Deadline to transfer GI Bill benefits coming this July

Soldiers with over 16 years of service who want to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill to a dependent must do so before July 12, 2019, or risk losing the ability to transfer education benefits.

Last year, the Department of Defense implemented a new Post-9/11 GI Bill Transfer of Education Benefits, or TEB, eligibility requirement, which instituted a "six- to 16-year cutoff rule," said Master Sgt. Gerardo T. Godinez, senior Army retention operations NCO with Army G-1.

Further, soldiers who want to transfer their education entitlement must have at least six years of service, he said. All soldiers must commit to an additional four years of service to transfer their GI Bill.

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MIGHTY CULTURE

Crista Mary Mack

This tropical spot will get the 'single best' indoor rifle range in the Army

Army Reserve soldiers of American Samoa will soon train at the first indoor rifle range in the Army Reserve, a Modular Small Arms Range scheduled for a grand opening the end of April 2019.

"The sons and daughters of American Samoa serving in the Armed Forces will have the single best indoor training facility in the Army," Brigadier Gen. Douglas Anderson, 9th Mission Support Command Commanding General, said. "We are providing our soldiers in American Samoa state of the art training facilities and the ability to conduct training at home, keeping these citizen soldiers with their families and employers to the maximum extent possible."

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Veterans

Paul Boyce

After 16 years, family of fallen soldier presented with his Distinguished Service Cross

Hundreds of 3rd Infantry Division soldiers, Army veterans, Pittsburgh-area officials, and Army leaders recognized U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Stevon A. Booker for his heroism April 5, 2019 — 16 years to the day after he was killed in action while serving in Iraq.

Booker's mother and sister were presented with the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest award for valor, during a ceremony at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood — near the University of Pittsburgh — as family, fellow soldiers, city officials and veterans watched.

"I am so honored … I am so proud of all my son accomplished," said Freddie Jackson, Booker's mother. "I didn't realize how much my son did and how he inspired other people. Steve died for his country, not just for the Booker Family," she said.

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MIGHTY SPORTS

Eve Meinhardt

Soldier running her 100th marathon in Boston

It all started when she was stationed in Virginia 12 years ago. That's when Chief Warrant Officer 4 Beofra Butler saw everyone training for the Marine Corps Marathon and decided to give the 26.2 mile race a try.

As a soldier, running was already a part of her daily life and physical fitness routine. She had ran several other shorter races to include the Army 10-miler and a few half marathons, so the challenge of a full marathon appealed to her. She wasn't even afraid of the dreaded "wall" that everyone told her she would hit around mile 20 when her body would start shutting down as energy stores ran low and fatigue set in.

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MIGHTY CULTURE

Garrison Yongsan

What it's like being an Army combat photographer in South Korea right now

When Private First Class Ethan T. Ford first thought about joining the military, he immediately had his hopes set on being a combat photographer.

"Joining the military has given me a lot of options and I've done a lot of things I would have never had the option to do before. I wouldn't have traveled to Korea, cover historical events, or be in a movie," Ford said.

As a 25V Combat documentation/production specialist, Ford is his unit's official videographer, tasked with shooting and editing footage and capturing every moment of garrison operations.

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MIGHTY TRENDING

Spc. Justin Stafford

75 years after death, WW2 hero buried in hometown

Hundreds of people attended the memorial and funeral of a World War II soldier in his hometown of Troy, Indiana on March 30, 2019. Most of them never met him.

Pfc. Clifford M. Mills, a soldier who fought with the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, was buried 75 years after his death during Operation Market Garden in 1944.

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MIGHTY CULTURE

Tanya Schusler

Policy change allows soldiers to voluntarily seek alcohol-related healthcare

With the signing of a directive by Army Secretary Mark T. Esper on March 25, 2019, U.S. Army soldiers can voluntarily seek alcohol-related behavioral healthcare without being mandatorily enrolled in a substance abuse treatment program. This policy encourages soldiers to take personal responsibility and seek help earlier therefore improving readiness by decreasing unnecessary enrollment and deployment limitations.

The directive's goal is for soldiers to receive help for self-identified alcohol-related behavioral health problems before these problems result in mandatory treatment enrollment, deployment restrictions, command notification and negative career impact.

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MIGHTY TRENDING

J. Paul Bruton

How Army Corps finds 'cremains' among ashes is utterly fascinating

In November 2018, the Camp Fire decimated the rural town of Paradise, California, becoming the state's most destructive and deadliest wildfire ever. The windswept wildfire razed more than 14,000 residences, and at least 86 people were killed.

While Sacramento District's official involvement following the Camp Fire has been minimal, that hasn't prevented district employees from getting involved.

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MIGHTY CULTURE

Sgt. Raquel Villalona

These 'pet therapy' pics will make you wish you were overseas

Petting man's best friend brings instant joy to most people. Especially those serving overseas, thousands of miles away from their loved ones.

American Red Cross dog teams navigated the corridors of Freeman Hall to help 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division soldiers unwind during their busy day, March 28, 2019.

"The unexpected dog visit helped me feel less homesick," said Capt. Catherine Felder, Strongsville, Ohio native, engineer officer, 2ID/RUCD. "I'm serving an unaccompanied tour and have pets back home in the states, so it was definitely refreshing to pet the dogs."

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