OSU-Okmulgee assists eligible members of the armed forces, veterans, and dependents in efforts to attain education benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

We help to Interpret federal and state agency regulations; we serve as liaison between the student, other university departments, and the VA regional office; we serve as advisors and coordinators to aid veteran-students with issues that may impact receipt of VA education or vocational rehabilitation benefits.

If you have questions, would like to schedule a tour, or would like additional information, contact Angela Leal, in OSU-Okmulgee's Office of Veterans Affairs at 918-293-4972, or by email at angela.leal@okstate.edu.

The VA classifies eligible persons by "chapters", with specific requirements for each:

• Chapter 30 covers regular veterans, with no service-connected disability. These persons must have contributed to the GI Bill Education Benefits while in the service, and have been discharged under honorable conditions.
• Chapter 35 covers the dependents of veterans who are rated as 100% disabled as a result of a service-connected condition, or who has died as a result of such.
• Chapter 106 covers members of the military reserves who qualify under the Select Reserve Education Assistance Program (check with Reserve Unit Training Officer)
• Chapter 31 is a vocational rehabilitation program, rather than an education benefit. This chapter covers veterans who are rated as 20% or greater disabled as a result of a service-connected condition.

The first step is to make application to the Department of Veterans Affairs regional office. The university's Office of Veteran Services is required to have specific information on file for each veteran-student, in order that the veteran can be "certified" by academic calendar dates and credit hours of enrollment.

The following is a basic guide for the forms to be submitted; the VA may request further information. These forms can be completed online at How to Apply for GI Bill Benefits

• Chapter 30: DD-214, page 4, along with VA form 22-1990
• Chapter 35: VA form 22-5490
• Chapter 106: DD-2384, Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE), issued by the reserve unit command, along with VA form 22-1990
• Chapter 31: VA form 28-1900

Although these forms can be submitted directly to the VA Regional Office (VARO), it is advantageous to work through the Veterans Services office at the university.

Allow four to six weeks for VARO to process your application. When this process is completed, VARO will send an "award" letter by mail to the veteran; a copy of this needs to be delivered to the Office of Veterans Services, along with other specific documents from various university departments, prior to the staff filing a VA form 1999-3 Enrollment Certification on behalf of the veteran.

For more details and a copy of the application form needed, contact OSU-Okmulgee's Office of Veterans Affairs at 918-293-4972, or the VA National Information Line at 1-888-442-4551.

• How to Apply for GI Bill Benefits