Post 9-11 Education Bill Transfer of Benefits info

All,
I asked the CG-1 staff to write a short piece regarding Post 911 Education Bill transferability… The following details some of the difficulties getting the program going, how it will effect the people that have already signed up on-line, and the way ahead.
-MCPOCG

Current challenges:

1) The Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) web portal has some limitations with respect to PSC adjudication of CG member's applications. While applications can/are being reviewed, PSC and DoD services have expressed the need to improve the portal's functionality with regards to reviewing applications. The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), the creators of the web portal, are diligently working on adding greater functionality to the site to enable PSC to improve timeliness of reviewing applications. What PSC is experiencing now is a slow, cumbersome process to approve applications. This difficulty is NOT a setback for PSC to approve requests, rather, they request to improve
the functionality of the site to make it more useful for our administrators. Bottom
line: PSC/DMDC are working on making the approval process more efficient, thereby processing applications at a faster rate.

2) Most important. Unlike DoD services, authorization for the Coast Guard to administer Post-9/11 GI Bill functions is prescribed to the Secretary of Homeland Security. The COMDT has submitted a written request to the Secretary to delegate this authority to the Coast Guard. That package is currently in routing to SECDHS. While PSC is reviewing applications already submitted via the TEB portal, PSC will not finally approve requests until the CG has been legally delegated the authority by SECDHS to administer the Post-9/11 GI Bill. In case we don't receive delegation authority prior to 1 Aug 2009 you should notify school of this possible delay. We will release an ALCOAST/update communications (blogs) once we receive approval authority. Bottom line: Although the CG is awaiting formal delegation from DHS to administer the Post-9/11 GI Bill, PSC is reviewing applications in anticipation of signed delegation.

The way ahead:

Once the SECDHS Delegation is signed, the CG will have the authority to approve these requests, thereby transferring benefits to dependents and allowing dependents to apply to VA for benefits. Members who have already submitted applications should periodically check the Status of their application by logging into the TEB Portal.

CG-1221 has been coordinated with the ESO community to provide policy.

Also, as of 7 Jul, CG members have submitted 257 applications for transferability clarification.

Please check the ESO Blog link provided: http://esoinfo.blogspot.com/

Below are a few links with Post-9/11 GI Bill information. DoD Directive (posted on PSC website):http://www.uscg.mil/PSC/docs/DTMPost911GIBill.pdf

DoD Transferability Site:http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2009/0409_gibill/