What happened to my MGIB? And what can I do?
I recently separated from the Marine Corps and filed for eligibility to use my MGIB. My plan was to take my MGIB and use it for the 36 months and transfer to the Post 911 for the 12 months after. Those plans are long gone because I received a letter yesterday claiming that although I qualify under category 1, I can not receive my MGIB because I did not elect it upon enlistment. I joined the Marines as a reservist and when I was in bootcamp, my instructors handed everyone a piece of paper to elect the MGIB. My paper was snatched from me and I was told that I was a reservist and that I didn't rate. After almost a year in the Reserves I augmented to active duty. I LAT moved and went to my MOS school. While there I noticed my $1200 contribution was not coming out of my pay. I brought the matter up and was told to contact my IPAC at my first duty station. That's exactly what I did when as soon as I got to Okinawa. I was told that they would take care of it and that the pay should start coming out of my check. After it didn't, I went back and I did this about 4 or 5 times and every time I was told it was taken care of. The pay never came out. The last time I visited the IPAC the new rule that there would no longer be a $1200 contribution was in play and I was told not to worry because we no longer had to make the $100 a month contribution and that I am automatically eligible as long as I served my time honorably. I was discharged as a Sgt honorably on Apr 29, 2011. Excited, about starting a new chapter of my life and going to school only to find out that I don't get my MGIB. What can I do to prove that I was never given the opportunity to elect the MGIB and that I tried to make my contribution, that I was told repeatedly that everything was taken care of, that I trusted another Marine when I was told it was taken care of? Whose responsibility was it to give me the piece of paper that allowed me to elect it. My recruiter? My drill instructor? My command? Where and when was I given the opportunity to say yes or no to my MGIB? And why was my IPAC so confident that I was "good to go". I feel a severe injustice! I am helpless. Sure, I can probably elect my Post 911 and change my plans for school. But I'm a Marine and I refuse to accept that this has happened to me. If anyone can shed some light on what I can do to get my MGIB and to find out what went wrong so it doesn't happen to anyone else. PLEASE, tell me!
