A Fellow Marine Was Medically Discharged Did Not Complete Enlistment Entitlement?

[SemperAye]

Hello Hadit.

A friend of mine from high school and fellow Marine, is going though some tough times, been drinking alot and throwing his life away. I am trying to get him back on track but his situation is very complicated and I cant seem to be able to get any straight answers, so I hope you vets can help! Here is the situation:

He was discharged early do to an bad injury to his knees do to falling out of a helo training simulator, resulting in a Honorable Medial Discharge (20% VA rating). He told me he was only eligible for 16 months of MGIB, and has exhausted those funds over 5 years ago. I read somewhere that if you are medically discharged, and found service connected, then you are eligible for the entire post 911 GI Bill of 36 months. I know that the MGIB, regardless of service connection, goes by days in service (16 months in his case), but shouldn't he be able to get the remaining 16 months of the Post 911 GI Bill (16 MGIB+16 P911GIB = 32 months)? I asked around and some people said that if you use up your 36 months of MGIB, then you can get an additional 12 months Post 911 GIB, but what if you didn't qualify for 36 months of MGIB?!?!?!

1.) Would he get 16 months, or just 12 months?

2.) Also, couldn't he still use Voc Rehab until he gets to 48 months in total minus months used in the other two programs?

Thank you!

 

 

[Andyman73]

SemperAye,

I gots a quick question for ya!  Your friend the Marine, is his 20% from the Marines or VA? If he was med boarded out, his VA rating should be 50% or more, I would think.  They aren't the same.

For example, when my father retired after 24yrs AD, the Army gave him 20%. He turned that down, and received 70% from the VA.

Your friend should be able to contact his local county office VA rep to find out about he GI bill.  And if served post 9-11, he should certainly rate the post 9-11 GI Bill.  But I don't know for sure, since I am a pre-9-11 type Marine, myself.

Semper Fi.

Andy

[SemperAye]

SemperAye,

I gots a quick question for ya!  Your friend the Marine, is his 20% from the Marines or VA? If he was med boarded out, his VA rating should be 50% or more, I would think.  They aren't the same.

For example, when my father retired after 24yrs AD, the Army gave him 20%. He turned that down, and received 70% from the VA.

Your friend should be able to contact his local county office VA rep to find out about he GI bill.  And if served post 9-11, he should certainly rate the post 9-11 GI Bill.  But I don't know for sure, since I am a pre-9-11 type Marine, myself.

Semper Fi.

Andy

I think its 20% VA. I think he said since he was still in MOS training, they played a dirty trick and tried to say he had pte-existing knee problems, told him to file with VA asap after getting home in order to rush process him out. I'll have to ask, thanx.

[iceturkee]

SemperAye,

I gots a quick question for ya!  Your friend the Marine, is his 20% from the Marines or VA? If he was med boarded out, his VA rating should be 50% or more, I would think.  They aren't the same.

For example, when my father retired after 24yrs AD, the Army gave him 20%. He turned that down, and received 70% from the VA.

Your friend should be able to contact his local county office VA rep to find out about he GI bill.  And if served post 9-11, he should certainly rate the post 9-11 GI Bill.  But I don't know for sure, since I am a pre-9-11 type Marine, myself.

Semper Fi.

Andy

i intially got 10 percent from the navy and 10 percent from the va.

[Andyman73]

SemperAye,

I don't see how they can say it was pre-existing, legally) if it happened after he started his enlistment, just because he didn't finish his initial MOS school.  What if he was EOD...nearly 2 years of MOS schooling.  Or a Nuke sub engineer??? Even longer MOS school. 

Tell him that he was lowballed big time! If it was enough to force him out, he certainly should be rated at 50% or so.  Tell him to reopen or file for increase.  Also, if he doesn't already have his STRs or C-File, tell him to request them via FOIA ASAP!

iceturkee,

I'm not sure how the service ratings work...since I got out at the end of my enlistment.  I was not medically discharged or retired. 

Andy

 

[SemperAye]

Thanx. I'll help him get his c-file and see what is says exactly then get him a VSO. I just wanted to be sure he could get post 911 GI Bill for now, to get out of this slump.

[Andyman73]

SemperAye

I hope you are keeping track of things for yourself,  Marine.  That way you'll have some idea to formulate your own game plan, if or when the time comes for your own claims.

Semper Fi.

Andy