	Introduction

This report provides a detailed description of five of the six educational assistance programs (GI Bills ® ) that are currently available to veterans or other eligible individuals through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The GI Bills provide financial assistance while enrolled in approved programs of education or training programs to individuals whose eligibility is based on a qualifying individual's service in the uniformed services. The sixth program, which is the most recently enacted, is the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 33). This report describes the five GI Bills enacted prior to 2008 and related veterans' educational assistance programs. The second section describes the eligibility requirements and benefits of the GI Bills. The final section provides information on participation and expenditures for the programs. In addition to providing benefits to veterans, it provided benefits to active duty servicemembers to encourage retention in the Armed Forces. Congress allowed the compulsory military draft to expire on June 30, 1973. The oldest of these programs for veterans and servicemembers is the Post-Vietnam Era GI Bill, enacted in 1976. The Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program, previously War Orphans' Educational Assistance, provides benefits to the spouses and children of servicemembers who, as a result of service, are seriously disabled, die, or are detained. Finally in comparison to the MGIB-AD, the Post-9/11 GI Bill increased the educational assistance benefit for all individuals with active duty service after September 10, 2001, in recognition that the United States has not been at peace since 2001. Eligible Individuals

Educational assistance benefits are available to
the children and surviving spouse of a veteran who died of a service-connected disability; the children of a veteran who died while having a disability evaluated as a total permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability; the children and spouse of a veteran or servicemember who has a total permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability; the children and spouse of an active duty servicemember who is, and has been for more than 90 days, listed as missing in action, captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power; and the surviving spouse of a veteran who died while having a disability evaluated as a total permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability, arising out of active military, naval, or air service. Montgomery GI Bill—Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)

The Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR), passed under Section 705 of the same legislation as the MGIB-AD, is a Title 10 U.S.C. Educational assistance benefits are available to Selected Reservists who enlist, re-enlist, or extend an enlistment for six years after June 30, 1985, and reserve officers who agree to serve an additional six years above any existing obligation. Additional payments are available for certain purposes, and the monthly allowance may be increased under certain circumstances (see Table 2 ). REAP sought to provide reservists with benefits proportional to their active duty service and commensurate with the benefits of the regular Armed Forces. Under VEAP, educational assistance benefits are available to individuals who entered active duty on or after January 1, 1977, and before July 1, 1985. Benefit Payments

Most VEAP participants receive a monthly allowance. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is described in CRS Report R42755, The Post-9/11 Veterans' Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill): A Primer . Veterans Work Study Program

The Veterans Work Study Program allows VEAP, MGIB-AD, MGIB-SR, DEA, Post-9/11 GI Bill, and VR&E participants to receive additional financial assistance through the VA in exchange for employment.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), previously named the Veterans Administration, has been providing veterans educational assistance (GI Bill®) benefits since 1944. The benefits have been intended, at various times, to compensate for compulsory service, encourage voluntary service, avoid unemployment, provide equitable benefits to all who served, and promote military retention. In general, the benefits provide grant aid to eligible individuals enrolled in approved educational and training programs. Since three of the GI Bills have overlapping eligibility requirements and the United States is expected to wind down involvement in active conflicts, Congress may consider phasing out one or more of the overlapping programs.
This report describes the GI Bills enacted prior to 2008. Although participation in some programs has ended or is declining, the programs' evolution and provisions inform current policy. The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 33), enacted in 2008, is described in CRS Report R42755, The Post-9/11 Veterans' Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill): A Primer.
This report provides a description of the eligibility requirements, eligible programs of education, benefit availability, and benefits. The report also provides some summary statistics, comparisons between the programs (see Table 2), and brief discussions of related programs. Individuals currently participate in five GI Bills enacted prior to 2008:
The most popular program prior to the Post-9/11 GI Bill was the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD), which provides a monthly allowance primarily to veterans and servicemembers who enter active duty after June 30, 1985. The Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) provides a lower monthly allowance than the MGIB-AD to reservists who enlist, re-enlist, or extend an enlistment after June 30, 1985. The Reserves Educational Assistance Program (REAP), which will discontinue paying benefits in 2019, provides a monthly allowance that is higher than the MGIB-SR but lower than the MGIB-AD to reservists with active duty service. The program with the fewest individuals receiving benefits is the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP), which provides a monthly allowance to veterans who first entered active duty service on or after January 1, 1977, and before July 1, 1985. The dependents of individuals with military service may be eligible for the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program, which provides benefits to the spouse and children of servicemembers who, as a result of service, are seriously disabled, die, or are detained.
Other educational support is available to veterans using these benefits. Participants may also request academic and vocational counseling before and while using their GI Bill benefits. Participants on a growing number of pilot campuses have access to the VetSuccess on Campus program, which provides on-campus counseling and referral services. In addition to counseling support, some participants may participate in the Veterans Work Study Program to receive additional financial assistance in exchange for work while attending school.