§3018B — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of Defense must, if money is available, let certain service members sign up for these education benefits. To qualify, a person must have left active military, naval, air, or space service with an honorable discharge and received voluntary separation incentive pay under 10 U.S.C. 1174a or 1175; have a high school diploma (or equivalent) or at least 12 semester hours of college credit; withdraw any earlier election of other VA education benefits when required; if they are in the Chapter 32 program, make an irrevocable choice before leaving to get these benefits instead; and elect to get the assistance before separation. For people who left the service before October 23, 1992, the Secretary (working with the Secretary of Defense) may allow the same switch if they meet the same rules and elect these benefits by October 23, 1993. If someone switches under the first rule, their basic pay or voluntary separation incentive will be reduced by $1,200. If they switched under the pre‑1992 rule, $1,200 must be collected from them and paid into the U.S. Treasury. Any withdrawal of a prior election is final and cannot be undone. People who leave Chapter 32 to take these benefits will be removed from Chapter 32. The VA must return the person’s unused contributions from the Post‑Vietnam Era Veterans Education Account. The Department of Defense must get back its unused contributions made on the person’s behalf, except for certain DoD contributions that must stay in the account to pay the person’s benefits under section 3015(f).

Title 38, §3018B

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Notwithstanding any other provision of law—

(1)the Secretary of Defense shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, allow an individual who—

(A)is separated from the active military, naval, air, or space service with an honorable discharge and receives voluntary separation incentives under section 1174a or 1175 of title 10;

(B)before applying for benefits under this section, has completed the requirements of a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate) or has successfully completed (or otherwise received academic credit for) the equivalent of 12 semester hours in a program of education leading to a standard college degree;

(C)in the case of any individual who has made an election under section 3011(c)(1) or 3012(d)(1) of this title, withdraws such election before such separation pursuant to procedures which the Secretary of each military department shall provide in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for the purpose of carrying out this section or which the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide for such purpose with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as service in the Navy;

(D)in the case of any person enrolled in the educational benefits program provided by chapter 32 of this title makes an irrevocable election, pursuant to procedures referred to in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, before such separation to receive benefits under this section in lieu of benefits under such chapter 32; and

(E)before such separation elects to receive assistance under this section pursuant to procedures referred to in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph; or

(2)the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, allow an individual who—

(A)separated before October 23, 1992, from the active military, naval, air, or space service with an honorable discharge and received or is receiving voluntary separation incentives under section 1174a or 1175 of title 10;

(C)in the case of any individual who has made an election under section 3011(c)(1) or 3012(d)(1) of this title, withdraws such election before making an election under this paragraph pursuant to procedures which the Secretary shall provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as service in the Navy, which shall be similar to the regulations prescribed under paragraph (1)(C) of this subsection;

(D)in the case of any person enrolled in the educational benefits program provided by chapter 32 of this title makes an irrevocable election, pursuant to procedures referred to in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, before making an election under this paragraph to receive benefits under this section in lieu of benefits under such chapter 32; and

(E)before October 23, 1993, elects to receive assistance under this section pursuant to procedures referred to in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph,

(b)(1)The basic pay or voluntary separation incentives of an individual who makes an election under subsection (a)(1) to become entitled to basic education assistance under this chapter shall be reduced by $1,200.

(2)The Secretary shall collect $1,200 from an individual who makes an election under subsection (a)(2) to become entitled to basic education assistance under this chapter, which shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts.

(c)A withdrawal referred to in subsection (a)(1)(C) or (a)(2)(C) of this section is irrevocable.

(d)(1)Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, an individual who is enrolled in the educational benefits program provided by chapter 32 of this title and who makes the election described in subsection (a)(1)(D) or (a)(2)(D) of this section shall be disenrolled from such chapter 32 program as of the date of such election.

(2)For each individual who is disenrolled from such program, the Secretary shall refund—

(A)as provided in section 3223(b) of this title, to the individual the unused contributions made by the individual to the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Education Account established pursuant to section 3222(a) of this title; and

(B)to the Secretary of Defense the unused contributions (other than contributions made under section 3222(c) of this title) made by such Secretary to the Account on behalf of such individual.

(3)Any contribution made by the Secretary of Defense to the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Education Account pursuant to subsection (c) of section 3222 of this title on behalf of any individual referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall remain in such account to make payments of benefits to such individual under section 3015(f) of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a)(1)(A), (2)(A). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”. 2002—Subsec. (a)(1)(C), (2)(C). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”. 1998—Subsec. (a)(1)(B), (2)(B). Pub. L. 105–368, § 203(a), substituted “successfully completed (or otherwise received academic credit for)” for “successfully completed”. Subsec. (a)(2)(E). Pub. L. 105–368, § 1005(b)(6), which directed the substitution of “before

October 23, 1993,” for “before the one-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this section,”, was executed by making the substitution for text which did not include the word “the” before the word “enactment”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1994—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(f)(3), substituted “

October 23, 1992,” for “the date of enactment of this section”. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(e)(11)(A), substituted “(a)(2)(D) of this section” for “(a)(2)(D) of this subsection”. Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(d)(5), (e)(11)(B), substituted “such account” for “such Account” and “section 3015(f) of this title” for “section 3015(e) of this chapter”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by section 203(a) of Pub. L. 105–368 effective Oct. 1, 1998, see section 203(b) of Pub. L. 105–368, set out as a note under section 3011 of this title.

§3018B Opportunity for certain persons to enroll

Summary

Title 38, §3018B

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

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