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Veterans and Military Benefits

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Veterans and Military Benefits

VA Enrollment Checklist
VA Contact Information
VA Standards of Progress
VA Request for Certification

Alpena Community College is approved by the Michigan Department of Education State Approving Agency for the training of veterans and other persons eligible under the educational benefits programs of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA). Students must enroll at ACC in an approved degree program, or be enrolled as eligible guest students from another institution.

The college is required to notify the USDVA of any transfer credit granted and the resulting reduction of training time necessary for the student to complete the degree objective. Students who have attended another college must have their transcripts sent to ACC as soon as possible for evaluation. ACC will evaluate transcripts and determine what courses will transfer and how many credits will apply to the student’s degree program at ACC. Transfer credits will be reported in the student’s Program Evaluation (Self-Service), which will also identify the remaining courses and credits required for the student’s degree program at ACC.

The ACC Veterans Affairs Coordinator, Amanda Belusar, is located in the Financial Aid Office of the Van Lare Hall building. The VA Coordinator has all the necessary forms for application of benefits and assists veterans with the process of applying for VA Education Benefits, certifies the enrollments of eligible students to the USDVA, and monitors the Standards of Progress for VA Education Benefits. The student must request certification each semester with the VA Coordinator. All changes of address, program of study, adding or dropping of classes, and withdrawals from courses must be reported immediately to the VA Coordinator. As there are many facets of the program, it is highly recommended that you make an appointment to see the VA Coordinator by calling 989.358.7286. For more information visit https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/.

Veterans and service persons, their spouses and dependents, or their survivors may be eligible for educational benefits through:

  • The Post 9/11 GI Bill ®, Chapter 33
  • The New GI Bill ® – Selected Reserve Educational Assistance Program, Chapter 1606
  • Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP), Chapter 32
  • New GI Bill ® – Active Duty Educational Assistance Program, Chapter 30
  • Vocational Rehabilitation, Chapter 31
  • Dependent’s Educational Assistance, Chapter 35

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 at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

VA Enrollment Checklist

Fillable Enrollment Checklist Form
1. Apply for admission to ACC: https://discover.alpenacc.edu/admissions/
2. Apply for and/or transfer VA Education Benefits from another school to ACC. https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/
3. Request official transcripts sent to the Admissions Office at ACC (High School, GED, and/or any accredited colleges):

Admissions Office: 665 Johnson Street | Alpena, MI 49707
Remember your military transcripts!
Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard transcripts can be acquired through the Joint Services Transcript (JST) at https://jst.doded.mil
Air Force: Air Force Transcript Request

4. Apply for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), even if you are covered by military benefits, this could open up other federal and state scholarship and grant opportunities. It is always wise to complete the FAFSA before considering any kind of educational borrowing. Go to: fafsa.gov
5. New students may be required to complete the placement assessment for reading, writing, and math.
6. Sign up for New Student Orientation: https://www.alpenacc.edu/studentorientations/, you will meet with an advisor and register for classes at orientation. Be sure to ask your academic advisor about all training requirements including additional certifications, internships, apprenticeships, or licensing needed to work in your field of study.
7. Turn in paperwork to our Certifying Official(s):

  • VA Certificate of Eligibility apply at https://www.va.gov
  • Request for Certification (in the Financial Aid Office)
  • Standards of Progress (in the Financial Aid Office)
  • Copy of DD-214, member 4. (This requirement is exempt for those applying for Chapter 35, Chapter 1606 or had Chapter 33 benefits transferred to them as a dependent.)
  • Copy of your ACC Registration & Billing Statement (in the Registrar’s Office)

8. Be sure to check your ACC email often for important financial aid and registration information.
9. Purchase books and get ready to start classes. Welcome to ACC!

Alpena Community College Statement of Compliance for Title 38 USC 3679(e) 

In compliance with the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, Alpena Community College (ACC) will not impose any penalty, including but not limited to, the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, institutional facilities/resources, or require students to borrow additional funds for which interest or other charges are assessed, on any covered individual that is unable to meet his or her financial obligations because of a delayed disbursement of funds from the Veterans Administration (VA) for tuition payment under chapter 31 or 33.  Effective July 1, 2019.

A covered individual is any individual entitled to educational assistance for tuition payment under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or chapter 33, Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits who has submitted to Alpena Community College:

  1. A certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance no later than the first day of a course of education (a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the VA website –eBenefits, or VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes), and
  2. ACC’s Request for Certification of Veteran Benefits to declare the individual’s intent to use the benefits for the given semester, and
  3. Payment for the remaining tuition and fee charges not covered by the anticipated VA tuition payment.

Students who need assistance with anything concerning their VA educational benefits should contact ACC's VA School Certifying Official, Amanda Belusar, located at Van Lare Hall room 107, or call 989.358.7229.

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 at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill .

VA Contact Information

Veterans Customer Services Office (St. Louis)
Toll-Free Number: 1-888-442-4551
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

To check the status of benefits and to get other information about Montgomery GI Bill ® active duty or selected reserve benefits; processing claims, VA education programs, or applying for benefits. For additional assistance, students may speak with a veteran’s benefits counselor.

Veterans Services Office (Detroit)
Toll-Free Number: 1-800-827-1000 

To get any other information about VA Benefits including education programs; obtaining VA information through the internet or other toll-free numbers and VA benefits counseling.

Change Direct Deposit & Address
Toll-Free Number: 1.877.838.2778

Request a Copy of DD-214
National Personnel Records Center at 314.801.0800 or online at https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records

Monthly Enrollment Verification & Changes
W.A.V.E (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment): https://gibill.va.gov/wave or call Toll Free Number: 1.877.823.2378

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
Apply online at https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/

VA Standards of Progress

Fillable Standards of Progress Form
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs requires that ACC establish and enforce Standards of Progress for all students receiving educational benefits from the VA. These standards are reviewed by the Office of Higher Education Management Services of the Michigan Department of Education and must be approved by the VA.

The college is also required to report to the VA all changes in enrollment status for students receiving benefits. These changes include dropping a class, withdrawing from classes, or failing a class. Such changes may result in a reduction of benefits paid to the student and possible repayment of benefits to the VA. All students receiving education benefits are required to immediately report any such changes in enrollment to the Veterans Affairs counselor at ACC.

All students receiving VA education benefits who receive a failing grade in a course are required to submit a written statement of their attendance in that course to the Veterans Affairs counselor at ACC. This statement must indicate whether or not the student attended that class for the entire semester, or their last date of attendance if they did not attend for the entire semester. If such a statement is not received from the student within five days of the receipt of his/her grade report, the college will notify the VA, and the VA may terminate the student’s benefits for that class retroactive to the first day of classes in that semester.


VA Request for Certification

Fillable Request for Certification for Veterans Benefits Form 2024-25
Fillable Request for Certification for Veterans Benefits Form 2025-26

Military Tuition Assistance

Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)

Notice: Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) is distinct from all other veteran affairs education benefits and financial aid. Federal Tuition Assistance recipients should first contact their respective Education Service Officer (ESO) to seek approval prior to registering for classes.

Members of the Selective Reserves and National Guard may be eligible for federal tuition assistance. Each of the Armed Forces has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process and restrictions.

Application Process: Learn more specific information on FTA Guidelines and Application Process by military service branch.


FTA Student Responsibilities

Applications: Must be approved BEFORE the first day of classes. Applications may be submitted up to 60 days prior to the class start date and no later than 7 business days before the class start date.

Students should contact Amanda Belusar in the Financial Aid Office at belusara@alpenacc.edu and submit the Request for Certification for Veterans Benefits each semester, once enrolled in eligible courses.

Fees, books, and supplies are NOT covered. This is a tuition-only program.


TA Refund Policy

In accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) policy, Alpena Community College is required to return unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through the 60 percent completion point of the course for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during a course, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending the course. Instances of active duty service members withdrawing due to military service obligations will be accommodated to mitigate student loss.

16  Week course withdraw submitted:
Before or during weeks 1-2: 100% return
During weeks 3-4: 75% return
During weeks 5-8: 50% return
During week 9: 40% return (60% of course completed)
During weeks 10-16: 0% return

12 Week course withdraw submitted:
Before close of business on Wednesday of 2nd week: 100% return
After 100% return date to end of week 3: 75% return
During weeks 4-6: 50% return
During week 7: 40% return (60% of course completed)
During weeks 8-12: 0% return

For courses that do not follow the common semesters listed above, the following schedule will be applied. Courses dropped during the 100% tuition refund period, as defined as not less than 1/10 of the calendar days from the start date to the end date of the course, will have 100% return to the appropriate Military Service. After the 100% tuition refund drop period the calculation (W/T) will determine the period of completion for the semester. Where (W) is the day of the withdraw and (T) is the total days of the course from start date to end date, including weekends within that time.

100% tuition refund period: 100% return
After 100% return date to (W/T) is greater than or equal to 25%: 75% return
25% is less than (W/T) and (W/T) is less than or equal to 50%: 50% return
50% is less than (W/T) and (W/T) is less than or equal to 60%: 40% return (60% course completed)
(W/T) is greater than 60% to end of course: 0% return

Please navigate to the Financial Aid Policies to view the Refunds and Return of Title IV Funds to view policy for non-TA funds.


Readmissions for Service Members

The student must notify the School Certifying Official, Amanda Belusar, of their military service and intention to return to school as follows:

Notification of military service: The student must give written notice of such service to the School Certifying Official as far in advance as is reasonable under the circumstances. This notice does not have to indicate whether the student intends to return to the school and may not be subject to any rule of timeliness; timeliness must be determined by the facts in each case. Alternatively, at the time of readmission, the student may submit an attestation of military service that necessitated the students absence from school. No notice is required if precluded by military necessity, such as service in operations that are classified or would be compromised by such notice.

Notification of intent to return to school: The student must also give written notice of their intent to return to the school within three years after the completion of the period of service. A student who is hospitalized or convalescing due to an illness or injury incurred or aggravated during the performance of service must notify the School Certifying Official within two years after the end of the period needed for recovery from the illness or injury. A student who fails to apply for readmission within these periods does not automatically forfeit eligibility for readmission, but is subject to the school’s established leave of absence policy and general practices.

The student will be admitted with the same academic enrollment status for TA fund purposes, which means:

  • to the same program to which the student last admitted or, if that exact program is no longer offered, the program that is most similar to that program, unless the student chooses a different program;
  • at the same enrollment status, unless the student chooses a different program that enrolls them in a different enrollment status;
  • with the same number of credit hours previously completed, unless the student is readmitted to a different program to which the completed credit hours are not transferable, and
  • with the same academic standing (e.g. satisfactory academic progress status) the student previously had.

If the student is readmitted to the same program or different program, the school will charge tuition and fees based on the current charges that all students in the program are being charged in that academic year.

The cumulative length of the absence and of all previous absences from ACC for military service may not exceed five years. Only the time the student spends actually performing service is counted.


Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (MINGSTAP)

MINGSTAP is available to members of the Michigan National Guard who (1) are active in the National Guard (including the traditional service of one weekend/month and two weeks/year; (2) are not absent without leave or under UCMJ charges; and (3) meet the additional criteria established by the TAG consistent with the guard’s recruiting and retention requirements.

Student Responsibilities

Applications: Applications for MINGSTAP may be submitted up to 60 days prior to the class start date and must be submitted no more than 14 days after the class start date.

Payment: Payment to Alpena Community College (ACC) is due by the designated ACC payment due date since MINGSTAP is a reimbursement program. Eligibility for FTA or Financial Aid may protect student courses and should be verified. Upon submission of final grades, MINGSTAP reimbursement will be sent directly to the soldier.

MINGSTAP may be used in conjunction with other federal tuition assistance (such as Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) and/or Post 9-11 GI Bill® Chapter 33) as long as FTA does not cover 100% of tuition and fees. MINGSTAP can be used to cover remaining tuition and/or eligible fees. The combination of Federal Tuition Assistance, State Tuition Assistance and any other tuition specific aid cannot exceed 100% of the cost of tuition.

Books and supplies are NOT covered. This is a tuition-only program.


Prohibition of High-Pressure Recruitment Tactics
Alpena Community College (ACC) prohibits the payment of any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on securing enrollments or federal financial aid (including TA funds) to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting, admission activities, or making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance, and:

ACC prohibits high-pressure recruitment tactics such as making multiple unsolicited contacts (3 or more), including contacts by phone, e-mail, or in-person, and engaging in same-day recruitment and registration for the purpose of securing Service member enrollments in non-credit courses/programs. Please be aware that with each FAFSA submission/correction a student makes, if the student is selected for verification, the verification notice sends out to students 3 times each submission/correction made.

Informational Links