(a) In General.—Except as provided in this section, the period during which an individual entitled to educational assistance under this chapter may use such individual’s entitlement—

(1) in the case of an individual whose last discharge or release from active duty is before January 1, 2013, expires at the end of the 15-year period beginning on the date of such discharge or release; or

(2) in the case of an individual whose last discharge or release from active duty is on or after January 1, 2013, shall not expire.


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Terms Used In 38 USC 3321

  • Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8

(b) Exceptions.—

(1) Applicability of section 3031 to running of period.—(A) Subsections (b), (c), (d), and (i) of section 3031 shall apply with respect to the running of the 15-year period described in subsection (a) of this section in the same manner as such subsections apply under section 3031 with respect to the running of the 10-year period described in section 3031(a).

(B) Subsection (i) of section 3031 shall apply with respect to the running of the 15-year period described in paragraphs (4)(A) and (5)(A) of this subsection in the same manner as such subsection applies under section 3031 of this title with respect to the running of the 10-year period described in section 3031(a) of this title.

(2) Applicability of section 3031 to termination.—Section 3031(f) shall apply with respect to the termination of an individual’s entitlement to educational assistance under this chapter in the same manner as such section applies to the termination of an individual’s entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 30, except that, in the administration of such section for purposes of this chapter, the reference to section 3013 shall be deemed to be a reference to section 3312 of this title.

(3) Determination of last discharge or release.—For purposes of subsection (a), an individual’s last discharge or release from active duty shall not include any discharge or release from a period of active duty of less than 90 days of continuous service, unless the individual is discharged or released as described in section 3311(b)(2).

(4) Applicability to children of deceased members.—The period during which a child entitled to educational assistance by reason of section 3311(b)(8) of this title may use such child’s entitlement—

(A) in the case of a child who first becomes entitled to such entitlement before January 1, 2013, expires at the end of the 15-year period beginning on the date of such child’s eighteenth birthday; or

(B) in the case of a child who first becomes entitled to such entitlement on or after January 1, 2013, shall not expire.


(5) Applicability to spouses of deceased members.—The period during which a spouse entitled to educational assistance by reason of section 3311(b)(9) 1 may use such spouse’s entitlement—

(A) in the case of a spouse who first becomes entitled to such entitlement before January 1, 2013, expires at the end of the 15-year period beginning on the date on which the spouse first becomes entitled to such entitlement; or

(B) in the case of a spouse who first becomes entitled to such entitlement on or after January 1, 2013, shall not expire.

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