Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) Post-9/11 GI Bill

TEB is an incentive for continued service offered to Service Members who qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. All ARNG Soldiers considering TEB should initiate the TEB process as soon as they meet the requirements. The Soldier still has complete control over Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Soldiers can go in and move months back to themselves and still use the benefit.

•  If you do not have four years remaining on your contract, you will need to extend. Fill out the DA Form 4836 (Oath of Extension of Enlistment or Reenlistment) and have your extension uploaded into iPERMS and keyed into IPPS-A by your unit.
• The Education Support Center (ESC) will NOT approve any transfer requests until they can verify that the extension was uploaded into iPERMS, keyed into IPPS-A, and appears in your record in GIMS.
• Qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill at any payment tier
• NOT be flagged for adverse action, APFT/ABCP failure, or unsatisfactory participant
• Agree to a four-year service obligation from the date of your transfer request (if you voluntarily separate from the ARNG prior to your Obligation End Date- OED, the transfer will be terminated and any funds paid to your dependents will be recouped!)
• Transfer to an eligible dependent
  • Spouse and/or dependents must be listed under you in DEERS
  • Important Message: Per the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the 16 year maximum year’s of service rule to transfer (TEB) your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit is no longer in force.Despite this change, Soldiers are still encouraged to TEB as soon as you become eligible to ensure you don’t lose out on this lucrative benefit. Don’t wait! Transfer your benefit today at https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/
  • Transfers to children must be completed before the child’s 21st birthday (23rd birthday if they are enrolled full-time in an Educational Institution)

Dependents receive the same payment eligibility tier as the Soldier

Spouse: 

• May used transferred benefits immediately
  • If your last day of qualifying service is before 1 JAN 2013, your spouse’s eligibility ends 15 years from the last day of that qualifying duty
  • If your last day of qualifying service is on or after 1 JAN 2013, your spouse’s eligibility never ends 
• The spouse of a Soldier on Active Duty/AGR is NOT eligible for the Housing Stipend 

Child/Children: 

• Cannot use the benefit until transferring Soldier has completed 10 years of service in the Armed Forces
• Is always paid as if Soldier is in a Non-Active Duty Status
• Can begin using the benefit on their 18th birthday or upon high school graduation, whichever comes first
• A child’s eligibility ends on their 26th birthday unless you specify an earlier end date 

You can modify and/or revoke months between any dependent you originally transferred months to – even after you separate from service 

• If you do not give each dependent at least one month and you separate from service, you will not be able to transfer months to those dependents with zero months of benefits
• If you revoke a dependent’s eligibility, you can never go back and change that 

Step 1: Contact the VA 

• Call 1-888-GIBILL-1, ask how many months you have remaining in each GI Bill program, or
• Login to https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage to check your remaining months
• Contact our office to find out how to best transfer your remaining months and which benefit to relinquish
• Note: if you do this incorrectly, you can lose out on thousands of dollars of lost GI Bill benefits for yourself and your dependents 

Step 2: Complete extension (if required) 

• Enlisted Soldiers MUST have an ETS date that is four or more years after the TEB request date. If you do not have four years remaining, you need to extend before your TEB will be approved. 
• Officers’ MRD MUST be four or more years after the request date
• Important! Your TEB request cannot be approved until the ETS/MRD is updated in GIMS 

Step 3: Complete application for transfer 

• Complete the online application at https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/.
  You must log in with Common Access Card (CAC), DS Logon or Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) PIN.
• Verify your dependents are listed as eligible to receive the transfer
  • Your dependents will be listed in the List of Family Members chart. Dependents with a blue YES on the far right of the chart are eligible to receive the transfer.
  • If your dependent(s) is under 23 years old and has a blue N/A instead of a blue YES, contact your DEERS office to enroll that dependent into DEERS.
• Click on the blue YES associated with the dependent you wish to transfer to.
  • Enter the number of months you wish to transfer to that dependent
  • OPTIONAL: Enter a Transfer End Date (not recommended). If left blank, the dependent will receive the longest period of eligibility allowed by law.
  • Click the OK button.
  • Repeat for each dependent you wish to transfer months to.
• Complete the application by reading, understanding and selecting EVERY checkbox and then click SUBMIT.

Step 4: Access your Military Email and follow TEB email instructions: 

• The Education Support Center (ESC) will review your application and send approval instructions to your military email 
• Once you have met all the requirements, you will receive a “TEB APPROVED” email from the GI Bill Support Team
• Login to milConnect, review your Obligation End Date (OED) and print your approval form
• NOTE: IF YOU VOLUNTARILY SEPARATE FROM THE ARNG PRIOR TO COMPLETING YOUR OED, YOUR TEB WILL BE TERMINATED AND ANY FUNDS PAID TO YOUR DEPENDENTS WILL BE RECOUPED! 

Step 5: Dependent application to the VA: 

• When ready to attend school, your approved dependent(s) apply at: https://www.va.gov/
• Notify the VA Certifying Official at your school to certify enrollment