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DGIver*.*.*.* Ch**CertificateOfEligibility
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
BUFFALO REGIONAL OFFICE
P.O. BOX 4616
BUFFALO, NY 14240-4616
NOVEMBER 18, 2024
KRIS J. CONCEPCION
BUNNLEVEL, NC 28323
307/22
KJCONCE
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Dear KRIS CONCEPCION:
Certificate of Eligibility
This certifies that you are entitled to benefits for an approved program of education or training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (38 CFR 21.9590).
You must take this letter to your school. Your school must certify your enrollment before you can get paid (38 CFR 21.9720).
You have 36 months and 0 days of full-time benefits remaining (38 CFR 21.9550). You have no time limit to use your education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (38 USC 3321). You're entitled to receive 100% of the benefits payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program for training offered by an institution of higher education. We determined this percentage based on your length of creditable active duty service (38 CFR 21.9640; 38 USC 3311). We based our decision on the following service information:
Begin Date End Date Service Length
(in days)
Training Length
(in days)
Total
(Service/Training)
04/13/2004 04/29/2024 7,189 133 7,322
Total: 7,189 133 7,322
Requirement to Verify Enrollment Status
Section 1010 of Public Law 116-315 now requires GI Bill beneficiaries who attend Institutes of Higher Learning and Non-College Degree programs to verify their continued enrollment status in order to continue receiving a monthly housing allowance (MHA) and/or kickers. If you do not receive either MHA or a kicker, you will not need to verify your enrollment status. If you fail to verify your enrollment status for two consecutive months, VA will withhold your monthly housing allowance and/or kicker payments until we have received verification of your enrollment status (38 USC 3313(l)(1)(B)(3)).
How to Prepare for this Change
KJCONCE
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The most important way you can prepare for this change is to make sure that your VA Education records have an up-to-date mobile phone number and/or email address. If you are unsure that your education record contains up-to-date contact information, please contact us using one of the following methods:
Call the Education Call Center at 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-***-****) or (001-918-***-**** when calling from outside the U.S.); Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time - TTY Federal Relay: 711
Or
Online through Ask VA at https://ask.va.gov. Please select "GI Bill" as the category for your question. If you have never used this system, you will need to create an account. How to Verify Your Enrollment
Once we have processed a term that is affected by the change, you should receive a text message from VA asking if you would like to use text messages to verify your enrollment. When you opt-in, we'll send you a text message each month asking if you continue to be enrolled. You should also receive a payment letter that contains additional information about the verification requirement, including your options to verify. If you do not receive an automated opt-in text message by the time you receive the payment letter, please contact the Education Call Center to manually opt-in.
Choosing the Right Career and Training
Use the O*NET® Interest Profiler™ at My Next Move, a family of self-assessment career exploration tools, to help you find a future occupation that interests and excites you. In 30 minutes, you could identify and learn more about your broad interest areas and use those results to explore the world of work that awaits you. To access the Interest Profiler, please visit: https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip.
What You Must Do
If you have not provided electronic banking (direct deposit) information to VA Education Service, you should do this before your enrollments are submitted for payment. You can provide or update your banking information by calling the Education Call Center at 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442- 4551) or (001-918-***-**** when calling from outside the U.S.); Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time - TTY Federal Relay: 711.
Please Note: The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) uses one payment address across all business lines. Your payment address is your direct deposit banking information unless you are receiving paper checks. Then it is your mailing address. Updating your payment address for Education payments will update your payment address for all VBA payments, to include disability compensation.
You should also take this letter to your school's veterans certifying official as proof of your eligibility and ask him or her to submit your enrollment certification to VA. After your school KJCONCE
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submits your enrollment certification, your tuition and fees payment will be sent to the school on your behalf. All other payments will be sent directly to you. How to Minimize Debts
Generally, VA cannot pay for:
• Courses you do not attend.
• Courses from which you withdraw.
• Courses you complete but receive a grade which will not count towards graduation. When your school submits changes to your enrollment information, VA must create debts for the amounts paid that are no longer due. VA will create the debt against you and/or your school for these benefits. You may also owe money to your school when you drop classes or withdraw from school. You must promptly notify your school’s veterans certifying official and VA when there is any change in your enrollment. This will help minimize your debt. For additional information regarding debts, please visit
https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/resources/education_resources/debt_info.asp. VA Education benefits are not payable if you are a Federal Employee or contractor receiving payment for your training under the Government Employee Tuition Assistance (GETA) program. Federal Tuition Assistance received may also limit VA benefit payments. Notify your school’s certifying official in advance of taking any courses which are covered by GETA or when receiving Federal Tuition Assistance to prevent overpayments. Career Counseling
The receipt of this Certificate of Eligibility (COE) means that you are also eligible for VA-provided professional career counseling services at any time during your eligibility period. Please note: When considering the school(s) for which you would like to receive your educational training, we recommend that you research your perspective school using the GI Bill Comparison Tool and our “Factors to Consider When Choosing a School: A guide before using the G.I. Bill”.
• GI Bill Comparison Tool: www.vets.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool
• ‘Factors to Choosing a School: A guide before using the GI Bill’: www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/docs/factsheets/choosing_a_school.pdf Pay particular attention to whether your prospective school(s) has articulation agreements in place, what the agreement involves, and how it applies to credit transferability should you wish to transfer to a different school at a later date.
If you have questions, particularly about articulation agreements, or would like more information about career counseling services, you may call VA to speak directly with a customer service representative at 1-800-***-****.
Additionally, if you are within six months of discharge, you may be eligible for VA's professional career counseling. For more information, call 1-800-***-****. KJCONCE
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Your Right To Seek Additional Review
You have one year from the date of this letter to request an additional review of our decision. You should do this if you disagree with our decision about your eligibility for benefits, the amount of your payments or debts, or the reason a payment or debt was issued. For more information, please see the enclosed VA Form 20-0998, Your Rights to Seek Further Review of Our Decision. It explains your options for an additional review. You may also learn more about the appeal process at www.va.gov/decision-reviews.
Sincerely,
Education Officer
Enclosures: We Are Here To Help
VA Form 20-0998
VA-VBA-TED-Flyer-PCPG
We Are Here To Help
CONTACT US
• Ask a question online at https://ask.va.gov. Please select GI Bill as the category for your question.
• Call our Education Call Center, toll-free at 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-***-****) (inside the U.S.) or 001- 918-***-**** (outside the U.S.). If you have hearing loss, call TTY: 711.
• Seek confidential support using the Veterans Crisis Line by phone at 988 (then press 1), by text at 838255, or online chat at https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/.
• Find a VA Regional Office at https://www.VA.Gov/find-locations.
• Reach us via our mailing address at the top of this letter.
• Follow VA Education Service on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for updates and news (https://www.facebook.com/gibillEducation/, https://twitter.com/VAVetBenefits, https://www.instag ram.com/vabenefits/).
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• Find more information about VA education benefits at https://www.va.gov/education.
• Learn more about using your VA education benefits through the Building your Future with the GI Bill series at https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/78073/new-guide-series-provides-gi-bill-benefits-information/.
• Compare schools using the GI Bill Comparison Tool at https://www.VA.gov/education/gi-bill- comparison-tool.
• Use the O*NET® Interest Profiler™ family of self-assessment career exploration tools to help you find a future occupation that interests you at My Next Move: https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip.
• Learn about education and career counseling offered through VA's Personalized Career Planning and Guidance at https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/education-and-career-counseling/.
• Find VA Forms at https://www.va.gov/find-forms/. MEDICAL CARE AND TREATMENT
• Learn about eligibility for health care, toll free at 1-877-222-VETS (8387) or visit https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/.
• Manage your healthcare and learn about mental health counseling at https://www.myhealth.va.gov.
• Locate your nearest VA Medical Center, outpatient clinic, or dental provider at https://www.va.gov/find- locations/.
• Find rehabilitation, prosthetics, and physical therapy options at https://www.rehab.va.gov.
• Learn about special disability claims for automobile or adaptive equipment, clothing allowance, temporary disability care, and more at https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/special-claims/. YOUR RIGHT TO SEEK REVIEW OF OUR DECISION
Supplemental Claim Higher-Level Review Board Appeal What Is This?
A reviewer will determine
whether new and relevant
evidence changes the prior
decision.
An experienced claims
adjudicator will review your
decision using the same
evidence VA considered in
the prior decision.
A Veterans Law Judge at the
Board of Veterans' Appeals
(Board) will review your
decision.
By Selecting
This Option
You are adding or identifying
new and relevant evidence to
support your claim that we
did not previously consider.
VA will assist you in
gathering new and relevant
evidence that you identify to
support your claim.
You have no additional
evidence to submit to
support your claim, but you
believe there was an error
in the prior decision.
You can request an optional,
one-time, informal conference
with a Higher-Level Reviewer
to identify specific errors in
the case, although requesting
this conference may delay
the review.
You must choose a docket:
Direct Review - You do not
want to submit evidence or
have a hearing.
Evidence Submission - You
choose to submit additional
evidence without a hearing.
Hearing - You choose to have
a hearing with a Veterans Law
Judge.
Goal To
Complete
125 days on average
125 days on average
365 days on average for Direct
Review (longer for the other
options)
Form To File
To Select This
Option*
VA Form 20-0995,
Decision Review Request:
Supplemental Claim
VA Form 20-0996,
Decision Review
Request:Higher-Level
Review
VA Form 10182,
Decision Review Request:
Board Appeal (Notice of
Disagreement)
Further Options
After This
Decision Review
You may request another
Supplemental Claim, a
Higher-Level Review, or a
Board Appeal.
You may request a
Supplemental Claim or a
Board Appeal.
You may request a
Supplemental Claim or
appeal to the U.S. Court of
Appeals for Veterans Claims.
* All forms listed above are available at www.va.gov/vaforms/. If you do not submit a decision review request within the required time, you may only seek review through the following:
• A request to revise the decision based on a clear and unmistakable error, or
• A Supplemental Claim. If you file a Supplemental Claim after the 1-year time limit, the effective date for any resulting award of benefits generally will be tied to the date VA receives the Supplemental Claim. VA FORM
MAY 202*-**-**** SUPERSEDES VA FORM 20-0998, JAN 2019 Page 1 This document outlines your right to seek review of our decision on any issue with which you disagree. You may generally select one of three different review options for each issue decided by VA. However, you may not request review of the same issue using more than one option at the same time. Below is information on the three different review options. For most VA benefits, you have 1 year from the date on your decision notice to request a decision review to ensure the earliest possible effective date. Consult your decision notice for specific limitations. While most decision review options are available to you, there are limitations based on the type of decision you received.
• If you are a party to a contested claim - such as claims for apportionment, attorney fee disagreement, or multiple parties filing for survivor's benefits - your only option for disagreeing with your decision is to file a Board Appeal within 60 days of the date on your decision notice.
• If you are seeking review of an insurance decision you have an additional option to challenge VA's decision by filing a complaint with a United States district court in the jurisdiction in which you reside within 6 years from when the right of action first accrues. Consult your decision notice for details on what options are available and where to send the request. Get Help with Your Review Request:
VA FORM 20-0998, MAY 2021 Page 2
For more information on all the available review options, contact us at 1-800-***-**** or visit www.va.gov/decision- reviews/. If you need help filing a decision review, you may want to work with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative. Additional information about working with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or VSO representative is available at www.va.gov/decision-reviews/get-help-with-review-request/. You may also find a directory of accredited representatives at www.va.gov/vso. December 2020
Personalized Career Planning and Guidance (PCPG)
HELPING YOU PLAN
YOUR CAREER TRANSITION
What is PCPG?
You are eligible for the GI Bill, but do you know
that you are also eligible for Personalized Career Planning and Guidance (PCPG)? PCPG is a program
designed to support you in making a successful
transition from military to civilian life.
PCPG offers career counseling, assessment,
education planning and guidance resources to help
you set and achieve personal, career and education goals. It provides you with one-on-one support –
putting you in the driver’s seat of your education or career plan.
How can PCPG support you?
PCPG provides a dedicated, certified career
counselor who will tailor a program to meet
your needs, which may include:
• Resume and interviewing skills
• Guidance on maximizing your VA
education benefits
• Referrals to VA and community resources
• Academic and adjustment counseling
You will also have access to expanded follow-up
sessions and support, as long as you remain
eligible for the benefit.
How can I find out more?
To apply for PCPG, or learn more
about the benefits:
APPLY ONLINE – Visit VA.gov to
complete and submit your application.
APPLY BY MAIL – Fill out the application
located at https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/
forms/VBA-28-8832-ARE.pdf and mail
it to your local VA Regional Office.
APPLY IN PERSON at your local
VA Regional Office or by visiting a
VetSuccess On Campus (VSOC) office.
ACCESS THE ELIGIBILITY WIZARD
at: https://www.va.gov/careers-
employment/education-and-
career-counseling/
FIND A VETSUCCESS ON CAMPUS
LOCATION at: https://www.benefits.
va.gov/vocrehab/vsoc.asp
FIND A VA REGIONAL OFFICE at:
https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/
offices.asp
PCPG will help you plan for a successful future and achieve your education and career goals. Apply today!
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