TOP's Soldier and Veteran Benefit Report

TOP's Soldier and Veteran Benefit ReportClear notes on the benefits you already earned.

Official doors recut monthly · 164 .gov / .mil doors

Source ledger

09 · GI Bill

Compare the school. Then file 22-1990.

VA already built the comparison tool. I recut which chapter you are even on, then the apply door.

GI Bill Comparison ToolHow to applyFile 22-1990

First click

VA already built the comparison tool.

School, campus, program. It reads the approved list and estimates housing. I am not cloning it. Open it, then come back here if you still cannot name the chapter.

Open the Comparison Tool

Which chapter

They are different pots of money.

  • Chapter 33

    Post-9/11 (Chapter 33)

    Tuition, a housing allowance (MHA), and books, based on qualifying active-duty time. This is the one most people mean when they say ‘GI Bill.’

    Official chapter page

  • Chapter 30

    Montgomery active duty (Chapter 30)

    The older active-duty program. Different payment shape than Post-9/11. Some people still have a remainder here.

    Official chapter page

  • Chapter 1606

    Montgomery Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)

    Drill-status education benefit. Not the same pot as Post-9/11. Guard and Reserve who never went on long orders often land here.

    Official chapter page

  • Chapter 35

    DEA (Chapter 35)

    For qualifying spouses and children. The veteran does not spend Chapter 35 on themselves.

    Official chapter page

  • Chapter 31

    VR&E (Chapter 31)

    Not GI Bill. Employment and training for service-connected veterans. Separate application.

    Official chapter page

Then apply

  1. Step 1

    Run the Comparison Tool

    School, campus, program. It pulls approved programs and an estimated housing number. Guessing from a group chat is how people leave money on the table — or pick a school that is not approved.

  2. Step 2

    Know which chapter you are on

    Post-9/11, Montgomery, SR, DEA. They do not stack the way people think. The tool and VA.gov education pages are the authority.

  3. Step 3

    File 22-1990 on VA.gov

    Login.gov or ID.me. Same account as the claim. Certificate of Eligibility for education is not the home-loan COE.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer is a milConnect election

    Post-9/11 months move to family in Transfer of Education Benefits, with a service obligation. The spouse cannot click it for the sponsor. Then the dependent files 22-1990e on VA.gov.

  5. Step 5

    Tell the school’s VA certifying official

    The school has to certify the enrollment. Filing 22-1990 is not the last click.

Still in uniform and thinking about the handoff? Getting-out start card.