Welcome to the Penn State Altoona Montgomery GI Bill WebsiteDear Penn Stater, It’s hard to believe that it’s the end of September already, and autumn is definitely in the air. The fall semester is well under way, and most students are experiencing their first round of exams. There’s so much to discuss at this time of the semester—current and future benefits and the new GI Bill being the hot topics right now. By now, most if not all of the students who qualify for education benefits under the current GI Bill have submitted their paperwork for processing and are receiving their benefits. If you have not yet applied, or don’t know whether or not you would qualify for benefits, I encourage you to make an appointment to meet with me as soon as possible. Even if you never participated in the GI Bill, you may still be able to get Penn State credit for basic training and AIT. You can print the appropriate form and drop it off in my office with a copy of your DD214, your discharge papers. The number of credits awarded depends upon the student’s branch of military service. I will forward your request to the appropriate Penn State office at University Park for processing. This semester, I have the most reservists who have been called to active duty in any given semester in my 16 years of employment at Penn State. Penn State has concrete policies in place for students who are being called to active duty for deployment or training. If your guard unit notifies you that you will be training or deploying, and you find that it will interfere with your enrollment this semester or in a future semester, I recommend that you schedule an appointment to meet with me. We can discuss whether or not withdrawal or leave of absence would be in your best interest. Advice on both can be found in the University’s Undergraduate Advising Handbook. Search for “Military,” and you’ll see entries for Leave of Absence, Re-enrollment and Withdrawal. Finally, I’ve been receiving many inquiries about the new GI Bill. Unfortunately, I have not been given any more information than what is posted on the GI Bill website, and the FAQs at military.com. When I am given updated information, I will be certain to pass it along to our readership.
Jean Lasinski |