Veteran Benefits and Funds It is our honor to serve those who so generously serve our country. If there is anything Kilgore College can assist you with, please contact the VA Certifying Official: Jackie Kelley, VA Certifying Official Phone: (903) 983-8171 Fax: (903) 988-7528 jkelley@kilgore.edu

ADMISSIONS
The admission process is the first and most important step for all students. Continuing Education students, which are students that are applying to the Fire and Police Academy, must apply with those departments. All other students must apply through the regular admissions process, just click here to begin.
FINANCIAL AID
All students are encouraged to complete a FAFSA to determine financial aid eligibility, which includes the Pell Grant, other State & Local Grants, Federal Student Loans, and Scholarships. Click on the link to begin. ALSO, as of Spring 2011 all financial aid students will be required to complete a LOAN REQUEST FORM for any of the following: Any student requesting a Federal Student Loan  (which MUST be repaid)– if you have already been awarded and accepted your Financial Aid for FALL and Spring this WILL NOT be necessary. Loan Changes Loan Cancellations Loan Reinstatements Students will only be allowed to make one change to their Loans during a semester, so they will need to be certain of the amount they request and decline.
VETERAN OFFICIAL CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jackie Kelley 1100 Broadway Kilgore, Texas 75662 Office: (903) 983-8171 Fax: (903) 988-7528 jkelley@kilgore.edu
PLACEMENT TESTING
Student success is dependent upon the College placing student's into the appropriate level classes for academic success. All students are required to speak with the Testing Department to determine if testing is necessary. Veterans are eligible to take the Accuplacer Placement Test free of charge as long as they submit their DD214 prior to testing. Please click here for further information.
ENROLLMENT
Once you have completed the Admissions and Testing requirements it is imperative that you schedule an appointment with the Advisor for your program or the Kilgore College Counseling Center at 903-983-8206. Veterans CAN NOT be certified for VA benefits until  there is a schedule in the system for you. This is especially important for Hazelwood Exemption recipients, as the exemption only covers tuition and fees, which cannot be awarded until there is a schedule in place with the associated charges.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. It is your responsibility to contact the Kilgore College Veteran Certifying Official and turn in all required documentation. The Veteran Certifying Official will need the following documents to certify your enrollment: a. A copy of your VonApp application b. A copy of the DD214         c. A completed Admission Application d. Your Military transcript ( it is evaluated to give you college credit for military experience) e. All official college transcripts for schools that you attended prior to enrollment at KC f. Dependents of Veterans will need your file number or the Parent's (the veteran) social security number or it may delay the certification. g. The "Certificate of Eligibility" letter that you will receive from the Department of Veteran Affairs. h. Guest letter from your Parent School (when attending 2 or more colleges during the same term) i. Purchase Order when utilizing tuition assistance.           2. It is your responsibility to contact the Veteran Certifying Official with your schedule at the beginning of each term and when there are changes to your schedule, such adding and withdrawing from classes at any time during the semester. This applies to all Veterans receiving VA Educational benefits and Hazelwood recipients. 3. It is your responsibility to order Official transcripts be sent to your Parent College if you are a guest student. 4. It is your responsibility to turn in Approval Letters (PO) for Military Tuition Assistance.

A list of the Veteran benefits you may be eligible for:

Chapter 33 - Post 9/11: T he Post-9/11 GI Bill is for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009.
Chapter 30 - Montgomery GI Bill: The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty. This program is also commonly known as Chapter 30.
Chapter 35 - DEA: Dependents' Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.
Chapter 1606: The MGIB-SR program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.
Chapter 1607: REAP was established as a part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. It is a new Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress.  This new program makes certain reservists who were activated for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001 either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits.
Chapter 31 - Vocational Rehab: The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program is authorized by Congress under Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 31. It is sometimes referred to as the Chapter 31 program. The mission of VR&E is to help veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs. For veterans with service-connected disabilities so severe that they cannot immediately consider work, VR&E offers services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible. Department of Veterans Affairs Field Office: Jim Baumgartner 1700 SSE Loop 323   Suite 310 Tyler, Texas 75701 Office: 903-565-0441 Fax: 903-565-0723 E-mail: James.Baumgartner@va.gov
Military and Veterans Discount Center: It is free. Find military discounts and veteran discounts in your local area. Save up to $3500 per year by taking advantage of the discounts you've earned. Be the first to receive exclusive military and veteran only discounts. Help fellow service members, veterans and families by adding any local military discounts you come across.

YOU HAVE SERVED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE! NOW LET US SERVE YOU!
www.acp-usa.org

Hazelwood Exemption: The purpose of the Hazlewood Exemption (Hazlewood Act) is to provide an education benefit to honorably discharged or separated Texas veterans and to eligible dependent children and spouses of Texas veterans. Hazelwood Legacy Program: Eligible veterans may assign unused hours of exemption eligibility to a child under certain conditions. To be eligible, the child must: Be a Texas resident, Be the biological child, stepchild, adopted child, or claimed as a dependent in the current or previous tax year, Be 25 years or younger on the first day of the semester or term for which the exemption is claimed (unless granted an extension due to a qualifying illness or debilitating condition), and Make satisfactory academic progress in a degree, certificate, or continuing education program** as determined by the institution. Combat Exemption    To provide an education benefit to a child, or stepchild, of a member of the Armed Forces who is deployed to active duty in a combat zone outside the United States. To be eligible, the child must: Be a Texas resident or is entitled to pay resident tuition, Have a parent who is a member of the U. S. Armed Forces, and Is enrolled for any semester or other academic term during which the service member of the armed forces is deployed on active duty for the engaging in a combative military operation outside the United States   CLICK HERE FOR A NOTICE TO ALL VETERANS RECEIVING CHAPTER 30 & HAZELWOOD BENEFITS

Hazelwood Application for Veterans who have never used the exemption. (Packet HE-V)	Hazelwood Application for Veterans who have previously used the exemption. (Packet HE-V  and  HE-D, requires both)	Hazelwood Legacy Application	Combat Exemption Program no longer available.

My CAA: The Department of Defense (DoD) Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program provides a lifetime benefit of up to $6,000 of Financial Assistance (FA) for military spouses who are pursuing licenses, certificates, credentials or degree programs leading to employment in Portable Career Fields. Application and information are available at the Web site.

Military Tuition Assistance: Armed Forces Tuition Assistance (TA)  is a benefit paid  to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition expenses of its members. You will need to speak with your unit about completing the application process. Kilgore College MUST have the purchase order before money can be placed on your student account to cover expenses.

It is our honor to serve those who so generously serve our country. If there is anything Kilgore College can assist you with, please contact the VA Certifying Official:

Jackie Kelley
VA Certifying Official
Phone: (903) 983-8171
Fax: (903) 988-7528
jkelley@kilgore.edu
Location: 2nd Floor, Devall Student Center in Kilgore

1-18-2012