Maryland Higher Education Commission

July 2009 Press Release

 

 

For immediate release: July 22, 2009                                                     Media Contact: Christopher Falkenhagen
                                                                                                                         Communications: 410-260-4511

                                                                                                                         cfalkenh@mhec.state.md.us

 

New Post 9-11 GI Bill goes into effect August 1

Annapolis, MD (July 22, 2009) - The landmark Post 9/11 G.I. Bill will officially go into effect on August 1. The law is considered to be the most significant piece of higher education legislation for veterans since the original G.I. Bill was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) is the State’s approving agency for this program.

“It is an honor that MHEC is not only the State’s approving agency for this very valuable program, but that our staff does an outstanding job administering it,” Secretary of Higher Education James E. Lyons, Sr., said.

The new law is a benefit providing educational assistance to individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. Governor O’Malley showed his strong support of the bill by joining in a bi-partisan effort with 27 governors across the nation sending a strong letter of support for the legislation to Congress.

“We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude for their service and sacrifice. The Post 9-11 GI Bill is a big step in the right direction and will help our veterans pursue the American Dream of a higher education,” Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown said.

“Governor O'Malley and I are committed to ensuring every eligible Maryland veteran is able to access every benefit they are entitled to and we look forward to working with MHEC, the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs and the USVA to educate veterans about these services, scholarships and opportunities.”

To be eligible for the benefit, military personnel must have served at least 30 days of continuous active duty service after September 10, 2001 and:
• Be honorably discharged from the Armed Forces;
• Be released from the Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable and placed on the retired list or temporary disability retired list, or transferred to the Fleet Reserve or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve;
• Be released from the Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable for further service in a reserve component; or
• Be discharged or released from Armed Forces for EPTS (Existed Prior to Service); HDSP (Hardship); CIWD (Condition Interfered with Duty) or continue to be on active duty.

Veterans will receive a percentage, as determined by their length of service:
• Amount of tuition and fees charged.
• Monthly housing allowance. Yearly books and supplies stipend up to $1,000 per year paid to the veteran.

Eligible veterans may participate in the Post 9-11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 for 15 years from their last period of active duty service of at least 90 aggregate days. Current service members may transfer their entitlements to dependents if they are members of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009. On June 23, 2009, new Department of Defense guidelines established the criteria for eligibility and transfer of those education benefits.

For more information about The Post-9-11 Veterans Education Assistance Act, visit MHEC’s website at http://www.mhec.state.md.us/higherEd/acadAff/VeteransBenefits/index.asp or call Ted Porter at (410) 260-4532
 

The Maryland Higher Education Commission is a 12-member coordinating board responsible for establishing statewide policies for Maryland public and independent colleges and universities and private career schools.  It serves as an advocate for more than 337,000 college students in Maryland, for the State and its needs, and for business and industry in Maryland.

 

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