Title 38 › PART III — READJUSTMENT AND RELATED BENEFITS › CHAPTER 32 — POST-VIETNAM ERA VETERANS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE › SUBCHAPTER II — ELIGIBILITY; CONTRIBUTIONS; AND MATCHING FUND › § 3223
You can only get back the money you paid into the program after you leave the program or as allowed under section 3224. If you leave the program while still on active duty, your contributions will be returned on your discharge or release date or within 60 days after the Secretary is told about your discharge or leaving. Refunds can be made sooner for hardship or other reasons under rules set by the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense. If you leave after discharge, your refund will be made within 60 days after you apply. If a participant dies on active duty or after discharge, or leaves the program without using any benefit (or uses part of a benefit and then leaves), any money the Secretary of Defense put into the fund under section 3222(c) that remains must be returned to that Secretary.
Full Legal Text
Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 3223
Title 38, Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102