Porterville College Supports its Military
Amanda Williams is a post 9/11 veteran and while in the Army, she served as a Motor Transport Operator in various units for 4 years. One of Amanda’s most memorable duties besides being deployed to Iraq in 2003, was being stationed in Korea with the 702 MSB. She really enjoyed the time she spent in the Army and if asked to do it again she would.
Amanda has been attending Porterville College since Fall 2009 and is planning to pursue a career in nursing. Amanda is a mother, fiancée, and a full time student and has been fortunate to have a daughter and fiancée who have been patient and very supportive of her educational goals.
Upcoming Changes to The
Post-9/11 GI-Bill
The
Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 was recently
signed into law. This page lists changes to the GI Bill made by this law.
Effective August 1, 2009, but not payable until October 1, 2011
- Expands
the Post-9/11 GI Bill to include Active Service performed by National Guard
members under title 32 U.S.C. for the purpose of organizing, administering,
recruiting, instructing, or training the National Guard; or under section
502(f) for the purpose of responding to a national emergency.
Effective March 5, 2011
- Limits
active duty members to the net cost for tuition and fees prorated based on the
eligibility tiers (40%-100%) previously established for Veterans.
- Same limitations apply to transferee spouses of active duty servicemembers
Effective August 1, 2011
- For
Veterans and their transferees - simplifies the tuition and fee rates for those
attending a public school and creates a national maximum for those enrolled in
a private or foreign school
- Pays all public school in-state tuition and fees;
- Private and foreign school costs are capped at $17,500 annually;
- The Yellow Ribbon Program still exists for out-of-state fees and
costs above the cap.
- For
Active Duty Members and their transferees - creates a national rate for those
active duty members enrolled in a private or foreign school pursuing a degree
- Pays all public school in-state tuition and fees;
- Private and foreign school costs are capped at $17,500 annually
- Allows
VA to pay MGIB (chapter 30) and MGIB-SR (chapter 1606) ‘kickers’, or college
fund payments, on a monthly basis instead of a lump sum at the beginning of the
term
- Prorates
housing allowance by the student’s rate of pursuit (rounded to the nearest tenth)
- A student training at a rate of pursuit of 75% would receive 80%
of the BAH rate
- Break
or interval pay is no longer payable under any VA
education benefit program unless under an Executive Order of the President or
due to an emergency, such as a natural disaster or strike.
- This means that when your semester ends (e.g. December 15th),
your housing allowance is paid for the first 15 days of December only and
begins again when your next semester begins (e.g. January 10th) and is paid for
the remaining days of January.
- Students using other VA education programs are included in this
change. Monthly benefits will be pro-rated in the same manner.
- Entitlement that previously would have been used for break pay
will be available for use during a future enrollment.
- Allows
reimbursement for more than one “license or certification” test (previously
only one test was allowed).
- However, entitlement is now charged
- Allows
reimbursement of fees paid to take national exams used for admission to an
institution of higher learning (e.g., SAT, ACT, GMAT, LSAT)
- Allows
those who are eligible for both Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
(chapter 31) benefits and Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33) benefits to choose the
Post-9/11 GI Bill’s monthly housing allowance instead of the chapter 31
subsistence allowance.
- NOAA
and PHS personnel are now eligible to transfer their entitlement to eligible
dependents
Effective October 1, 2011
- Allows
students to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill for -
- Non-college degree (NCD) programs:
Pays actual net cost for in-State tuition and fees at public NCD
institutions. At private and foreign institutions, pays the actual net
costs for in-state tuition and fees or $17,500, whichever is less. Also
pays up to $83 per month for books and supplies.
- On-the-job and apprenticeship training:
Pays a monthly benefit amount prorated based on time in program and up to $83
per month for books and supplies.
- Flight programs: Per
academic year, pays the actual net costs for in-state tuition and fees assessed
by the school or $10,000, whichever is less.
- Correspondence training:
Per academic year, pays the actual net costs for in-state tuition and fees
assessed by the school or $8,500, whichever is less.
- Housing
allowance is now payable to students (other than those on active duty) enrolled
solely in distance learning. The housing allowance payable is equal to
½ the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents.
- The full-time rate for an individual eligible at the 100%
eligibility tier would be $673.50 for 2011.
- Allows
students on active duty to receive a books and supplies stipend.
Counseling Tips:
If you need help registering for classes, you should make an appointment to see the counselor.
After registering for classes, you need to make an appointment with the counselor to complete a Veterans Request for Certification Form.
If you are changing your major, you need to see the counselor to complete a new Veterans Education Plan (this could only be done before the semester starts).
If you add, drop, or change a class after completing a Veterans Request for Certification Form, you need to make an appointment with the counselor to make changes on the Veterans Request for Certification form.
If you are unable to see the counselor to make changes on the Veterans Request for Certification Form, please feel free to download the form, make the changes yourself, and turn it in to the Veterans Clerk in admissions.
If your GPA falls below a 2.0 you will be placed on academic probation and will not be able to register for classes until you meet with a counselor to complete a Student Success Contract and until you attend a probationary workshop.
If you fall on probation for three consecutive semesters you will be disqualified from the college. You will need to meet with a counselor to fill out and submit a Petition for Re-Admission and to develop a new Student Success Contract. The disqualification committee will review your petition and make a decision. If readmission is approved, you will only be eligible to register for 7 units, must take EDUC P107, and must turn in a progress report.
All Veteran students have priority registration and are able to register before new and returning students. If you are a Veteran student and do not have priority registration please contact Andrea Anaya at 559-791-2402.
For further assistance or questions you can reach Norma Macias, Veterans Counselor at 559-791-2237, or Andrea Anaya at 559-791-2402.
Porterville College Veterans Club
Porterville College Veterans Club meets every second and fourth Friday of the month at 11:00am in the quad area (outside PC cafeteria). If you are interested in becoming part of the Veterans Club please feel free to attend the meetings. If you have questions about the club please email Devon Mathis, Veterans Club President at pcveteransclub@yahoo.com or
devon.mathis@email.portervillecollege.edu
