Military
ADMISSIONS Overview / Military
Proudly offering Veteran Education for over 20 years!
During this time, Lyons Legacy has discovered that Veterans are some of the most successful students. The dedication to task and perseverance shown in these students is unparalleled.
An education from Josh Lyons LLC is both valuable and affordable. We work with you to find a plan that works, no matter what your equestrian education goals may be.
As part of our Veteran Education Program, you will be assigned a specially trained Veteran Finance Specialist who will assist you in obtaining your Veteran Education Benefits. Your Veteran Finance Specialist can discuss other scholarships and grants you may be eligible for. Please note that only our Colorado Campus programs are eligible for Veteran Education Benefits.
Each branch of the service manages their respective tuition assistance programs and has their own policies governing eligibility, and application process, all Active Service Members (including National Guard and Reserve) must contact their Education Service Officer (ESO) or Education Counselor within your branch of service prior to enrolling with Josh Lyons LLC.
Click the links below to find out more about your specific branch military tuition assistance or other military related educational benefit program.
Lyons Legacy Application Process
- Apply for your benefits
- Submit enrollment agreement with DD214 and Certificate of Eligibility
- Submit resume, 3 character references, and letter of goals to info@lyonslegacy.com
POST 9/11 GI BILL®
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® could provide the financial support to help you reach your equestrian certification dreams. If you served after 9/10/2001 (minimum of 90 days) and have an honorable discharge, were discharged for a service-connected disability (minimum of 30 days of service) or are still active duty – the Post-9/11 GI Bill® can help get you there. Benefits can be used towards Our Certification and Accreditation Programs.
BENEFITS OF THE POST-9/11 GI BILL®
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® program is comprised of multiple payments. All payments and maximum amounts are applicable to individuals eligible for the full benefit (100% eligibility tier). The payment and maximum amounts will be prorated based on your eligibility percentage if you are not eligible for the full benefit.
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® you may receive:
- Up to 100% paid tuition and fees. The maximum tuition benefits you’re eligible to receive depends on your aggregate period of active duty after Sept. 10, 2001. Depending on your length of service, you could have anywhere from 40% to 100% of your tuition and fees (not to exceed $28,937.09 per academic year) covered by the government.
- A monthly housing stipend. If applicable, the monthly housing allowance you’re eligible to receive is equal to the military housing benefit rates of an E-5 with dependents. The housing allowance is based on the location of the school and will be sent directly to you. Online stipend is half of the national average.
- A yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000. The maximum stipend you’re eligible to receive for your books and supplies is $1,000 a year. The stipend will be paid proportionally for every quarter, semester or term that you’re in school.
You may also qualify to transfer benefits to your spouse or dependents. Details at va.gov
VA Contact Number: 1-800-827-1000
To Enroll, you must call your local Veteran’s Affairs Regional Office or go on-line to www.gibill.va.gov to obtain your Certificate of Eligibility. When you receive your Certificate of Eligibility, you will receive two copies. One copy you will need to send in to us and the second copy will be for your personal records. Once we receive your enrollment agreement packet accompanied by your Certificate of Eligibility and DD214, we will then start paperwork and send in the VA form 22-1999 to the Veteran’s Office.
The GI Bill for Non-College Degree (NCD) Programs
Are you ready to start building a career as a civilian? Not quite feeling the 4-year degree program route?
Then going to trade school or non-college degree program might be just for you!
If you want to know whether you can use your GI Bill benefits for trade school, the answer is YES. The GI Bill can be used to pay for trade school education and training through a non-college degree program up to $28,937.09 or an on-the-job training or apprenticeship. The amount of benefits you can receive depends on:
- The GI Bill program you are receiving benefits from,
- The type of program you are attending,
- Your eligibility percentage, and
- Your rate of pursuit or training level
What Exactly is a Trade School?
A trade school is a vocational or technical school that provides industry-specific technical skills.
Since trade schools are short course programs with an open enrollment and a non-traditional education, you get a lot of hands-on experience on your own pace, and can finish your trade-specific education and training in a short span of time. Moreover, trade schools are relatively affordable!
Can I Use the GI Bill for Trade School?
Absolutely yes! The GI Bill is a wonderful option for attending a trade school.
With just a high school diploma or a GED, you can get admitted into most trade schools.
There are two options that you can choose from when pursuing your trade school education:
- Non-College Degree Program
This educational benefit can be used by active-duty service members, veterans, and eligible dependents. The VA will pay for tuition costs, as well as provide a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and a yearly stipend for books and supplies.
- On-the-Job Training/ Apprenticeship
On the other hand, the apprenticeship program is only for veterans and their dependents. The VA will pay a monthly stipend equivalent to your applicable MHA, since this program means training directly under an employer, you will also receive a salary during your training, proportional to your skill level.
*Spouses using transferred benefits are not eligible for this benefit.
What benefits you can get for attending trade school depends on the following factors:
- The GI Bill program you are receiving benefits from,
- The type of program you are attending,
- Your eligibility percentage, and
- Your rate of pursuit or training level
First, let’s go over the different GI Bill programs that you can use for trade school.
What GI Bill Program am I Eligible For?
There are two GI Bill programs that cover trade school education and training- the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill. First, you want to figure out which GI Bill you have. Each program has its own eligibility criteria and payment rates, which we will discuss below.
Additionally, the VA also offers a Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program (VR&E), Chapter 31, which provides career counseling and assistance in resume building.
It also gives special assistance for veterans with disability looking to integrate successfully into civilian life.
- Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
Are you eligible? The minimum requirement for eligibility for the Post 9/11 GI Bill is 90 days of active-duty service on or after September 10, 2001 (or 30 consecutive days, if you were discharged due to a service connected disability).
Your eligibility percentage goes up the longer you serve in the military. Use this table as a guide in determining how much benefits you are eligible for:
At Least 36 months | 100% |
30 consecutive days or more of active duty and discharged due to service-connected disability | 100% |
30-36 months | 90% |
24-30 months | 80% |
18-24 months | 70% |
12-18 months | 60% |
6-12 months | 50% |
3-6 months | 40% |
When can you use it? If your active-duty service ended before January 1, 2013, you have 15 years to use your GI Bill benefits.
But, if you separated from the service on or after January 1, 2013, there is no time limit to your entitlement, thanks to the Forever GI Bill.
- Montgomery GI Bill
The Montgomery GI Bill is divides into two programs- Active Duty (MGIB-AD) and Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR).
Are you eligible? There are 4 eligibility categories under the Montgomery GI Bill- Active Duty, which you can check out on the VA website, but basically, you need to have rendered at least 2 years of active duty service, and have been contributing $100 a month on your first year.
Your eligibility depends on whether you have completed 3 years of enlistment.
When can you use it? For the MGIB-AD, you have 10 years to use your benefits, while for the MGIB-SR, you can use your benefits for as long as you are in the Reserve.
If you believe that you are eligible for both GI Bills, you will have to choose which one to use- and this is an irrevocable decision.
The best way to go about this is to consult with a career counselor in your service branch, so you can weigh your options and figure out which GI Bill you can benefit the most from.
How Much GI Bill Money Can I Get for Trade School?
Let’s say you are already under a GI Bill program. Now, you have to decide on which approach to take to take regarding your trade school education.
To help you do so, we have outlined the benefits you can get for each option.
Non-College Degree Program Payout
Post 9/11 GI Bill: The VA will pay up to the full in-state cost or the national maximum of $28,937.09, depending on your eligibility percentage. You may also get an MHA based on the location of your classes, as well as up to $83 a month for books and supplies.
Note: If you take a fully online program, your MHA will only be half of the national average.
Montgomery GI Bill- Active Duty: The VA will pay up to $1,994 a month on tuition costs if you have completed at least 3 years of enlistment, or $1,619 if your active duty service was less than 3 years.
Montgomery GI Bill- Selected Reserve: The VA will pay up to $392 a month on tuition costs.
These rates further depend on your rate of pursuit. Use this table as a guide on how much you can receive depending on whether you study full time or less:
Rate of Pursuit | Eligibility Percentage |
Full Time | 100% |
3/4 Time | 75% |
1/2 Time | 50% |
Less than ½ time but more than ¼ time | 50% |
1/4 Time | 25% |
On-The-Job Training/ Apprenticeship Payout
Post 9/11 GI Bill: The VA will pay you a monthly stipend based on your applicable MHA. These rates vary depending on your training level. Use the table below as a guide:
Training Period | Monthly Rate |
First 6 months of training | 100% of applicable MHA |
Second 6 months of training | 80% of applicable MHA |
Third 6 months of training | 60% of applicable MHA |
Fourth 6 months of training | 40% of applicable MHA |
Remaining Pursuit | 20% of applicable MHA |
Montgomery GI Bill: For both the MGIB-AD and MGIB-SR, the VA will pay you a monthly stipend at a fixed monthly rate based on how long you were on active-duty service.
These rates may vary each year. You can check out the current rates at the VA Rate Tables.
Licensing and Certification Payout
For both the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, the VA will reimburse you the actual test cost for the licensing or certification test you took, whether you passed or failed (up to $2000).
You can retake the test as many times as you need, and the VA will pay for it as long as you have remaining entitlement benefits.
Note: This benefit is currently not applicable to MGIB-SR.
Pro-tip
Here is the best part yet: You don’t have to choose just one program in pursuing your trade school education!
You can study at a non-college degree institution, then take your apprenticeship with a VA accredited employer, and then get your license or certificate- and all of it will be covered by the GI Bill (provided, of course, that you have enough entitlement benefits)!
What Trades or Skills Can I Learn Using the GI Bill?
Truthfully, you can be anything from being a barn manager to clinician. The possibilities are endless with equestrian certification! Once you are ready to start on your journey to success in your civilian career, you can apply for veteran benefits on the VA website.
Once you have applied for your VA educational benefits, you are eligible to enroll in our equestrian certification programs at Lyons Legacy Equestrian Academy by completing our enrollment packet and furnishing us with the appropriate documents listed below.
Military Program Specific Requirements
- Active-Duty Service Member (Must provide a Joint Service Transcript or Active-Duty Orders)
- Honorably Discharged Veteran (Must provide DD214 indicating honorable discharge)
- Eligible dependents of Active and Honorably Discharged Service Members (those 24 and under – not married, no children – must provide qualifying service members JST/Active-Duty orders or DD214 and copy of birth certificate to prove relationship)
- Eligible Spouses of Active and Honorably Discharged Service Members (Currently married – must provide qualifying service members JST/Active-Duty orders or DD214 and marriage certificate.)
- DoD Civilians (Must provide a current paystub)
