Proposed Post-9/11 GI Bill transferability rules Published May 15, 2009 By Chief Master Sgt. Rodney J. McKinley WASHINGTON -- Department of Veterans Affairs representatives are ready to begin accepting sign-ups for the Post-9/11 GI Bill May 1 and Defense Department officials are working to get the word out on the proposed policy regarding the bill's transferability provisions to help servicemembers decide if the new benefit is right for them. Proposals call for enlisted or commissioned members of the armed forces serving on active duty or in the Selected Reserve on or after Aug. 1 to be eligible to transfer their benefits as long as they qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Another Pentagon proposal would cover servicemembers who will reach the 20-year service mark, making them retirement-eligible, between Aug. 1, 2009, and Aug. 1, 2013. The breakdown on this proposal: - Those eligible for retirement on Aug. 1, 2009, would be eligible to transfer their benefits with no additional service requirement - Those with an approved retirement date after Aug. 1, 2009, and before July 1, 2010, would qualify with no additional service - Those eligible for retirement after Aug. 1, 2009, but before Aug. 1, 2010, would qualify with one additional year of service after approval to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits - Those eligible for retirement between Aug. 1, 2010, and July 31, 2011, would qualify with two additional years of service after approval to transfer - Those eligible to retire between Aug. 1, 2011, and July 31, 2012, would qualify with three additional years of service after approval to transfer The servicemember's 36 months of benefits, the equivalent of four nine-month academic years, could be transferred to a spouse, one or more children or any combination.