Readers of Tom Philpott's Military Update column sound off.

GI Bill Transferability Tied to Current Service

I served nearly twelve years of active duty in a 28-year period of reserve service, retiring with 28 "good" years of active and reserve service to earn a reserve retirement. After 9/11, I served five years of active duty and hit a mandatory retirement date of 28 years of service in 2006.

I wonder now about transferring my educational benefits. As I already have a doctorate and four other degrees, it certainly makes sense for me to transfer the educational benefit to my youngest son, now age 16.

I read that the "transferability" benefit will be used as a retention tool and only those on active duty as of August 2009 will be able to transfer this benefit.
But I noted this in your recent response to a reader: "However, the Department of Defense, which is responsible for implementing the transferability feature, still is expected to allow transferability for members barred from serving those added four years by service or statutory rules such as high-year tenure."

In my case I hit the 28-year limit of service for lieutenant colonels and was force to retire. Might I be in the category of those who will be allowed to transfer educational benefits?

BOB WIEDENHAEFER
Via e-mail

No. To qualify for transferability under the new GI Bill you must be on active duty, or in an active drill status as a reservist, on or after August 1 next year. - Tom Philpott

I was eligible for the GI Bill in 1994 when I left active duty as an officer and used all of my GI Bill within the 10-year deadline. I have continued as a reservist since leaving active duty. In January 1994 I was activated and have been active duty since. Am I eligible for the GI Bill again, or the new GI Bill? If so, what do I need to do to assure such?

E. COLEMAN
Via e-mail

No. Persons who have unused, unexpired benefits from an earlier GI Bill can transfer those months of benefit into the Post-9/11 GI Bill. But the program doesn't allow, in effect, a doubling of education benefits by granting new benefits to persons who already have exhausted an earlier GI Bill program. - T.P.

Grateful for Mileage Rate

The new mileage rate for veterans' travel reimbursement is fantastic news. This truly is a nice stocking stuffer and very much needed.

Thank you, Congress and thank you Military Update for the news.

God bless you all.

RANDY TWETEN
North Bend, Wash.

SPB: Paid-up or Not?

You have written several columns regarding the Survivor Benefit Plan Paid-Up Rule whereby those of us who have paid least 30 years of premiums and have reached age 70 were to have our deductions stopped effective Oct 1, 2008. This has not come to past for me.

I have been retired for 32 years, 5 months as of Oct. 1, 2008. They are still deducting my SBP premium. I called the Defense Finance and Accounting Service this morning only to find out they have not completed their audit of files, and that, after Jan. 1, 2009, I must download a DD Form 2656-11, mail it to DFAS and they will review it. If I am eligible, they will reimburse me sometime in spring of 2009.

I can't remember when Congress authorized this but it seems like it has been a year or more. It is incredible that a government agency like DFAS, given such a long lead time, cannot get its act together.

RALPH E. WIGAL
Major, USAF-Ret.

DFAS found problems with its data files on paid SBP premiums. Over the years, with consolidation of records from the services into DFAS, some historical data files were not transferred correctly.

This has forced DFAS to set up the appeals process you described on the SBP Paid-Up Rule. Retirees who have not seen their premium end are to file DD Form 2656-11, which can be downloaded from the DFAS website, www.dfas.mil. Starting in January, retirees with questions about filing such a dispute form can call the Retired and Annuitant Pay Call Center at 1-800-321-1080. --T. P.

Priority 8 Enrollments

Any update on when the VA will begin accepting Priority 8 Veterans back into the fold?

CHRIS WARD
U.S. Navy Veteran, 1970-74
Via e-mail

VA officials have no plans to reopen enrollment to Priority Group 8 veterans, those with no service-related ailments and incomes that exceed government poverty standards. VA points to current strains on resources and staffing and the priority to care for current enrollees and those with service-related injuries.

Action to open Priority Group 8 enrollment, therefore, will have to come from Congress. Even veterans service organizations say such a decision shouldn't be mandated until a mechanism is in place to properly fund the VA health care system.

Veterans groups such as Disabled American Veterans have formed a Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform. The partnership has won commitments from the chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees to shepherd toward enactment next year the Veterans' Health Care Budget Reform Act.

The bill would put VA health care under an "advance appropriation" schedule to end the practice by lawmakers of failing to pass VA health budgets before a new fiscal year begins. Part two of the bill keep funding for VA health care sufficient by directing use of new actuarial model that accurately projects budget requirements for all enrollees and by requiring the Government Accountability Office to verify that annual budget requests are adequate.

Once VA has a robust health care budget in place, the partnership will press lawmakers to reopen gradually the VA health care system to Group 8 veterans. - T. P.

Letters may be edited for clarity or length.  Write to Military Forum, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA  20120-1111, send e-mail to militaryforum@aol.com or visit www.militaryupdate.com.

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