Chapter 1606 - Montgomery GI Bill® - Selected Reserves (MBIG-RS)

The Montgomery GI Bill ® - Selected Reserves is an education program that was enacted by the United States Congress to attract high quality men and women into the reserve components of the Armed Forces. The Selected Reserves include the Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Army Reserve, Air Force Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, as well as the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. This program, commonly referred to as “Chapter 1606” or “MGIB-SR” for short provides education benefits to members of the Selected Reserves who have met certain eligibility requirements.

Please click on the links below for more information on Chapter 1606:

Chapter 1606 Benefit Description

Recipients eligible for this program may receive up to 36 months of education benefits and can be used for the following types of training programs:

• College Degree
• Certificate Program
• Technical or Vocational Courses
• Flight Training
• Apprenticeships/Job Training
• High-Tech Training
• Licensing and Certification Tests
• Entrepreneurship Training
• Certain Entrance Examinations
• Correspondence Courses
• Co-op Training

The program pays a monthly benefit stipend directly to the student and is based on the type of training being taken and rate of pursuit. Program eligibility and award level is determined by the individual’s reserve or guard component. Eligibility for this program normally ends the day an individual leaves the Selected Reserves.

To establish eligibility or to receive a program determination you must contact your reserve or guard component education office. The VA does not determine program eligibility and only makes the payments for this program.

Benefits are paid in arrears (after the training period). For example, a student receives payment for August at the beginning of September. Payments are prorated for any partial months of attendance (ex. August & December). Payment amounts do not include enrollment break periods (ex. Winter & Summer break).

Recipients of this benefit must verify their enrollment at the end of each month of training by the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) system at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do or by calling 1-877-VA-ECERT (1-877-823-2378). Failure to verify enrollment will result in non-payment of benefits.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for this program you must meet the following requirements:

• Have a six (6) year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve signed after June 30, 1985
• If you are an officer, you must have agreed to serve six (6) years in addition to your original obligation
• For some types of training, it is necessary to have a six (6) year commitment that begins after September 30, 1990
• Complete your initial active duty for training (IADT)
• Meet the requirements to receive a high school diploma or equivalency certificate before completing IADT
  • You may not use twelve (12) hours towards a degree to meet this requirement
• Remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit
• You may retain MGIB-SR eligibility if you were discharged from Selected Reserve service due to a disability that was not caused by misconduct
• Your eligibility period may be extended if you were ordered to active duty

Although an individual's eligibility normally ends the day they leave the Selected Reserves, some exceptions do exist that depend on the recipients circumstances. These circumstances include:

• If the recipient was mobilized or recalled to active duty from reserve or guard status
  • In this case eligibility may be extended for the amount of time the individual was mobilized PLUS four (4) months
• If an individual's unit is deactivated during the period beginning on October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2014
• If the individual was involuntarily separated for reasons other than misconduct, the individual may be eligible to retain their original period of eligibility, which is fourteen (14) years from the date of their first six (6) year obligation with the Selected Reserves

How to Apply for Benefit

If this is the first time you are using your education benefits, please visit the VA Ebenefits homepage and apply online by completing VA Form 22-1990 (Application for Education Benefits).

If you have used your benefits before at another school, please visit the VA Ebenefits homepage and complete VA Form 22-1995 (Change of Location).

If you are unable to apply on line, you may complete a hardcopy of VA Form 22-1990 and/or VA Form 22-1995 and return it to the VA Western Regional Education Office at the following address:

You can obtain a copy of the VA Form 22-1990 online at the VA website.

You can obtain a copy of the VA Form 22-1995 online at the VA website.

For more information concerning the Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) or any other education benefit chapter please visit the GI Bill® homepage at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/ or by calling 1-888-442-4551.

Other Helpful Links/Websites

• GI Bill Comparison Tool
• Career Scope
• Choosing a School
• Employment
• GI Bill Payment tables
• DoD's BAH Calculator
• Choosing the right GI Bill for you (PDF)
• MGIB-SR Chapter 1606 Pamphlet (PDF)
• WAVE FAQ's

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.