Some Reservists Won't Have to Repay Portion of GI Bill

WASHINGTON (AFPN)  -- Some Air Force Reserve Airmen who are no longer able to participate due to Base Realignment and Closure or Program Budget Decision 720 actions, will not be required to repay a portion of their Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve entitlement.

Members in their initial six-year enlistment who are unable to find a position in another Reserve or National Guard component to fulfill their service obligation are commonly placed in the Individual Ready Reserve. In the past, members who transitioned to the IRR as a result of BRAC were covered under the Reserve Transition Assistance Program. The RTAP was not authorized for the current round of BRAC closures.

Transition Center

Title 10 of the United States Code authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to waive recoupment of education benefits. In April, 2007, the Secretary of the Air Force issued a memorandum delegating authority to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve to waive repayment of the Montgomery GI Bill for members in the Selected Reserve.

"This is good news for our Citizen Airmen who are affected by BRAC and are not able to find a position in another Reserve or Guard component," said Jim Walsh, chief of benefits and entitlements for Air Force Reserve.

Members unable to participate through no fault of their own who don't reside within the 100-mile "valid offer" commuting distance of another AF Reserve location, or who reside within the 100-mile radius, have applied for reassignment, but did not receive a job offer, may apply for the waiver.

Those who reside within the 100 mile radius, who choose not to apply for reassignment to the location or have declined a valid offer, will have to repay a portion of the MGIB-SR entitlement. More information is available through wing training offices.

(Air Force Reserve Command News Service)

Use the education benefits you've earned.