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Navigating the VA’s Post-9/11 GI Bill
Greetings, my fraternal brothers and sisters. I had the privilege of commanding troops in three levels of command in the Army Reserve, and I of- ten compare those experiences with those in the Chicago Police Department. This reminded
me of a quote by Lieutenant General Hale Moore: “Every person in an organization is
as important and necessary to the mission
as the next person. That goes from the top
to the bottom.” Every police officer is im-
portant, and we all must assist each other when we can. Post-9/11 GI Bill. We recently received a call from a po-
lice officer who is attending graduate school using the City of Chicago Tuition Reimbursement Program. He had previously submitted his paid tuition statement to Human Resources and was reimbursed. But this time, Human Resources was demand- ing an itemized statement from his university.
The officer was also using a percentage of the Veterans Ad- ministration’s Post-9/11 GI Bill. The officer wanted to know if the City would deduct the payment that he received from the VA, as that payment will show on his itemized statement. Ac- cording to our contract under Article 24 Section F 1 Tuition Re- imbursement, “tuition cost will not be granted if they are cov- ered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.”
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is one of the best programs that the VA administers. The benefit can be transferred in whole or
part to a spouse or child. Additional benefits are offered as well, such as the cost of books and living expenses. The Post- 9/11 GI Bill may also cover vocational training and other types of
JERRY CRUZ
R
MILITARY
certifications. Go to www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_ gibill.asp for further information and necessary require- ments. Additionally, some Yellow Ribbon colleges and universities provide other benefits, such as matching the benefit for tuition provided by the VA. Most colleges have a VA specialist in their financial aid office who can
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explain the school’s Yellow Ribbon program.
Upcoming information session. The Military Committee has received numerous calls dealing with various issues of those fellow officers serving in the guard and reserve. We want to be more effective and direct our resources where we can benefit all our brothers and sisters. To that end, the Military Committee is hosting an information session for members in the guard and reserve on May 21 at 7 p.m. at the Chicago Police Department Training Academy. We want to know issues and concerns that you have or had with the Department or City. If you can’t make it, give the information to someone who is attending so we may
capture everyone’s concerns.
If you have a question or comment, please send me an email
at ltc_cruz@wowway.com. d
22 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ APRIL 2018