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Veteran's Information @ your library
The American Library Association's (ALA) Office of Government Relations (OGR) is working with a group of four national organizations, including the American Legion National Headquarters, the American Council on Education, the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools, and the National Military Family Association in an effort to provide libraries across the country with information to help veterans and their families better understand the education benefits available under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill.
This wiki is meant to be a tool to locate various types of veteran’s information; the information located here by no means is the only applicable information available. While there are many groups that are providing information to veterans, military personnel and families, the only official material is created by the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (V.A.). If what you are attempting to find is not here, please contact your local library for help.
Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits, by law will go into effect on August 1, 2009. As the V.A. releases new information regarding the Post 9/11 GI Bill it will be added to this site. Please check back for updates!
U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs Materials
Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents booklet: Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents, 2008 is a 140-page comprehensive guide to federal benefits programs for veterans. The guide is distributed widely to V.A. employees, Veteran’s Service Organizations representatives, Congressional offices, and veterans. Orders for the booklet have increased steadily, totaling 2 million this year. Approximately 60,000 copies of the Spanish edition were printed in 2008.
Veterans Service Organization Directory (Also available in hard copy)
My HealtheVet – VA portal offering veterans enrolled in VA health care a variety of on-line services and information such as appointments, lab results and even Secure Messaging at participating VA facilities.
Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran’s information
Women veterans program information
Information for the survivors of deceased veterans
Forms needed to apply for benefits
Mental health services for veterans
V.A. Vet Center community counseling program
V.A. Facility Locator & Directory
Other sites of interest
Military One Source: Military OneSource is an online library. This has been a joint collaboration between all branches of U.S. military services in an effort to increase the online library offerings to all service members and their families. The lead librarians of each service have worked hard to ensure that quality materials will be made available online seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day to people of all ages.
Navy League of the United States The Navy League of the United States is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating our citizens about the importance of sea power to U.S. national security and supporting the men and women of the sea services and their families.
Participating Groups
American Council on Education: The American Council on Education (ACE) is the only higher education organization that represents presidents and chancellors of all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions: community colleges and four-year institutions, private and public universities, and nonprofit and for-profit colleges. This cross-sector membership enables ACE to serve as higher education's unifying voice.
Since 1945, the ACE has provided a collaborative link between the U. S. Department of Defense (DoD) and higher education through the review of military training and experiences for the award of equivalent college credits for members of the Armed Forces. Registrars, admissions officers, academic advisers, career counselors, and DoD Voluntary Education professionals have a basis for recognizing military educational experiences in terms of civilian academic credit through the Military Guide Online.
American Legion: The American Legion is the nation’s largest and most influential veterans organization. More than 2.5 million U.S. wartime veterans continue to serve their nation, communities and fellow veterans through more than 14,000 local posts around the country, and beyond. The American Legion was founded in 1919 and quickly became an influential voice in Washington. Among the organization’s greatest accomplishments are the crafting and passage of the original GI Bill, the establishment of a link between wartime Agent Orange exposure and numerous adverse health conditions, ongoing advocacy and support for veteran health care and VA funding, military quality of life, national security, patriotism and wholesome community values. The organization is formed around four primary pillars of service: veterans affairs and rehabilitation, Americanism, children and youth, and national security.
The American Legion was instrumental in the creation of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 – the original GI Bill. The legislation, which passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate but came within one vote of dying in a committee to iron out differences between two versions, went on to become regarded as the most important piece of social legislation in American history. It educated millions, made homeowners of the middle class and revolutionized U.S. society in the second half of the 20th century. As years and war eras passed, the Legion battled for veterans education benefits with Korean War and Vietnam War GI Bills, as well as the Montgomery GI Bill in the early 1980s. Most recently, The American Legion was deeply involved and influential in the drafting and passage of the Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008, which takes effect on Aug. 1, 2009. The American Legion has also created a website to help inform veterans about the GI Bill.
The National Association of Federally Impacted Schools: The National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) is an organization representing the interests of more than 1,400 public school districts that receive federal funding from Title VIII of the Public Law 107-110 (The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 as amended). First passed in 1950, this program has provided a guarantee that any school district in the United States that can show a substantial financial impact due to the presence of federal property and/or federal activity is eligible for reimbursement from the federal government. Referred to as Impact Aid, the payment is based on the non-tax paying status of the Federal Government. Examples are school districts that enroll children residing on Federal Indian Trust land and those districts that enroll the dependent children of military personnel.
National Military Family Association The National Military Family Association is the leading non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of military families. Our 40 years of service and accomplishments have made us a trusted resource for families and the Nation’s leaders.
Transferability of Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits:
The “Post 9/11 GI Bill” (Chapter 33), allows the Secretary of Defense to provide active duty service members the opportunity to transfer education benefits to a spouse or children. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, service members must be active duty members of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009 in order to have the opportunity to transfer GI Bill benefits. In addition, the new GI Bill gives Guard and Reserve members, who have been activated for more than 90 days since 9/11, access to the same GI Bill benefits. However, it does not include transferability to the spouses or dependents of Guard or Reserve members. Transferability is intended as a retention tool and can be changed at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense who has yet to issue regulations on how this program will be implemented. NMFA will post the regulations on their website when they are published. Source: Department of Veterans Affairs: www.gibill.va.gov
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Link to Veterans Information @ Your Library Poster
If your library is interested in providing this material to your patrons or you have any questions about hosting events at your library, please email jmcgilvray@alawash.org.
