A Quick Review of the Changes to the 48 Month Rule
Upon a review by the Department of Veterans Affairs last year, it was decided that the "48 Month Rule" wold be modified to allow eligible veterans to use Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) benefits before any other education program giving them up to 48-months of educational assistance benefits total.
This change is big because VR&E -- which used to count against GI Bill® benefits -- doesn't count against the 48-Month Rule as of April 1, 2021.
If you’re not regularly into the details of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and VR&E, this may be confusing. Especially because the Post-9/11 GI Bill advertises 36 months of benefits. Basically, some Veterans qualify for more than one educational assistance program -- which often comes with a choice on which one they use.
For example, if a veteran is eligible for the Post9-/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill, they would have to choose and cannot change their mind later.
However, if eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and two or more other benefits, they'll have to give up one of the additional benefits, but they may be able to keep the eligibility for the other ones. It’s easy to confuse these things.
But here's where the magical 48 number comes into play. "You may receive a maximum of 48 months of benefits combined if you are eligible for more than one VA education program, the footnotes on the VA website say.
So, if eligible for VR&E and the Post-9/11 GI Bill, those benefits can be utilized for 48 months.
A quick review of the VR&E, it’s a program designed to support veterans as they learn new skills, find a new job, start a business, get educational counseling or return to a former job. It's different from GI Bill educational benefits because it's not designed to fund a full degree program.
Important Notes on the Changes to the 48 Month Rule
Veterans impacted by this change will be notified by the VA.
Veterans denied benefits before this change, yet are still eligible can ask for a review of their records by submitting VA Form 22-1995.
The details of 38 U.S.C. § 3695(b) require VR&E to count entitlements towards the possible 48 months of enrollment and the recent changes don't change that. The change to focus on is prior use of VR&E doesn't impact possible remaining education benefits.
The subsistence allowance is still available, and those who are eligible to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill can get a special allowance based on the active duty housing allowance. It varies based on the zip code of the training facility and is usually more than those using VR&E who aren't eligible for the GI Bill.
If a veteran starts using their VR&E benefits while on active duty, the subsistence allowance doesn't kick in until they finish active duty completely.
As the changes to the 48-month rule continue to impact eligible veterans, there will continue to be questions which the VA Education Call Center at 1-888-442-4551 can answer.
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