In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679(e), this educational institution adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) MGIB Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA.

This educational institution will not:

• Prevent the student’s enrollment;
• Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
• Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
• Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, all service members, veterans, military spouses, and their dependents using their educational benefits at WNMU must:

• Must be enrolled in course/s;
• Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
• Provide a written request to be certified, by filling out the GI Benefits Certification Form online at https://veterans.wnmu.edu/certification-form/;
• Notify the Veteran Education Services Office of your intended major;
• Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies before classes commence.

See the Complete List of Responsibilities for Students Using GI Bill Benefits at the Bottom of Page.

Veterans receiving U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits are eligible for In-State tuition through the Veterans In-State Tuition Act.

All current students whom have filled out and signed the “APPLICATION FOR IN-STATE TUITION CLASSIFICATION FOR NON-RESIDENT VETERANS AND ELIGIBLE DEPENDENTS USING FEDERAL EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS IN NEW MEXICO”, should expect their tuition waiver be applied to their education bill as part of the certifying process. The university bill will not reflect this until the total charges for that semester’s classes have been certified by the SCO.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® l is a benefit for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

• Pays tuition and fees up to 36 months.
• Pays an annual book stipend – $1000 based upon semester credit hours.
• Pays E5 BAH w/dep rate.
• Benefits payable for up to 15 years after separation.

Visit this link for more information.

All four service branches and the U.S. Coast Guard offer financial assistance for voluntary, off-duty education programs in support of service members’ personal and professional goals. The program is open to officers, warrant officers and enlisted active-duty service personnel. In addition, members of the National Guard and Reserve Components may be eligible for TA based on their service eligibility. To be eligible for TA, an enlisted service member must have enough time remaining in service to complete the course for which he or she has applied. After the completion of a course, an officer using TA must fulfill a service obligation that runs parallel with – not in addition to – any existing service obligation.

Tuition Assistance Benefits and restrictions:

Tuition assistance may be used for the following programs:

• Vocational/technical programs
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• Independent study
• Distance-learning programs

Tuition assistance will cover the following expenses:

• Tuition
• Course-specific fees such as laboratory fee or online course fee
• Tuition assistance will not cover the following expenses:
• Books and course materials
• Flight training fees
• Taking the same course twice
• Continuing education units, or CEUs

The Montgomery GI Bill is a benefit for individuals who contributed $1200 to the basic program while on Active Duty. All individuals who were separated or retired with an honorable discharge or were separated under the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) or Special Separation Benefit (SSB) are eligible.

• Pays a monthly stipend based on enrollment status.
• If you paid into the Army College Fund or $600 kicker, you will receive additional money.
• Benefits available for up to 10 years after separation from active duty. · https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/montgomery-active-duty/

Active Duty Students using Tuition Assistance: Submit your TA approval to the Business Office via email.

• When submitting paperwork, please include your Mustang W#.

VR&E is an employment program that’s different from the GI Bill and may be used to pay for education needed to train you for suitable employment. You must have received an honorable discharge and have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% from the VA. The VR&E program To apply for VR&E services, log on here.

Chapter 34 (VEAP) provided education benefits to individuals who served on Active Duty after January 31, 1955, and prior to January 1, 1977. The benefit expired on December 31, 1989.

However, Public Law 98-525 authorized the conversion of the Vietnam Era G.I. Bill® to the Montgomery G.I. Bill®. This conversion enabled many Vietnam Era veterans to qualify for benefits under Chapter 30. Vietnam Era veterans who think they may be eligible for this conversion should contact the VA Education Customer Service Office at (888) 442-4551. Press 1, if you have a touch-tone phone, then Press 0 (zero) to speak with an Education Counselor.

• Pays tuition and fees up to 36 months for those eligible veterans.

The MGIB-SR program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve and have completed your Initial Active Duty Training (tech school). The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.

• Eligibility is determined by your Reserve or National Guard component.
• To expedite processing, please obtain a copy of your DD 2384, Notice of Basic Eligibility “NOBE” from your unit.
• If you enlisted on or after October 1, 1992, your period of eligibility ends 14 years from your beginning date of eligibility, or on the day you leave the selected reserve.
• Generally entitled to 36 months educational benefits.
• If you are mobilized or called to active duty your eligibility may be extended.

Visit this link for more information.

If you applied for REAP benefits, but you didn’t start school until after November 24, 2015, you’re no longer eligible to receive REAP benefits, but you may be eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Learn more about the Post-9/11 GI Bill

If you applied for REAP benefits after November 24, 2015, you’re not eligible to receive REAP benefits, but you may be eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. We’ll review your application and give you the benefits you qualify for. Learn more about the Post-9/11 GI Bill

If we determined you were eligible for REAP benefits, but you lost your benefits when the program ended:

You can credit your REAP eligibility toward your Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility if you meet both of the requirements listed below.

Both of these must be true. You:

• Established REAP eligibility before November 25, 2015, and
• Lost eligibility when we retired that program on November 25, 2015.

If you credit your eligibility toward your Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility, you:

• Will receive one month (or a partial month) of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for each month (or partial month) of remaining REAP benefits up to a maximum of 36 months.
• Will not be eligible for 48 months of entitlement based on your previous eligibility for REAP and your new eligibility under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
• Will be entitled to the 60% payment tier under the Post-9/11 GI Bill regardless of the length of your Post-9/11 active-duty service.
• 36 months of entitlement, if you meet specified criteria. If you’d like to switch your benefits, call 888-442-4551, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.

DEA provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, who are anticipated to be released from a military hospital with 100% disability or who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits.

Spouse or dependent child of a veteran who:

• Is 100% disabled due to a service-connected disability.
• Is on active duty and missing for more than 90 days.
• Is missing in action or was captured in the line of duty.
• Has died due to a service-connected disability or incident.

Visit this link for more information.

You may be able to transfer education benefits if you’re on active duty or in the Selected Reserve and you meet the following requirements.

All of these must be true:

• You’ve completed at least 6 years of service on the date your request is approved, and
• You agree to add 4 more years of service, and
• The person getting benefits has enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
• Spouse: Not eligible for BAH or Books while member is on Active Duty.
• Child: Eligible only after member has served at least 10 years. They will receive BAH and the Books stipend.

Visit this link for more information.

The Edith Nourse Rogers Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Scholarship can help you extend your Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship benefits to get additional training in a high-demand STEM field. If you’re currently enrolled in an undergraduate STEM degree program or if you have a STEM degree and you’re working toward a teaching certification, you may be eligible.

Visit this link for more information.

Apply for VA Education benefits here.

• To order your “Joint Service Transcripts,” click here.
• Submit transcripts from all high schools, colleges, and any other formal institutions to: submit.transcripts@wnmu.edu · Scholarship opportunities can be found here.
• For an extensive list of scholarships, grants, and other financial assistance available to Veterans and their dependents through private and public sectors, please contact the Office of Veterans Affairs  at Veterans.Benefits@wnmu.edu or  call 575-538-6208.
• Veteran Service Officer (VSO) is located in the Juan Chacon Building 2nd floor Room 259; clarissa.sierra@dvs.nm.gov or call 575-313-5627. Please call or email to make an appointment.  The VSO has an abundance of resources for veterans, their spouses and dependents. She can assist with obtaining your DD214, filing a disability claim or appeal and much more!

Western New Mexico University realizes that students who are members of the New Mexico Military Reserves may be called to active duty. The following policy is provided to minimize disruptions or inconveniences for students fulfilling their military responsibilities.

Any student called to active duty may withdraw from all courses and receive a 100 percent refund of tuition and fees. Alternatively, with the permission of the instructor(s), a student may receive an incomplete or a final grade in the courses taken. Either alternative may occur any time during the semester through the end of final examinations. If the withdrawal is processed after the first week of classes, the grade of W will be assigned initially. Students receiving financial aid will be subject to the refund policies of the agencies sponsoring the aid. The request to withdraw needs to be made within one week of being called to active duty and may be made by either the student or other responsible party who has the student’s military information.

Students who wish to withdraw from courses as a result of being called to active duty must provide a copy of their orders to the Office of the Registrar on their campus along with a signed note asking to be withdrawn. These materials may be delivered in person, through the mail, or by fax to the Office of the Registrar. The Office of the Registrar will notify the student’s instructor, the student’s school, and other campus offices. Students or other responsible parties may wish to call the Office of the Registrar first to begin the withdrawal process, with the understanding that a copy of the orders would need to be forthcoming.