Currently, service members can transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a dependent family member if they meet the following criteria: 1) They have completed at least six years of service at the time the transfer request is approved, 2) they agree to serve an additional four years, and 3) the dependent receiving the benefits is enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

However, these requirements create challenges for service members who are approaching retirement and wish to transfer benefits to dependents they may have later in life. Many service members may have earned these benefits before starting a family and should have the flexibility to transfer them as their family circumstances evolve. The current policy restricts this flexibility and places an undue burden on those who have dedicated their careers to serving our nation. It is essential to allow service members to transfer their earned benefits based on their family needs without being constrained by additional service requirements near retirement.

The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States urges Congress to allow service members who have reached retirement to transfer benefits to dependents that they have later in life and not accrue a further service obligation.