aacrao-logo_transparent

Veterans & Service Members

AACRAO recognizes and honors the sacrifices these men and women have made and its members are proud to assist them and meet their educational needs. Veterans and students on active military duty and their families face special circumstances and challenges.

Changes in federal statute and executive actions have greatly promoted the expansion of services toward veterans and their families. Since the Post-9/11 GI Bill was passed in 2009, close to 1 million veterans, service members, and eligible dependents have taken advantage of the educational benefits available to them. With the passage of more recent legislation, such as the Forever GI Bill in 2017 and the Isakson Roe and THRIVE Acts in 2021, there will be significant changes to military education benefits over the coming years.

Capitol

Latest Actions

AACRAO recently hosted a webinar to discuss the implementation of veteran legislation passed in December 2020, also known as the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act. This law will have a transformative effect on the mission of Education Service to provide ready access to, and timely and accurate delivery of, education benefits to Veterans, Service members, and their families, as well as further enable the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to empower GI Bill beneficiaries to achieve their vocational and career goals.

Other recent legislation introduced in both the House and Senate include important provisions to help ensure veterans can continue to receive their education benefits as well as technical corrections to the legislation passed last year.

UPDATES

Congress Passes Bill Addressing 85/15 Rule Reset

Aug 17, 2022, 17:16 PM
legacy id :
Summary : The AACRAO-endorsed legislation clarifies the 35 percent exemption and addresses several other challenges from VA's recent 85-15 rule policy reset.
Url :

On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Ensuring the Best Schools for Veterans Act, S. 4458, sending the measure to White House for President Biden's signature. The AACRAO-endorsed legislation seeks to address concerns stemming from recent policy changes to the 85/15 rule by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The bipartisan, bicameral bill clarifies the 35 percent exemption to the 85/15 rule, restoring it to its original intent. The legislation also addresses several other challenges resulting from VA's 85/15 reset—including a requirement that institutions perform 85/15 computations at the major, minor, and concentration level, as well as a new interpretation of what constitutes a "supported student."

President Biden is expected to quickly sign the measure into law. AACRAO and the broader higher education community look forward to swift implementation by the VA in order to minimize any disruptions for student veterans this fall.


Michelle Mott
Categories :
  • Advocacy
  • Compliance and Reporting
  • Financial Aid and FAFSA
  • Veterans and Service Members
Tags :
  • 85/15 rule
  • Federal Regulations
  • Federal relations
  • gi bill
  • tuition assistance program
  • VA Programs
  • Veterans and service members issues
Related people

STATEMENTS/LETTERS

ARTICLES