments to eligible veterans, spouses, dependent children and those in the National Guard and reserves.

“We visit public and private colleges, trade schools and approved apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training facilities. The harder we work, the better it is for our veteran community,” Williams said.

Collectively, this bureau has about 200 years of experience with the GI Bill. They know what benefits are available to eligible veterans who use them for on-the-job training instead of tuition.

“We regularly conduct supervisory visits to those institutions where we have programs approved,” said Craig Farley, the bureau’s supervisor. “Recipients may use their earned tax-free benefits for school tuition or any other purpose. On-the-job and apprentice beneficiaries earn GI Bill benefits on top of their regular salaries.”

“We get a lot of people thanking us,” Farley said. “Veterans may be unaware of all their benefits, such as on-the-job training, or have erroneously disqualified themselves in their own minds. It’s a good feeling to help those who have done so much for our country.”

“Our veterans deserve this,” Kaye added. “They put their lives on the line for us.”