Reserve GI Bill

Chapter 1606

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)

The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits. If you're a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, you may be eligible for this benefit. Find out if you qualify

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR): For Reservists with a six-year obligation in the Selected Reserve who are actively drilling. Your eligibility for the program ends the day you leave the Selected Reserve. you must also meet the following criterion:

  • Complete your initial active duty for training (IADT), and
  • Get a high school diploma or certificate of equal value, like a High School Equivalency Diploma or GED, before finishing IADT (Note: You can't use 12 hours toward a college degree to meet this requirement), and
  • Stay in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit

(Note: You'll still be eligible if you're discharged from Selected Reserve service due to a disability that was not caused by misconduct)

This program is run through each reserve or national guard unit. Because students using this program must remain in good standing with their unit the unit should sign the notice of basic eligibility (DD Form 2384-1) and forward it through their channels to the branch education office.

If you did not sign up for the MGIB-SR when enlisting you can still apply using the VA Form 22-1990 (PDF) and mailing it directly to the VA regional office, Wisconsin's educational regional office is the St. Louis office.
VA Regional Office
P. O. Box 32432
St. Louis, MO 63132-0832

Once the VA determines eligibility (having both the VA Form 22-1990 and the DD Form 2384-1) the school will be able to certify the student's status with the VA and payments will begin.

Students are required to maintain their enrollment. To ensure this the VA has set up a Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) site. Students should create a logon, and monthly verify their status with the VA. The VA needs to know when credit hours change because benefits will change accordingly. Maintaining accurate status may prevent the VA from having to send your account to the Debt Management Center for collection. In some instances, the school's Veterans Coordinator may handle changes in student status.