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Veterans’ Benefits

The federal government and the state of Alabama have programs which provide financial assistance to veterans and their dependents. Enterprise State Community College desires to assist veterans as they attempt to receive educational benefits earned through service to their country. The following information is provided to aid veterans as they apply for their educational benefits. Veterans’ Administration educational benefits forms are available at all ESCC locations.

Alabama G.I. Dependents’ Scholarship Program

The Alabama Department of Veterans’ Affairs offers financial assistance to eligible dependents—child, stepchild, spouse, or unmarried widow(er)—of disabled veterans (living or deceased) who were permanent civilian residents of Alabama prior to entry into military service. Special consideration is given to dependents of permanently and totally disabled veterans who are bona fide residents or were prior to their death. Other benefits may be available to eligible dependents of former prisoners of war (POWs), those declared missing in action (MIAs), and those who died in service.

Maximum educational benefits include free tuition and required textbooks, excluding non-credit and/or remedial courses, for five (5) standard academic years or a prescribed technical course at any state-supported junior or community college, university, or technical school. Only certain fees are covered. Students approved for this benefit after July 31, 2017 are required to have a FAFSA application on file.

Dependent children must file an application prior to age 26 (may be extended to age 30 in certain cases). A spouse or widow(er) does not have a filing deadline or age limitation. For more information and application procedures, students should contact the nearest Veterans’ Affairs Office located in each county or write the Alabama G.I. Dependents’ Scholarship Program at P.O. Box 1509, Montgomery, AL 36102-1509.

Old G.I. Bill@ (Vietnam Era—Chapter 34)

Benefits for veterans under the Old G.I. Bills were terminated December 31, 1989. Some veterans who received benefits under Chapter 34 may be eligible for benefits under the new bill (Montgomery G.I. Bill, Chapter 30). If a veteran has a question regarding remaining eligibility under Chapter 34, he/she may contact the Veterans’ Administration at 1-888-442-4551 (1-888-GIBILL1).

Veterans Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 32)

To apply for benefits through the Veterans Educational Assistance Program, veterans with service beginning on or after January 1, 1977, through June 30, 1985, must provide the following items to apply for these benefits:

  • Completed application for educational benefits (Form 22-1990) available in the Veterans’ Affairs Office at Enterprise State Community College, for transfer students, a completed Request for Change of Program (Form 22-1995),
  • DD 214 (Separation Papers), and
  • Official transcripts from any colleges or military service schools previously attended (submitted to the Office of Admissions).

Montgomery G.I. Bill—Active Duty Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 30)

Certain veterans with an honorable discharge and active duty servicemembers may qualify for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. Veterans applying for this program must provide the following items:

  • Completed application for educational benefits (Form 22-1990) available in the Veterans’ Affairs Office at Enterprise State Community College, for transfer students, a completed Request for Change of Program (Form 22-1995),
  • DD 214 (Separation Papers)—not required for active duty servicemembers, and
  • Official transcripts from any colleges or military service schools previously attended (submitted to Office of Admissions).

E. Montgomery G.I. Bill—Selected Reserve/National Guard Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 1606)

Members of the Selected Reserve or National Guard who enlist, reenlist, or extend an enlistment in Selected Reserve or National Guard so that the reservist has an obligation to serve for a period of not less than six years following the date of such action may qualify for benefits under Chapter 1606. Students under this program must provide the following:

  • Completed application for educational benefits (Form 22-1990) available in the Veterans’ Affairs Office at Enterprise State Community College, for transfer students a completed Request for Change of Program/Place of Training (Form 22-1995)
  • DD 2384 (Notice of Basic Eligibility) completed by the National Guard or Reserve unit, and
  • Official transcripts from any colleges or military service schools previously attended (submitted to Office of Admissions).

Montgomery GI Bill Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) Chapter 1607

A member of a reserve component who serves on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, under Title 10 U.S. Code for a contingency operation and who serves at least 90 consecutive days or more is eligible for Chapter 1607. National Guard members are also eligible if their active duty is under section 502(f), Title 32 U.S.C., and is supported by federal funds and they serve for 90 consecutive days when authorized by the President or Secretary of Defense for a national emergency. Individuals are eligible as soon as they reach the 90-day point whether or not they are currently on active duty. The Department of Defense will fully identify contingency operations that qualify for benefits under Chapter 1607.

Students under this program must provide the following:

  • Completed application for educational benefits (Form 22-1990) available in the Veterans’ Affairs Office at Enterprise State Community College, for transfer students a completed Request for Change of Program/Place of Training (Form 22-1995),
  • DD2384 (Notice of Basic Eligibility) completed by the National Guard or Reserve unit,
  • DD214 (Separation Papers), and
  • official transcripts from any colleges or military service schools previously attended (submitted to Office of Admissions).

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Chapter 31)

Vocational rehabilitation is intended to help the service-disabled veteran become independent in daily living and, to the extent possible, to select, prepare for, and secure employment which is compatible with his/her interests, abilities, physical capabilities, and goals. Under Chapter 31, the VA pays the cost of tuition, fees, books, and supplies. The veteran also receives a subsistence allowance. Interested students should contact the county Veterans’ Affairs Office or the regional Veterans’ Affairs Office at 1-800-827-1000.

Post 9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33)

The Post 9/11 GI Bill is an education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. Veterans and dependents under this program must provide the following items to the Enterprise State Community College VA Office:

  • Certificate of Eligibility as issued by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and
  • Official transcripts from any colleges or military service schools previously attended (submitted to the Office of Admissions).
  • DD214 (separation papers)

For detailed eligibility and application information, visit the Veterans’ Affairs website at www.gibill.va.gov, or call toll free 1-888-442-4551 (1-888-GIBILL1).

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35)

This program provides benefits for the education of dependent sons, daughters, and spouses of the following individuals:

  • Veterans who died or are permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability arising out of active service in the Armed Forces,
  • Veterans who died from any cause while such service-connected disability was in existence,
  • Service persons missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or
  • Service persons forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power. Eligible dependents under this program must provide the following items:
  • Completed VA form 22-5490, Application for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance, for transfer students a Change of Program/Place of Training (Form 22-5495), and
  • Official transcripts from any colleges or military service schools previously attended (submitted to the Admissions Office).

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

The following individuals shall be charged a rate of tuition not to exceed the in-state rate for tuition and fees purposes:

  • A Veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill — Active Duty Program) or chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill), of title 38, United States Code, who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
  • Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor's discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
  • Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three year period following discharge or release as described above and must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30 or chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code.
  • Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b)(9)) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
  • Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.
  • Anyone using educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation/Employment (VR&E) will also be charged the resident rate. Effective for courses and terms beginning after March 1, 2019, a public institution of higher learning must charge the resident rate to chapter 31 participants, as well as the other categories of individuals described above. When an institution charges these individuals more than the rate for resident students, VA is required to disapprove programs of education sponsored by VA.
  • The policy shall be read to be amended as necessary to be compliant with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 3679(c) as amended.

Required Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Veterans

To retain eligibility for veterans’ benefits, all veterans must meet the same standards of student progress applicable to all students at the institution. See Standards of Progress policy in this catalog for complete standards.

Any complaint against the College should be routed through the VA GI Bill Feedback System by going to the following link: http://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/Feedback.asp. The VA will then follow up through the appropriate channels to investigate the complaint and resolve it satisfactorily.

Certification of Veterans

The following criteria will be used for certifying veterans or other eligible persons:

  • Certification will be granted for only those courses which are applicable to the declared program of study. Any deviation from this list of courses must be approved in writing. Veterans must have all military or transfer credits evaluated by the end of their first semester at ESCC and must then furnish the VA Office with a copy of the updated program sheet from the ESCC Counseling Office. It is the veteran’s responsibility to submit a copy of the updated program sheet to the VA Office once prior credits and/or training have been evaluated by the Associate Dean of Students.
  • Courses which meet for only a portion of the semester (Friday and Saturday seminars, one- or two-week computer or business courses and mini-sessions or inter-term courses) may be certified, but only for the portion of the term that the class is actually meeting. Students should check with the VA Office if they have any questions regarding these special calendar classes.
  • Certification will be granted for only those hours required to complete the selected program of study. Certification will not be granted for audit or community services courses. Remedial classes will be certified if the need is indicated by ACCUPLACER test results; however, online remedial courses cannot be certified by VA.
  • Veterans must be recertified for educational benefits when they re-enter college after an interruption of their educational program. THIS RECERTIFICATION MUST BE INITIATED BY THE VETERAN.

Processing by the Veterans’ Administration takes six to eight weeks (60 days), and the veteran must be prepared to pay tuition at final registration. ELIGIBILITY IS DETERMINED BY THE VETERANS’ ADMINISTRATION, NOT BY ENTERPRISE STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

For additional information about the full range of veterans’ programs available through the Veterans’ Administration, contact the Veterans’ Administration Regional Office, P.O. Box 8888, Muskogee, OK 74402-8888 or the Veterans’ Affairs Office at Enterprise State Community College.