Post 9/11 GI Bill

[Shikaka]

The online counts since how you're filing for it is through Apprenticeship/OJT versus formal education where online pay differs.

Good luck getting your facility to back date it, some may but so far as I know most of them won't since they're only responsible for you on the EOD date and not sooner.

Our tower secretary took care of it. Monthly certifications based on 8 hour workdays.

You can pause certification whenever you want, the time spent will still be tallied cumulatively as long as you're at the same facility. Go to a new facility, that's a reset of the hours since it's a new certification.

 

[sumtingwon]

We filled out the forms, were told that it would it would be approved, and then they said until we get into the facility we are not allowed to receive it and to stop asking about it.

I did hear that we would not receive GI Bill payments till we got to our facility. So how I understand it is your academy training both online and at OKC does count for the GI BIll but you do not file for it till you get to your facility. Once filed and processed is when you can start receiving as well as they will back pay you from your academy start date.

Is the above correct?

The online counts since how you're filing for it is through Apprenticeship/OJT versus formal education where online pay differs.

Good luck getting your facility to back date it, some may but so far as I know most of them won't since they're only responsible for you on the EOD date and not sooner.

Our tower secretary took care of it. Monthly certifications based on 8 hour workdays.

You can pause certification whenever you want, the time spent will still be tallied cumulatively as long as you're at the same facility. Go to a new facility, that's a reset of the hours since it's a new certification.

What you mean the facility won't back date the training start date? AFAIK I thought they did. Or at least that is what I have been reading. Thanks for the info.

We filled out the forms, were told that it would it would be approved, and then they said until we get into the facility we are not allowed to receive it and to stop asking about it.

In this thread I read of someone saying their facility training POC was trying to deny them of utilizing their GI bill. After some back and forth and having to go through NATCA they finally forced their hand and approved it. I do not believe the facility has the right to deny you of utilizing your GI bill for accredited training.

Furthermore, I would suspect that any training POC that tries to deny you of that entitlement/right would be in violation of fraud, waste, and abuse. You would then be able to file a motion with FHIS. If found guilty there would be serious consequences. I am pretty sure the last thing the fed needs are cases of abusing veterans with utilizing their benefits.

 

[ramfan402402]

I can't speak for anyone else but my facility has continued to submit hours for GI. Zoom training is a joke but it's still training.

 

[MJ]

You can’t start it until you start at the facility, but it can be backdated to the first day of academy. The only thing the VA checks is the hours worked per month for eligibility, so what your training ‘status’ with the FAA doesn’t really matter. Until you complete OJT you are in training.

I don’t know of any Covid related changes for this program.


Don’t ever trust the secretary, for this or anything or anything else. Look out for yourself

it may be worth not back dating. At some point you may be able to use any remaining benefits at a higher pay rate.

 

[dingalings99]

You can’t start it until you start at the facility, but it can be backdated to the first day of academy. The only thing the VA checks is the hours worked per month for eligibility, so what your training ‘status’ with the FAA doesn’t really matter. Until you complete OJT you are in training.

I don’t know of any Covid related changes for this program.


Don’t ever trust the secretary, for this or anything or anything else. Look out for yourself

it may be worth not back dating. At some point you may be able to use any remaining benefits at a higher pay rate.

can you elaborate on when it would be worth it or not?

if someone backdates, do they get paid with OKC BAH or their fac BAH? it would make the most sense to be back paid with OKC bah.

do you mean if someone gets a level 4 in an area with low BAH that it might be worth waiting to transfer to a fac with higher BAH and then start using it?

 

[Shikaka]

can you elaborate on when it would be worth it or not?

if someone backdates, do they get paid with OKC BAH or their fac BAH? it would make the most sense to be back paid with OKC bah.

do you mean if someone gets a level 4 in an area with low BAH that it might be worth waiting to transfer to a fac with higher BAH and then start using it?

BAH is based off of facility zip code including the backdate.

Personally, it's a use it when you need it type of thing for me. I got lucky and my facility BAH was over 2k, Bumfuck Alabama probably not so much. Nantucket...fuck yeah.

 

[MJ]

do you mean if someone gets a level 4 in an area with low BAH that it might be worth waiting to transfer to a fac with higher BAH and then start using it?

Level doesn’t matter, but yes, the rest of that sentence what I’m referring to.

 

[After_Victor]

Yes it restarts at 100%. The amount of GI Bill you’ve used though does not reset.

Can you show me this in writing? I used mine for 6 months, transferred and used it again, but it did not restart at 100%. When I asked the VA I was told it was because I used it 2 years earlier at the 100% rate. So I don’t think it actually does restart. This was the email I received

 

[Shikaka]

Can you show me this in writing? I used mine for 6 months, transferred and used it again, but it did not restart at 100%. When I asked the VA I was told it was because I used it 2 years earlier at the 100% rate. So I don’t think it actually does restart. This was the email I received

There is a contact at the bottom of this Faq sheet, I'd hit them up. There's also a little disclaimer at the bottom about CPC-ITs etc etc.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.natca.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/GI_Bill_Fact_Sheet.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjuo7nHquntAhU3JjQIHSz_CFM4ChAWMAB6BAgGEAE&usg=AOvVaw1098l61rZpRbG8oeze_abX

 

[After_Victor]

There is a contact at the bottom of this Facebook sheet, I'd hit them up. There's also a little disclaimer at the bottom about CPC-ITs etc etc.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.natca.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/GI_Bill_Fact_Sheet.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjuo7nHquntAhU3JjQIHSz_CFM4ChAWMAB6BAgGEAE&usg=AOvVaw1098l61rZpRbG8oeze_abX

Thanks!

 

[sumtingwon]

You can’t start it until you start at the facility, but it can be backdated to the first day of academy. The only thing the VA checks is the hours worked per month for eligibility, so what your training ‘status’ with the FAA doesn’t really matter. Until you complete OJT you are in training.

I don’t know of any Covid related changes for this program.


Don’t ever trust the secretary, for this or anything or anything else. Look out for yourself

it may be worth not back dating. At some point you may be able to use any remaining benefits at a higher pay rate.

Are you referring to the secretary at the facility? If so, are you referring to making sure they log and input your hrs of training properly? Can you please elaborate on that? TIA

 

[Shikaka]

Are you referring to the secretary at the facility? If so, are you referring to making sure they log and input your hrs of training properly? Can you please elaborate on that? TIA

Make sure you follow up with them, there will be a monthly certification that needs to be submitted to the VA by a certifying official (practically anyone) and signed by yourself. Nag about it, and make sure it gets done.

Supposedly you can certify your own hours, though idk how people do it unless it's through WAVE for Chap 30 or VocRehab benefits. If someone knows how it would be appreciated to expand on it.

 

[SharkBait]

There is a contact at the bottom of this Faq sheet, I'd hit them up. There's also a little disclaimer at the bottom about CPC-ITs etc etc.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.natca.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/GI_Bill_Fact_Sheet.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjuo7nHquntAhU3JjQIHSz_CFM4ChAWMAB6BAgGEAE&usg=AOvVaw1098l61rZpRbG8oeze_abX

I just sent them an email asking about if we get it during zoom pandemic training times, let see what they say.

 

[Shikaka]

I just sent them an email asking about if we get it during zoom pandemic training times, let see what they say.

It's not the same as the formal education GI Bill, as long as it follows the OJT plan (zoom training would be included) then it'll pay. The major issue would be how the facility sees the time used for said training. If you spend 2 hours a day on zoom, and they log it as 2 hours, then you get a lower payout vs the 120/160 hour certifications.

 

[SharkBait]

It's not the same as the formal education GI Bill, as long as it follows the OJT plan (zoom training would be included) then it'll pay. The major issue would be how the facility sees the time used for said training. If you spend 2 hours a day on zoom, and they log it as 2 hours, then you get a lower payout vs the 120/160 hour certifications.

From what I've been told we do "4 hours of lead study, 4 hours of self" on the schedule, dont know if I want to open that can of worms though and get nothing for the effort

 

[Shikaka]

From what I've been told we do "4 hours of lead study, 4 hours of self" on the schedule, dont know if I want to open that can of worms though and get nothing for the effort

Is this academy or facility?

If facility, make sure it's in your agreed upon training plan for the VA, at that point it's official OJT/Apprenticeship and is payable by the GI Bill.

 

[SharkBait]

Is this academy or facility?

If facility, make sure it's in your agreed upon training plan for the VA, at that point it's official OJT/Apprenticeship and is payable by the GI Bill.

Facility, how do you find the training plan for the VA?

 

[Shikaka]

Facility, how do you find the training plan for the VA?

VA OJT/Apprenticeship Training Agreement

It's a pdf download.

 

[sumtingwon]

Can you show me this in writing? I used mine for 6 months, transferred and used it again, but it did not restart at 100%. When I asked the VA I was told it was because I used it 2 years earlier at the 100% rate. So I don’t think it actually does restart. This was the email I received

If you don't mind could you follow up with us here and let us know what happens? I think a decent amount of people would be curious to know if you start at a new facility if your payout gets reset to 100% cause essentially you are starting over.

If for some reason they try and deny that, I think the issue is the VA doesn't understand the complexities of ATC training for certification. They may be assuming that since you have already been certified that it carries over to the next facility and that is obviously not true. I think there would be a good case to appeal there.

 

[SharkBait]

I just sent them an email asking about if we get it during zoom pandemic training times, let see what they say.

Hi sharkbait,

Thanks for reaching out. NATCA LR is looking into this and will get back to you.

Thanks,
Nicole


Response received today