Hazlewood Act Overview Texas Veterans Commission Veterans Education

Hazlewood Act Overview Texas Veterans Commission Veterans Education Department Hazlewood Act Branch October 24, 2018 Helping Veterans Starts Here

Agenda • Overview • Eligibility Requirements • Supporting Documents • 85 th Legislature Update • Future • Points of Contact / Website • Questions Helping Veterans Starts Here

Overview Hazlewood Act Exemption – TVC Role Administer the Texas Hazlewood Act tuition and fees exemption program for eligible Texas veterans and other eligible persons. • Rulemaking authority in consultation with THECB and institutions of higher education (Tex. Ed. Code § 54. 341(i), Rules at Title 40, Texas Administrative Code § 461). • Statutorily obligated to assist veterans and dependents to obtain the exemption (Tex. Govt. Code § 434. 0079(a)). • Conduct outreach to outside groups. • Assist schools in determining veteran eligibility. • Maintain database to monitor exemption use. • The institution of higher education (IHE) is the final decision making authority on student eligibility. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Overview Hazlewood Act Exemption – TVC Role GI Bill / SAA Hazlewood Act • VA determines eligibility of veteran or dependent; not TVC. • School may lose approval for noncompliance. • SAA approves eligible programs by CFR criteria. • VA pays money to the student/school up to one year in arrears. • IHE determines eligibility of veteran or dependent; not TVC. • Mandated for Texas public schools. • Eligible classes set by Texas Education Code. • IHE not required to grant exemption after term ends. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Eligibility Requirements https: //www. tvc. texas. gov/education/hazlewood-act/ Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents DD Form 214 Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents DD Form 214 Acceptable Copies Member – 1 Not Acceptable Service – 2 VA – 3 Member – 4 DOL – 5 Acceptable State DVA – 6 Service – 7 Service – 8 Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents DD Form 214 Home of Record or Place of Entry • At least one must be Texas • Home of Record is set and cannot be changed • Domicile change ≠ HOR change Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents DD Form 214 Length of Service • Must be greater than 180 days, excluding initial entry training • Generally, a veteran whose entire military career has been in a Reserve component(s) must have at least two DD Form 214 s to qualify (USAR, USMCR, USNR, USAFR, USCGR, ARNGUS, ANGUS) • Contact TVC if you have questions Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents DD Form 214 Character of Service • Honorable or • Under Honorable Conditions (General) Also Acceptable: • General (Under Honorable Conditions) • General • Under Honorable Conditions Not Acceptable: • Under Other Than Honorable Conditions • Other Than Honorable • Bad Conduct • Dishonorable • Uncharacterized Contact TVC if you have questions Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents NA Form 13038 Authorized Substitute • Used when a DD Form 214 is not at the National Archives • Home of Record and/or Place of Entry Into Active Duty must still be verified Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents DD Form 1300 40 TAC § 461. 90(b)(1) • Requirement: “…proof that the veteran's death (DD FORM 1300) or disability (VA rating decision letter) was a result of an injury or illness directly associated with military service”. • DD Form 1300 is issued in lieu of a DD Form 214 when a service member dies while on active duty. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter 40 TAC § 461. 90(b)(1) • Requirement: “…proof that the veteran's death (DD FORM 1300) or disability (VA rating decision letter) was a result of an injury or illness directly associated with military service”. • VA Summary of Benefits Letter provided proof in one concise document. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • Go to e. Benefits homepage: https: //www. ebenefits. va. gov/. • Veteran will need to create a Premium account. • Log in. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • Click on “Manage Your Benefits” at the bottom of the Dashboard page. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • Click on “Documents and Records”. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • Click on “VA Letters”. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • Click on “Benefit Summary – Veteran Benefits”. • Do not click on “Benefit Verification”; you will get the wrong letter. No! Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • VA “Benefit Verification Letter”. • Cannot be used for Spouse or Child eligibility verification; does not verify disability level or that the disability is permanent and total. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • Select at relevant information: • “You have one or more service-connected disabilities”; • “Your combined service-connected evaluation is”; • “You are considered to be totally and permanently disabled due solely to your serviceconnected disabilities”; • If necessary, select “You are being paid at the 100% rate because you are unemployable due to your service-connected disabilities”. • Generate letter. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • VA Summary of Benefits Letter • If relevant topic not selected…? Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter Generation at the e. Benefits Website • …you will not get all of the required information. • No information on “totally and permanently disabled”. ? Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter 100% for Individual Unemployability Sample Summary of Benefits Letter for Veteran compensated at 100% for Individual Unemployability. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter • VA Summary of Benefits Letter is preferred because contains all pertinent information while maximizing veteran’s privacy. • Other VA documents can be used at institution’s discretion; contact TVC if you have any questions. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents Front VA Summary of Benefits Letter Sample Qualifying Information Helping Veterans Starts Here Back

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter 100% Disabled – Permanent and Total Helping Veterans Starts Here

Supporting Documents VA Summary of Benefits Letter 100% Disabled for Individual Unemployability Helping Veterans Starts Here

85 th Legislature Update No Changes. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Future • Assistance via Skype for Business; • In-person visits upon request. Helping Veterans Starts Here

Hazlewood Act Points of Contact Charles Bryant Program Specialist charles. bryant@tvc. texas. gov 512 -463 -8189 Dwina Bridgemohan Program Specialist dwina. bridgemohan@tvc. texas. gov 512 -463 -6834 Miguel Rodriguez Program Specialist miguel. rodriguez@tvc. texas. gov 512 -463 -0633 Marcela Clay Program Specialist marcela. clay@tvc. texas. gov 512 -463 -0636 Veterans Education Program Specialists education@tvc. texas. gov 877 -898 -3833 Helping Veterans Starts Here

Please Direct Students with Hazlewood Questions to Visit our Homepage Before Calling us https: //www. tvc. texas. gov/ Helping Veterans Starts Here

Please Direct Students with Hazlewood Questions to Visit our Homepage Before Calling us https: //www. tvc. texas. gov/ Helping Veterans Starts Here

Please Direct Students with Hazlewood Questions to Visit our Homepage Before Calling us https: //www. tvc. texas. gov/education/hazlewood-act/ Helping Veterans Starts Here

Helping Veterans Starts Here