Active Duty Military....Tuition assitance for flying....

[Unit74]

For those that are Active Duty, your education centers and TA can help get that flying degree.......

 

 

But here is my question, that I have yet to get an answer for.........

 

 

 

 

Will the TA pay for flight hours, or just the credits for the courses? With UVSC, it's $140 per credit, but we all know the flight hours is what's gonna sting a little. At least on the Marine side, TA pays up to $4500 per year. After that, your GI Bill will have to kick in.

 

I guess I'm trying to be cheap by using the TA before the MGIB, but the way I figure it, I can get more bang for the buck this way..........And save the MGIB for a masters program if I'm so inclined....

 

Who out there has worked this out?

[mechanic]

Hey Unit74,

 

Have you read this on the MGIB website? I don't remember ever reading that you can use TA for Flight Training? I am older, USAF 88'-92', and I have forgotten a few things about that program since I never used it.

 

Q: Is this a good deal for me?

 

Using Top-up is a good deal if you plan to use TA to complete a degree program while on active duty, and don't plan to continue your education after service. Top-up can also be helpful for just taking a few courses with TA while on active duty. Then you can save most of your MGIB to use after service to complete your education program.

 

You need to consider carefully your own situations, and check with your education officer or counselor, before applying for Top-up. For example, if you plan to take expensive courses using Top-up, you need to consider whether you'll take additional training after you're discharged from active duty. If so, you need to understand the effect of using the Top-up. You can then calculate whether your remaining benefits will cover the additional training you might need.

 

Q: Is there a limit to the amount of Top-up I can use?

 

A: Yes, Top-up is limited to 36 months of payments. For example, if you are paid Top-up for a 3-month course, you use 3 of the 36 months.

 

Q: Does this mean if I use 36 months of Top-up, I've used up all my MGIB benefits?

 

A: Probably not. The 36-month limit for Top-up is based on 1 month used for each month of Top-up paid no matter how much is paid. Your regular MGIB entitlement is based on your full-time monthly rate. For example, if your full-time rate is $1034 and you are paid $517 Top-up, you only use 1/2 month of your MGIB ($517 is 1/2 of $1034).

 

 

 

You know you use up the MGIB using TA right? But at a slower rate. The current payrate is $1034.00 per month for GI Bill benefits. $1034.00 X 36 months = $37,224.00. In the Vocational Flight Training Program (MGIB) you won't use all the $37,224.00 up at the 60% reimbursement rate! And, you will have to prepay for all of your flight training.

 

Your Idea was good, but I don't know how to make TA work for you in flight training. I had all the costs worked out on flight school, at a certain school, but could not get a loan to cover things enough so I could take Vocational Flight Training. The figure I had arrived at was about 15K reimbursement, of 29K available on my GIBILL. I needed alittle over 40K to get the 200 hrs. Aircraft costs are up and so is the monthly rate so who knows exactly what the 60% is close to now. It also depends on the aircraft cost per hour as to how much you will get back. Most people don't think about that, they just say 60%, but thats wrong.

 

Blue Skies,

 

mechanic

[Unit74]

It might be specific to the Marine Corps, but TA is a Corps program and funded by HQMC, not the VA or MGIB. So using TA is reccomended before using the MGIB while on active duty. The top up can pay for fees not covered by the TA and dips into your MGIB.

 

 

With the TA, HQMC will pay for $4500 per anum for accredited education, and some vocational programs. For flight training, TA will pay for the cost of classes, required for the course. However, I have yet to find out if TA will pay for flight time. As I believe flight time would be the equivelent of "Lab" work, I would hope they would pay, up to the $4500. Then the MGIB would cover the 60% as long as the school was 141 and a VA approved school.

 

 

I already used the MGIB for my SEL Instrument ratings, and am now trying to do the RW transition to CFI.

 

 

Guess we'll see where it goes, eh?

[mechanic]

Unit74,

 

I found this doing my normal website check ups.

 

Q: Will DOD pay 100% tuition assistance?

 

A: DOD will encourage services to pay 100% TA if their budgets permit, but this could vary from service to service. Of course, if DOD does pay 100%, you won't need to use MGIB Top-up.

 

I think you are right! You will need to check with your Marine Education Office about your DOD service TA.

 

Regards,

 

mechanic

[StuandJoy]

My ed office said they would not pay TA for flight hours and it has to be an accredited degree to qualify for TA.

 

MGIB is paying 60% of my flight hours tho.

[Unit74]

My ed office said they would not pay TA for flight hours and it has to be an accredited degree to qualify for TA.

 

MGIB is paying 60% of my flight hours tho.

 

 

Same here......they need to have regional accreditation for the TA........but problem is, around here, 141 and VA schools are MIA.....With sooo much military, I can't believe there are not more.

 

Civic used to be a VA School, and I'd love to fly there, but they lost their VA approval and so far, I have not been able to coax them back on board. Even though thay would be 50 minutes from where I live, the cost savings of the training would make it worth the drive. I have a 61 school 10 minutes from my house that also has UVSC and that's what I am trying to get lined up.