Military Wives and DEA-VA Benefits

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Howdy Nurses!

I was wondering if anyone out there has applied for the dependents education assistance benefit from the VA?? If so how long did it take from the date you applied to approval? Also I saw online that there are private schools that honor the benefit does anyone have firsthand experience?

Lastly, is the stipend/money for books included with the DEA application or is it a separate process?

Your only accurate source of information in this matter are the institutions themselves.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to Government/Military Nursing

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Specializes in Float Pool - A Little Bit of Everything.

I wish I could help with this, I am a Vet so I used my own GI Bill. All of my schools had VA Officers and departments who handled all my paperwork and advised me on everything. I never had to think much about it. I have used both the Post 9/11 GI BIll and the old GI Bill. I have taken classes at a few public and private colleges, I have a few degrees. I never had a problem using my benefits from the VA anywhere. I am now starting Vocational Rehab Chap 31 and it has been seamless as well, at a public university.

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Specializes in ICU.

OP - Sent you a PM!

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Your only accurate source of information in this matter are the institutions themselves.

No, the only accurate source for this information is the VA, as they're the one writing the check. Roser13 has given you the best answer, twice.

Wishing you the best as you continue.

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I used my husband'a GI benefits after his last deployment when they changed so that dependents could use it. If I remember correctly, it didn't take long from the time we changed over the benefits to when I used them (maybe 2 months?)

Book stipend was included in the ed benefits, nothing separate to fill out.

If you are talking about the same benefits I used (GI bill-chapter 33) then the benefits you receive will be a percentage based on the amount of active duty served. My husband is National Guard, but he deployed to the Moddle East 3 times since 9/11 and the amount of time he had as active duty allowed me to have 90% of my tuition paid. I went to a community college so there was no way I was maxing out the tuition amount (there is a tuition cap, not like you can go to a 100k-a-year place and have them pay that!)

My word of advice is keep a little notebook with listings of people you speak to and to keep your paperwork in. It may come in handy if you run into a snag (I did a few times BUT this was relatively new when I used it. They made this change in like Aug 2010 and I went back to school using this in jan 2011)

Good luck!

Question for you, if there's a govt. shutdown, doesn't that mean that the GI bill stops until the shutdown is lifted? Can you get kicked out of nursing school if your GI bill stops temporarily because of the shutdown? Someone mentioned that and I'm like oh ****..you're right! I wonder if it's true..

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Specializes in ICU.
Question for you, if there's a govt. shutdown, doesn't that mean that the GI bill stops until the shutdown is lifted? Can you get kicked out of nursing school if your GI bill stops temporarily because of the shutdown? Someone mentioned that and I'm like oh ****..you're right! I wonder if it's true..

Nope, untrue. Besides, only non-essential personnel are furloughed. They just don't process new apps for education benies at that time. And clearly, any changes you need to make to your enrollment status are delayed.

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I wish I could help with this, I am a Vet so I used my own GI Bill. All of my schools had VA Officers and departments who handled all my paperwork and advised me on everything. I never had to think much about it. I have used both the Post 9/11 GI BIll and the old GI Bill. I have taken classes at a few public and private colleges, I have a few degrees. I never had a problem using my benefits from the VA anywhere. I am now starting Vocational Rehab Chap 31 and it has been seamless as well, at a public university.

I'm a veteran too, can you PM me? I'd like to ask you some things.

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