On the Job

Education benefits: Not just for the classroom anymore

By Tyler Francke, Oregon Veterans News Magazine

Like many young people, Elijah Carillo did not graduate high school knowing exactly what he wanted to do. In fact, he knew only one thing for certain.

“I knew I wanted to make a difference with my life,” he said.

His mother suggested he look into the criminal justice field, and before long, he enrolled in the program at Western Oregon University.

“Once I started to take classes, I was totally hooked,” he said. “I could see myself in this career for the rest of my life.”

As Carillo’s college education began the traditional shift from the routine of books and classes to the practical expectations of work in a career and life after school, one of his professors broached the subject of how he might bolster his resume.

The job market for law enforcement professionals was becoming increasingly crowded, this professor explained, and he suggested Carillo should pursue an internship or military service to stand out from the crowd.

Marine Reserve Elijah Carillo stands at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training in Salem, where he is training as an officer for the McMinnville Police Department.

He chose military, and joined the Marine Corps Reserve.

“I had always wanted to claim the title of Marine, so I took the opportunity to fulfill my dream,” he said.

He may have enlisted in the Reserve as opposed to active duty, but that distinction meant nothing to his drill instructors.

“The training was difficult,” he recalled. “We weren’t treated any differently as reserves. I had all the same training as an active Marine.”

Carillo delayed what would have been his senior year to pursue his dream of joining “The Few and The Proud.”

He completed the grueling 13-week boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, Calif., and went on to combat training and then Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) School, where he would graduate at the top of his class.

After training, he came home and returned to school. He graduated in 2017 and was able to find work in his hometown as an officer for the McMinnville Police Department.

“I truly believe my education, coupled with my military service, made me a much stronger candidate in the hiring pool,” Carillo said.

When he started his training at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, he learned his remaining education benefits could be used in a way he hadn’t anticipated.

“I was told by a co-worker that there was a possibility of receiving the GI Bill for my training time just a few days before my academy start date,” Carillo recalled. “I was very excited about the possibility.”

Under the VA’s on-the-job training program, veterans are able to use their education benefits toward their training as a first responder. Training does not cost anything, of course, but while a veteran is undergoing training or on probationary status, their pay is typically only a fraction of what it would be as a fully sworn officer.

The on-the-job program can help bridge that gap, by offering a monthly supplement of as much as $2,200 on top of the veteran’s base salary, while he or she is on probationary status. The stipend is tax-free and is reduced by 20 percent every six months, as the veteran progresses through training and his or her wages increase.

The idea is to give veterans the opportunity to learn a skill or trade through on-the-job training and participation rather than attending formal classroom instruction.

“Almost every registered apprenticeship program in Oregon provides strong incentives for veterans, including veterans preference and the ability for a returning service member to use his or her G.I. Bill benefits,” Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian said. “Bringing a veteran on as an apprentice means not only having an apprentice with higher than the average entry-level experience, but a work ethic worthy of the U.S. Armed Forces.”

Employers are added to the program by application to the state approving agency, which in Oregon is the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).

For more information about on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs in Oregon, please call 503-947-5727 or visit www.oregon.gov/highered/institutions-programs/ private/Pages/state-approving-agency-veterans.aspx.

More information about the eligibility for and benefits of on-the-job training and apprenticeships in general may be found on the VA’s website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/ onthejob_apprenticeship.asp.

ARE YOU MISSING OUT ON YOUR BENEFITS?

You may think your veteran education benefits can be applied only toward a traditional degree program at a university or community college, this is not the case. The federal VA and its partners offer many opportunities for veterans to advance their careers and pursue their dream jobs without setting foot inside a classroom.

The following is a list of educational and vocational opportunities that you may qualify for. To confirm your eligibility, or for more information, contact ODVA or your local veteran service office.

On-The-Job Training and Apprenticeship

VA on-the-job training and apprenticeships allow veterans to advance their employment prospects by learning a skill or trade. These programs typically involve entering into a training contract for a specific period of time with an employer or union. At the end of the training period, a job certification is issued or journeyman status achieved. Most veterans receive a salary from their employer or union during training.

Montgomery GI Bill

You may be eligible for Montgomery GI Bill benefits while you are on or after you separate from active duty. At a minimum, you must have a high school diploma or GED. To receive benefits after separating, you must have received an honorable discharge. You generally have 10 years from your last date of separation from active duty to use your MGIB-AD benefits.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays a Monthly Housing Allowance based on the Department of Defense’s Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents, which is paid in addition to wages. The stipend is reduced 20 percent every six months, until it equals 20 percent of the Monthly Housing Allowance. The Post-9/11 GI Bill also pays up to $83 per month for books and supplies in a lump sum.

1606 Selected Reservist GI Bill

You may be eligible for Selected Reservist benefits if you have a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve, complete your initial active duty for training, serve in a drilling unit and remain in good standing and obtain a high school diploma or equivalency. The Guard and Reserves decide if you are eligible, while the VA makes the payments for the program. Generally, your eligibility for these benefits ends on the day you leave the Selected Reserve.

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment

This VA program is a program similar to on-the-job training, for veterans who have an employment handicap, meaning a service-connected disability that impairs his or her ability to obtain or maintain suitable employment. Under this program, a veteran may be hired at an apprenticeship wage, and the VA supplements his or her salary up to the level of the journeyman wage. The VA also pays for any necessary tools. Employers are eligible for a tax credit if they hire someone participating in a vocational rehab program.

Survivors and Dependents’ Educational Assistance

This program offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or of veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits, which may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship and on-the-job training.