Q: My questions are, can more than one person use the benefit at a time as long as everything still meets the 36-month criteria? Can a GI Bill for a reservist still qualify for the new GI Bill? I have a total of 12 years of service and just extended for another 3, I have a total of 6 years of active service. Thanks for your help, anything would be great, I think I need to actually sit with the State Education Officer to clarify all my educational benefits and where I stand though.

A: I can tell you the answers your questions you asked. First, yes as long as each person has transferred benefits they can use their Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits at the same time. Thirty-six months is 36 months no matter how you slice it. The GI Bill for a reservist is the Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR). Of itself, it does not qualify for the New GI Bill. The only way to qualify is to have served at least 90 days on active duty for the minimum benefit and three years for the full benefit. The period of service has to be after September 10, 2001.

If at least 90 days to three years of your 6 years of active duty were after the September date, then you qualify for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits at the 40% or 100% level. Periods of service in between the minimum and maximum will be on a corresponding tier in between.