The new bill goes well beyond helping to pay for tuition. Many veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001, will receive full tuition and fees, a monthly housing stipend equivalent to the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E5 with dependents and a $1,000-per-year stipend for books and supplies.

The new bill also gives Reserve and Guard members who have been activated for more than 90 days since Sept. 11 access to the same benefits. If an individual has served at least 90 consecutive days on active duty in the Armed Forces since Sept. 11, 2001, he or she is eligible. The amount of benefits received is determined by the amount of accumulated post-Sept. 11 active duty the person has served.

There are several ways to apply for GI Bill benefits, and now is the time to apply for the fall semester:

You can apply online at www.gibill.va.gov or call (888) 442-4551 to speak to a VA education counselor to determine which of the many GI Bill programs will work best for your situation.

You can receive an application form at the school or training establishment you wish to attend. The certifying official at the school (usually located in the Registrar’s or Financial Aid office) should have the forms available and can assist you in filling them out and submit them to the VA for you.

You can visit your local county veterans service officer for information and assistance in completing your application for education benefits.

Richard Schleeter is the veterans service officer for the La Plata County Veterans Service Office. He can be reached at 759-0117 or [email protected].

For more information

The La Plata County Veterans Service Office provides information and assis­tance to veterans and their families. For more information, visit the county website at www.co.laplata.co.us and type “veterans services” in the search window. The Veterans Service Office and the Durango VA Clinic are located at 1970 East Third Ave. The office phone number is 759-0117. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays except holidays. Appointments are encouraged. To schedule an appoint­ment, call 382-6150. For clinic appointments, call 247-2214.
Health care van service
Disabled American Veterans is running a VA health-care van from Durango to Albuquerque on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from Farmington to Albuquerque on Mondays and Wednesdays. If you want to use the DAV transportation network, contact DAV coordinators at:
Durango area – 442-0149
Cortez area – (970) 676-1116
Farmington/Aztec – (505) 793-1782