Montgomery GI Bill – Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) (Chapter 1607)
REAP was established as a part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. It is a Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress. This program makes certain that reservists who were activated for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001 are either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits.
- Current REAP beneficiaries - Veterans who were attending an educational institution on November 24, 2015, or during the last semester, quarter, or term ending prior to that date, are eligible to continue to receive REAP benefits until November 25, 2019.
- REAP beneficiaries not attending school - Veterans who applied for REAP but were not attending an educational institution on November 24, 2015, or during the last semester, quarter, or term ending prior to that date, are no longer eligible to receive REAP benefits. You may be eligible to receive benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Veterans who have not enrolled in school and applied for REAP benefits prior to November 25, 2015, are no longer eligible for REAP benefits. However, in most cases, you will be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
The Colmery Act, also known as the Forever GI Bill, enacted August 16, 2017, provides an opportunity for reservists who lost their REAP benefits to elect to credit their REAP eligibility toward the Post-9/11 GI Bill.