Veterans Benefits

Western offers educational assistance to Veterans and qualifying military members. Applications for veterans' benefits should be filed two months prior to enrollment to avoid any delay in payment. General information on VA Educational benefits can be obtained by calling the Department of Veteran's Affairs at 1-888-442-4551. Various benefits are listed below. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Anderson, School Certifying Official at aanderson2@westernwyoming.edu or 307-382-1618.

Veterans Benefits - Department of Veterans Affairs

You can get these education benefits if you meet at least one of the requirements listed below.

At least one of these must be true. You:

  • Served at least 90 days on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after September 11, 2001, or
  • Received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service, or
  • Served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break in service) on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability, or
  • Are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying Veteran or service member.
  • For more information, please click: Post-9/11 

A qualifying Veteran must meet certain criteria to be eligible for this benefit. There are four different categories. One of these categories is described below: 

Category I

All of these are true. You:

  • Have a high school diploma, GED, or 12 hours of college credit, and
  • Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985, and
  • Had your military pay reduced by $100 a month for the first 12 months of service

And at least one of these is true. You served continuously (without a break) for:

  • 3 years, or
  • 2 years if that was your agreement when you enlisted, or
  • 4 years if you entered the Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty (called the 2 by 4 program)
  • For more information and other categories, please click: Montgomery Bill Active Duty

 

Montgomery Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) | Veterans Affairs

You can get education benefits under this program if you meet the requirements listed below.

One of these must be true. You:

  • Have a 6-year service obligation (you agreed to serve 6 years) in the Selected Reserve, or
  • Are an officer in the Selected Reserve and you agreed to serve 6 years in addition to your initial service obligation

Note: Your obligation must have started after June 30, 1985, or for some types of training after September 30, 1990.

And all of these must also be true. You:

  • Complete your initial active duty for training (IADT), and
  • Get a high school diploma or certificate of equal value, like a High School Equivalency Diploma or GED, before finishing IADT (Note: You can’t use 12 hours toward a college degree to meet this requirement), and
  • Stay in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit
    (Note: You’ll still be eligible if you’re discharged from Selected Reserve service due to a disability that was not caused by misconduct)
  • For more information, please click: Montgomery  Bill Selected Reserve

Other VA Education Benefits are:

Vocational Rehab and Employment (CH 31): for information regarding these benefits, visit: VA Vocational Rehabilitation

Survivor and dependent benefits: for information regarding these benefits, visit: VA Education Benefits for Survivors and Dependents

State Benefits are:

Overseas Combat Veterans Program: contact VA school representative at Western Wyoming Community College

Wyoming National Guard Education Assistance Plan: for information, visit: Wyoming National Guard Educational Assistance