Veteran Affairs Office (VAO)

In order to apply for VA education benefits students have a few options to complete the application they can:

• Apply online
• Visit your nearest VA regional office to apply in person.
• Call 1-888-GI BILL-1 (888-442-4551) to have the application mailed to you.
• Visit the Grossmont VAO in building 10 for assitance with the online or paper application

• Montgomery GI Bill®, Chapter 30
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program, Chapter 31
• Post 9/11 GI Bill®, Chapter 33
• Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA), Chapter 35
• Reserve Gi Bill®, Chapter 1606
• Reserve Educational Assistance Program, (REAP), Chapter 1607

• Corresponding with the Veterans Administration, which includes advocacy in problem cases and related matters.
• Updating information on various forms

Q: Will my Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA or BAH) be affected this semester SPRING 2020 due to COVID-19? I am receiving VA Education Benefits.

A: The Senate and House passed Senate Bill 3503 on March 21, 2020. This bill gives the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the authority to continue paying students using GI Bill Education Benefits during national emergencies between the dates of March 1, 2020 to December 21, 2020. Students who had any or all of their courses changed from Resident (on campus) to Distance (online) for courses that they were ALREADY CERTIFIED FOR will continue to receive payments at the same BAH rate that they were receiving before their courses were changed to Distance. Students who drop any or all of their classes may still incur debts with VA. Students should talk to their School Certifying Official before dropping any classes as this can affect their payments. Students should also talk to a Veterans Counselor before making any schedule adjustments including changing their grade basis from letter grade to Pass/No Pass.

Q: What do I do if I need to drop my class(es) because of COVID-19?

A: If you need to drop any of your classes because of COVID-19, please do the following:

• Talk to a Grossmont College Veterans Counselor about your options before dropping your class(es). You may be able to shift to a Pass/No Pass grading option or utilize services such as tutoring to help you with your classes. You can reach a Veterans Counselor through the main Veterans Resource Center email listed below.
• Contact your School Certifying Official before dropping your class, so that you understand how dropping may affect your MHA payments. Your SCO’s contact information is below in this FAQ.
• If you do drop your class(es) in relation to COVID-19, please make sure to click the box that pops up during that drop process that states you are dropping due to COVID-19. For more information, please visit the Self-Service Drop Steps Instructions PDF.
• After dropping your class(es), you MUST notify the Veteran Affairs Office that you have made a schedule adjustment. Please email an updated Registration Statement from Web Advisor to GrossmontVA@gcccd.edu. Information is included below on how to submit documents to our office digitally. Please let the office know you made a schedule adjustment due to COVID-19 when you email us.

Q: What if I am in a class that cannot go online or is cancelled due to COVID-19? How will my VA Education Benefits be affected?

A: VA has not advised schools on how to proceed with this issue yet. Students are advised to contact the Grossmont College Veterans Office at GrossmontVA@gcccd.edu or the VA Education Hotline at 1-888-442-
8800 Grossmont College Drive Telephone 619-644-7000 El Cajon, California 92020-1799
www.grossmont.edu
Veteran Services
1551 for the most current information available. The VA Education Hotline is open Monday through Friday 8 AM to 7 PM EDT.

Q: What is going to happen to my VA Education Benefits if classes remain online for future semesters (terms)?

A: At this time, colleges and universities across the United States are working with VA to understand how to properly implement S.3503 in accordance with VA regulations. Historically, a student taking all of their classes online would only receive half-the-national-average MHA payment. Language in S.3503 seeks to protect students from this loss, but VA, CCCCO, and schools are still in the process of ensuring that students will receive their full monthly housing allowance if they can. This is an active topic of discussion for VA, the State of California, and education institutions. Ultimately, once a student is certified by our school’s Certifying Officials and sent to federal VA for processing, it is up to VA to pay students resident MHA or half-the-national-average rates. Students are advised to contact the Grossmont College Veterans Office at GrossmontVA@gcccd.edu for more information.

Q: What documents do I need to turn in so that I can be certified for the upcoming semester?

A: Before a student can use benefits with the Grossmont Veterans Office, all of their transcripts must be on file with Admissions & Records. They must also be registered in classes in order to submit paperwork for the semester they would like to use Education Benefits. Once a student has registered for a semester, they will need to submit the following documents to our office in order to be certified:

IF GROSSMONT IS YOUR PARENT SCHOOL:
- Grossmont College Intent Form
- Registration Statement (Obtain from Web Advisor under Students menu)
- GC Parent School Letter (Complete ONLY if you are taking classes at a guest school, ex: Cuyamaca)
- Cuyamaca College Guest Student Intent Form (Complete ONLY if you are taking classes at CC)
- Statement of Understanding “Student Checklist” (First time students only)
- Certificate of Eligibility (First time students only)
- DD214 (First time students only)

IF GROSSMONT IS YOUR SECONDARY/GUEST SCHOOL:
- Grossmont College Guest Student Intent Form
- Registration Statement (Obtain from Web Advisor under Students menu)
- Parent Letter from your parent/home institution (Please have your parent school email this document directly to your SCO.)
These forms are also available on the Grossmont College Admissions & Records Forms page. To find them, scroll to the bottom of the page and look for “Veteran Affairs Forms.”
If there are any problems with your paperwork or the Veterans Office needs to contact you, they will do so via email. Please make sure you monitor your email on file in case additional action is needed on your part to complete your certification.