Veteran Services

Welcome

St Thomas University welcomes you and appreciates your service. We are proud to assist veterans and their dependents with their educational benefits. Our VA Certifying officials serve as a link between the VA and students. We assist veterans entitled to benefits under Chapter 30, 33, 35, 1606, 1607 and Vocational Rehab chapter 31.

Educational benefits are available to qualified veterans and dependents accepted into degree seeking and certificate programs approved by the Florida State Approving Agency for Veterans’ Training. Determination of eligibility for benefits will be made by the VA. It is the student’s responsibility to become familiar with the procedures and regulations.

Veterans Benefits
Veteran students who plan to utilize their VA educational benefits should contact the VA certifying school official after the appropriate VA application form has been submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Forms may be submitted to the VA online at http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp

For Chapters 30, 33, 35, 1606 & 1607 please provide the school official with a copy the following forms:

Application for VA Benefits or Change of Program/Place of Training
DD-214 (For dependents, please submit the discharge papers of the veteran providing the benefits)
Certificate Eligibility from the VA Office notifying the student of eligibility of benefits (This will be sent to you after your paperwork has been processed by the VA.)
All paperwork can be submitted via email, fax or in person to the VA official.

VA Educational Programs
VETERANS
VA Form 22-1990: Application for VA Benefits: If this is your first time using your educational benefits or if you are switching to Chapter 33 from a previous benefit.
VA Form 22-1990e: Transfer of Entitlement: If a veteran has transferred his or her entitlement to a dependent. Please visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_info/CH33/Transfer.htm for further information.
VA Form 22-1995: Request to change of program or place of training: If you have used your VA educational benefits at another school or if you are changing your academic program.

DEPENDENTS
VA Form 22-5490: Application for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance: If you are a dependent (using a parent or spouse’s benefits) and this is your first time using your educational benefits.
VA Form 22-5495: Request for Change of Program or Place of Training Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance: If you are a dependent and have used VA educational benefits at another school or you are changing your academic program.

DD214
What is the DD-214?
The Defense Department issues to each veteran a DD-214, identifying the veteran’s condition of discharge – honorable, general, other than honorable, dishonorable or bad conduct.

Where can I find my military records/acquire the DD 214?
Most veteran’s records are stored at the National Archives and Records Administration’s National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR or NPRC). Starting in 1995, service departments gradually began retaining their personnel records in an electronic format and all but the Coast Guard have stopped transferring them to the NPRC. The NPRC does not have records of members who are still in the active or inactive reserves or the National Guard.

If you were separated from the service after 1995, your military branch may have your records.

Military separation prior to 1995:

NPRC Fax Number: 314-801-9195

NPRC Mailing Address:
National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
314-801-0800

For Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Ch 33) students and VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch 31) students, our tuition policy complies with 38 USC 3679(e) which means Post 9/11 and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment students will not be charged or otherwise penalized due to a delay in VA tuition and fee payments.  For eligibility consideration, a Post 9/11 GI Bill student must submit a VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a Vocational Rehabilitation Student must provide a VAF 28-1905 form. The student must also provide a copy of the submitted application and DD214.