Veterans and Military

The Chapter 30: Montgomery G.I. Bill® should be used by veterans or service members who have at least two years of active duty.

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Disclaimer: "GI Bill®” is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website.

The Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) should be used by disabled veterans or veterans who have received a discharge for something other than dishonorable.

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The Chapter 33: Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® should be used by veterans who served after September 2001 and by children or spouses of individuals who transferred benefits after September 11, 2009.

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The Chapter 1606: Selective Reserve G.I. Bill® should be used by Guard and Reserve veterans.

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Institutions of higher learning must enter into an agreement with the VA each year concerning participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Drake University elected to join the Yellow Ribbon Program (officially the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program of the Post 9/11 GI Bill®) beginning in August 2009. Institutions that enter into a Yellow Ribbon Agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are directed each year to choose the amount of tuition and fees they will contribute. Drake will contribute 50% to the tuition and fees not covered by Chapter 33 benefits, the maximum contribution amount under the Yellow Ribbon program. The VA matches Drake’s Yellow Ribbon contribution, and, therefore, 100% of the tuition and mandatory fees will be covered. Students funded under the Yellow Ribbon Program cannot receive Drake awards for room, board, books, or other expenses. However, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays stipends directly to students for housing and book expenses.

Drake Yellow Ribbon Eligibility Guidelines

Also, participating institutions must elect, yearly, the maximum number of eligible individuals for their institution for the upcoming academic year, which Drake does each year. The Drake Yellow Ribbon list is filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Any student who has not registered for the next term will be removed from the Drake Yellow Ribbon list for that term. Note: Once a term has been completed, certification and benefits may not be available.

Students on the Drake Yellow Ribbon list will be confirmed after March 1 of each year.

Prior to becoming eligible for the Drake Yellow Ribbon list, a student must complete the following:

1. Admission to a Drake degree program of study.
2. Direct contact made in writing (email accepted) to the School Certifying Official at veterans.benefits@drake.edu.
3. Provide the School Certifying Official at veterans.benefits@drake.edu with a copy of the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) letter, which lists the award percentage of 100%.

Important: Students who have not registered for the next term may be removed from the Drake Yellow Ribbon list.

Chapter 35: Dependents’ Educational Assistance should be used by children or spouses of individuals who have a 100% disability rating from the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).

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A variety of programs are available for veterans' educational benefits. To learn about eligibility for these benefits, please visit www.gibill.va.gov or contact the VA Regional Office, P.O. Box 66830, St. Louis, MO, 63166-6830 (1-888-442-4551).

Financial Aid: Veterans and their dependents/spouses can also apply for financial aid, which may allow them to receive need-based grant funds in addition to their VA benefits.

Note: Most VA students at Drake meet the conditions for “satisfactorily pursuing” a program of study for receiving VA benefits by meeting the Drake University general catalog requirements. However, a few VA requirements are more stringent than the Drake University general catalog requirements and are listed as follows:

1. Regular attendance: All VA students must be in regular attendance of all classes for which they are registered. Drake University may periodically make attendance spot-checks through the instructors.
   Unsatisfactory progress: The University must notify the Department of Veterans Affairs that a student has made unsatisfactory progress if the student (1) fails or withdraws from all classes or (2) is suspended by the University. Education benefits are terminated when a student makes unsatisfactory progress.
2. Classes not completed: Unless there are extenuating circumstances, all VA students do not receive benefits for any portion of a class dropped after the 10-day add/drop period or for classes in which incomplete (delayed) grades are received and not resolved within one year.
3. Satisfactory Academic Progress: Your VA Benefits will also be contingent on Drake's Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. For more information regarding this policy, please click here.

Because of these more stringent requirements, the VA student should check carefully if contemplating repeating a course, withdrawing from the University, dropping a class, electing to take a delayed grade, or interrupting class attendance.

Drake University is a member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a consortium of more than 1,300 institutions pledged to be reasonable in working with service members and veterans who are trying to earn degrees while pursuing demanding, transient careers.

As an SOC member, Drake is committed to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and crediting learning from appropriate military training and work experiences. SOC is sponsored by 15 national higher education associations along with the military services, the National Guard Bureau, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense serving as cooperating agencies.

The Drake University School Certifying Official is committed to providing quality service for students, families, and colleagues. Should you have a commendation or a complaint, the following action is recommended:

Commendations: Have you told someone how much you appreciate the help you have received, and it still doesn't feel like you've done enough? While a simple “thank you” is always appreciated, you may wish to pursue more formal recognition. If you would like the person to receive official recognition for a job well done, please contact Jenny Tran-Johnson at jennifer.tran@drake.edu. Your commendation will be appreciated and added to the individual's file.

Complaints: In general, a complaint is defined as a concern that a policy or procedure has been incorrectly or unfairly applied, or that inappropriate behavior or action has occurred. For a complaint, first, discuss the problem with the staff member with whom the issue originated. If you would like the complaint to move forward following this discussion, please contact the person's immediate supervisor. For complaints related to the School Certifying Official, a final discussion with Associate Provost Tran-Johnson regarding the complaint may be requested. Please call 515-271-3751 or email jennifer.tran@drake.edu for an appointment. 

Drake University salutes students who are called to military active duty for their commitment to serve our nation. We recognize that students may be called to service during a semester for which they are registered. To that end, we strive to make this transition as smooth as possible.

Read more about the policy here

• General Benefits Information
• How Others Use the G.I. Bill®
• Jobs and Resources for Veterans
• The "Paying for College" webpage
• Veterans Crisis Line
• Veterans, Jobs, and Unemployment
• AMVETS
• The American Legion
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
• Paralyzed Veterans of America
• Veterans Benefit Administration
• Veterans of Foreign Wars
• Wounded Warrior Project