Contact the VA coordinator:
Ms. Kathy Durrance is the VA Coordinator at AASU.
You can contact Kathy Durrance at:
Registrar's Office
Victor Hall, Suite 104
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, Georgia 31419-1997
Fax 912-344-3470
Phone 912-344-3099 or 1-800-633-2349
Email: durranka@mail.armstrong.edu
Veteran Services:
Armstrong Atlantic State University is approved by the State of Georgia as a training facility for veterans applying for VA Educational Benefits. The AASU Office of Veteran Affairs provides service to approximately 400 students attending the university.
The following VA Benefit programs are in place at AASU:
- Montgomery GI Bill / Chapter 30: (active duty or veteran status) must have served in the United States Armed Forces and participated in the GI Bill program. In most instances, veterans must also have been Honorably discharged.
- Montgomery GI Bill / Chapter 1606: (selected guard and reserves) must have completed all initial entry training (IET) and are now assigned to a Reserve and/or a Georgia National Guard Unit. Please submit a copy of your DD214 and NOBE (Notice of Basic Eligibility, obtained from your unit education officer).
- VA Vocational Rehabilitation / Chapter 31: (service-connected disabled veterans) must make application with local VA caseworker to have rehabilitation plan developed indicating a AASU degree plan.
- Survivors and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program / Chapter 35: (dependents and spouses of 100% disabled or deceased Veterans) must complete VA Form 22-5490 (application) and submit to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Once the benefit is established the VA will issue a certificate of eligibility to the dependent/spouse. The student must provide a copy of this certificate to the AASU VA Coordinator upon enrollment at the university.
- VA Work-Study Program: all VA students are eligible to apply for VA work-study positions. The VA Coordinator maintains a listing of local VA approved work-study sites.
Getting started:
After gaining admission to the university (see admissions web site for details), students should contact the VA Coordinator to begin the process of applying for VA benefits. The following documents should be presented to the VA Coordinator when making application for VA benefits:
- DD Form 214
- Kicker/Buy Up documentation
- College Fund documentation
University Charges:
Students are responsible for paying all university bills. AASU and the VA do not have an agreement to process tuition/fee waivers; therefore failure of the VA to pay students in a timely manner does not eliminate or delay students financial responsibility to the university. It normally takes the Atlanta VA processing center 6-8 weeks to process new education claims, so please plan accordingly.
Advance Pay:
AASU Office of Veteran Affairs does not process VA Advance Pay.
Official Verification for Financial Aid:
If you plan to use financial aid while enrolled as a student at AASU, the Financial Aid office may request that you provide a current VA Award Letter. The VA Coordinator will provide you this document when required by the Financial Aid office.
Veteran Students' Responsibilities:
Veteran students at AASU have ongoing responsibilities to the VA. The AASU VA Coordinator closely monitors each student's enrollment status and academic program. The student's entitlement is based upon the number of credit hours for which they are enrolled. Current pay rates can be viewed at:
http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/rates.htm .
In assisting the VA Coordinator, veteran students at AASU must do the following
1. Notify AASU VA Coordinator every term that they register and expect VA benefits.
2. Have AASU VA Advisement to Term form completed by your academic advisor.
3. Notify the AASU VA Coordinator if you:
a. change degree program
b. change schedule / ADD or DROP
c. withdraw completely
d. change address
Chapter 30 and 1606 Monthly Verification
All students who are receiving Chapter 30 and Chapter 1606 benefits must verify their monthly enrollment on the last day of each month or after. The benefit (monetary award) will not be released by the VA until this is done. Enrollment verification can be accomplished by using the VA toll-free telephone number 1-877-823-2378 or the WAVE feature found on the VA website www.gibill.va.gov.
Additional VA Education Benefit questions and answers can be found on the AASU Registrar's homepage using the Virtual Advisor tool. |