Many Veterans are nearing retirement, and they are getting ready to leave the military. As a veteran you may be qualified for a program called the Veterans Educations Assistance program, or VEAP program. It is a program where if a veteran qualifies for the program that the government will match contributions for different educational purposes. They match funds 2 to 1 for each and every dollar that will contributed for education purposes. For example if you give $1 dollar you will receive $2 dollars. It can be a great advantage when you are preparing to leave the military and head back to school. VEAP benefits can be used to pay for certificate and degree programs, vocational apprenticeship, on the job training, vocational schooling and other college degree courses. You may need to take refresher training if you have been out of HS for a long time, and this can sometimes qualify to pay for the refresher training with the VEAP.
The VEAP program is lucrative but it doesn’t apply to every Veteran, there are some qualifying factors in order to be eligible for this program. If you are no longer on active duty you can access the VEAP program for up to ten years after exit. Basically, if you meet the following conditions or qualifying factors then you are eligible for benefits under this program: but not more than $2,700 dollars to your VEAP fund, if you entered the military service for the first time between 1977 and 1985, and uf you opened a VEAP matching fund account before 1987, if you contributed at least $25 dollars For those personnel that contributed money to their own VEAP benefit account and then didn’t use the educational benefits any contributed money will be refunded at the end of the ten-year eligibility period. If you appear to be eligible then you first should find a program that appears to qualify under the guidelines, and then make application using VA Form 22-1990. In some cases if you need refresher training, deficiency or remedial training then you may also qualify to use the benefits for those purposes as well. The benefits can be used to pay for vocational schooling, vocational apprenticeship on the job training, correspondence courses, certificate and degree programs, as well as typical university and college degree courses. if you have completed at least your first enlistment period of service, and if you are scheduled to be discharged (or are already discharged) under honorable conditions, then you appear to qualify.
If you are a veteran, and no longer on active duty you have up to ten years to access the VEAP program benefits that you may still qualify for. You can be entitled from one month up to a maximum of 36 months worth of benefits under the VEAP program.
