Veterans

WELCOME TO VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veteran Services mission is here to help you find resources and support if you are an active duty service member, a veteran, reservist, guardsman, or a family member with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits and services as you transition and learn to navigate through the college experience.

The laws dealing with the different veteran benefit programs can often be complex and change quite often. We can reduce the chance of hardship by using our resources. For additional concerns, contact the Lane College School Certifying Official.

We are here to promote the valued presence of military veterans and dependents as part of the Lane College family.

We model the core values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor and integrity and protect the legacy of family service members who have served as trailblazers including higher learning opportunities, quality of life and The Power of Potential! Our goal is to assist current military, veterans, and family members as they move from military to college, then from college to a successful career. To accomplish this goal, we have developed the "E" Mission:

  1. Enroll military-connected students
  2. Encourage you while you're here
  3. Help you find Employment
  4. Expand the veteran-education knowledge base
  5. Educate the Lanecommunity

This website provides step-by-step directions to help you through the transition process. Click on the following links:

Apply to Lane The G.I. Bill®


ADMISSION TO LANE

Admission is the first step in starting the process to become a student and applying to Lane starts with an admission application.


SUBMIT MILITARY TRAINING RECORDS FOR CREDIT EVALUATION

If you are an honorably discharged veteran, National Guard member, reservist, or active duty service member, the training you received in the military can generally translate to elective credits towards your degree.
Additionally, if you are a member of one of the above groups and you are receiving the GI Bill® or TA education benefits, once you have applied to Lane, you are:

  • required to submit the Member 4 DD214 or the Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)-- all veterans or currently serving,
  • required to submit Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript-- for those who are or have been in the Air Force,
  • recommended to submit a Joint Services Transcript (JST)-- for all other branches.

Credit from a DD214 or LES is determined by the amount of time served. Please note some degree programs may limit the number of prior learning hours that can be used.

Usually, all credit from the JST and Community College of the Air Force is posted as either upper division or lower division elective credit. These credits can generally be used to fulfill elective requirements. If you believe the credit is equivalent to a Lane College course, you may petition the department to accept the elective credit as a substitution for a specific required course. We can assist you with this process. Please contact the PLA Coordinator, Patrick Willis at pwillis@lanecollege.edu.


CHOOSING THE RIGHT G.I. BILL

Our goal in the benefits area is to provide exemplary assistance and supportive services to veterans and military family members enrolled at Lane College. This area assists veterans and eligible dependents in requesting educational assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Your first step is to determine the G.I. Benefit(s) you qualify for and are best suited for your needs. If you don't have the capability to apply online, you can call 888-GI BILL-1 (888-442-4551) to have a form mailed to you.


CERTIFICATION PROCESS

To start the process for your GI Bill® benefits, all student-veterans and dependents please contact Patrick Willis at pwillis@lanecollege.edu


ELIGIBILITY AND GI BILL® INFORMATION

For more information about education and training benefits, visit www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/

Eligibility for VA educational benefits may be extended to qualified veterans (eligible dependents), reservists/guardsmen, and spouses and children of 100 percent service-connected deceased or disabled veterans under certain programs listed below.


POST - 9/11 GI BILL® (CHAPTER 33)

Use of this chapter began August 1, 2009. Only active duty service performed after September 10, 2001 may be considered for determining eligibility for this new benefit. To be eligible, a service member or veteran must have served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty. However, individuals honorably discharged for a service-connected disability who served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001 may also establish eligibility. Go to www.vets.gov for more information.


THE POST - 9/11 VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE IMPROVEMENTS ACT of 2010 (PUBLIC LAW 111-377)

This changes the amount of tuition and fee charges which should be reported to the VA by Lane.


POST - 9/11 GI BILL® (CHAPTER 33) TRANSFER OF ELIGIBLE SERVICE

Eligible Chapter 33 Post 9/11 Service Members may transfer their unused GI Bill® benefits to their spouse and/or children. Here is the website and the steps involved in transferring those benefits:

  1. The service member will need to go through their command section and request the transfer of benefits to their spouse/children. Once approved, DOD will send the service member a Transfer of Educational Benefits (TEB) print-out showing the transfer was approved by DOD. Lane College's VA Office will need a copy of this TEB print out.
  2. Once the TEB is obtained, the service member will need to go to the VA website at www.vets.gov and click on electronic forms. Look for VA FORM 22-1990e. Complete the form and submit it online. Once it's been submitted online, print out a copy of it.
  3. The eligible dependent will need to bring a copy of the TEB print out and the completed VA FORM 22-1990e. Once the form is completed, it can be taken to the Office of Veteran Affairs.
  4. It normally takes the VA Regional Office 6 - 8 weeks to process this paperwork.


MONTGOMERY GI BILL® (CHAPTER 30)

Enlistment after July 1, 1985 is required for this chapter. The service person must have participated in the pay reduction program. The monthly payment rate will vary with the length and type of service. Members are eligible for this benefit for up to 10 years from their date of separation from the military. Monthly WAVE verification is required to insure monthly benefit payments. Visit here for more information.


RESERVISTS MONTGOMERY GI BILL® (CHAPTER 1606)

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 for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components. You may be entitled to receive up to 36 months of educational benefits. Your benefit entitlement ends 14 years from the date of your eligibility for the program, or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve. Visit here for more information.


RESERVE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - REAP (CHAPTER 1607)

This program was established as a Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress. This program is for reservists who were activated for at least 90 consecutive days after September 11, 2001. Qualified reservists are eligible for increased benefits. Visit here more information.


U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM (CHAPTER 31)

This program is administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Division at the Nashville Regional Office. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis.


DEPENDENTS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CHAPTER 35)

A spouse or child of a service-connected deceased or 100-percent-permanently disabled service-connected veteran may be eligible for VA educational assistance. The marital status of a dependent child is not a factor in determining eligibility. Benefits may be used until the dependent has reached the age of twenty-six or for eight years from the date that eligibility is determined, whichever is later. Visit www.vets.gov for more information.

In addition, you should use reasonable judgment. Carefully read all letters from the VA about the monthly rate and effective dates of your benefits. If you think a VA payment is incorrect, contact the VA Regional Office at 888-442-4551


MILITARY TUITION ASSISTANCE (FEDERAL AND STATE)

Return of Tuition Assistance Policy:

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded.

To comply with the new Department of Defense policy, Lane College will return any unearned TA funds on a prorated basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. These funds will be returned to the military Service branch.

In instances where a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, Lane College will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion.

Lane College operates on a fifteen (15) week semester. The College's policy on the return of unearned TA funds is as follows:

Before or during weeks 1-2 100% return
During weeks 3-4 90% return
During weeks 5-6 75% return
During weeks 7-8 50% return
During week 9 40% return
During weeks 10-15 0% return


Federal Tuition Assistance Program:
The Department of Defense (DoD) has mandated a uniform Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) fiscal policy across the services programs which include Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy. The FTA program pays for tuition only. The FTA will pay up to $250 per hour and up to 16 semester hour per fiscal year (the fiscal year ceiling is $4,500). Students may receive FTA payments for no more than a lifetime total of 130 undergraduate semester hours and 39 graduate semester hours.FTA will be authorized IF:

  • The college is regionally or nationally accredited AND is a participant in GoArmyEd (GAE).
  • The funded course(s) meets a requirement listed in the service member's personalized degree plan provided by the school (this can include prerequisite courses).
  • An undergraduate GPA of 2.0 for FTA-funded courses is maintained
  • NOTE! FTA is NOT authorized simultaneously with Chapter 1606/MGIB-SR or Chapter 1607/REAP for the SAME course (Ref. DODI 1322.25).

To ensure all service members participating in off-duty, postsecondary education programs are provided quality education programs, the Department of Defense established the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DOD and the colleges.


GUIDELINES FOR ARMY NATIONAL GUARD STUDENTS:

  1. Be Admitted to Lane College
  2. Establish a ArmyIgnited Account
  3. See your academic advisor
  4. Ask your advisor to sign your degree plan. This can be any of the following: upper division form signed by advisor, advising worksheet signed by the advisor (on Lane College letterhead), Army form 104R, Planned Academic Program Worksheet (signed by advisor).* If a course is not specifically listed on the degree plan (elective), a memo on Lane College letterhead is needed stating the course will count toward the degree.
  5. Register for classes
  6. Follow the steps to upload documents in the ArmyIgnited portal
  7. Check the ArmyIgnited portal to ensure all courses are approved (with a green check mark). You will receive an email from ArmyIgnited for each approved/denied course.

Need Additional Information:


STATE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Tennessee National Guard STRONG Act Tuition Reimbursement Program:
The Tennessee STRONG program is a state tuition assistance program designed to assist our eligible national guardsmen to successfully attain a college degree. As a reimbursement program, payments will be made directly to Lane College on behalf of the member.

For further questions and information covering requirements and assistance for the TN STRONG Act: http://www.tn.gov/military/sec... STRONG ACT Contacts:

Ms. Wilisha McGoughy | Bray Hall - Registrar Office | 721-426-7617 | wmcgoughy@lanecollege.edu

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).