republic-os/legal/us/code/title-38/chapter-30/section-3018b.md

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LegalText	38 U.S.C. § 3018B	Opportunity for certain persons to enroll	us	united_states_code	code_section	38	VETERANS’ BENEFITS	30	ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM	3018B	38 U.S.C. § 3018B	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc38@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t38/s3018B	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-38/usc38.xml	1dd4e96a907c26a66b049d2280156d2daf38cd011cd378da35053e1f7d8c4c8e	372998691b72ade88787dfa7633dbda4954bd1b037ec7926c5e06e9b1d17fc66	a288ef04e1361656f0f76b24db5da0c8592f87ff6edc395f8d5f6a089aa35d88	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

38 U.S.C. § 3018B - Opportunity for certain persons to enroll

Text

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law—

(1) the Secretary of Defense shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, allow an individual who—

(A) is separated from the active military, naval, air, or space service with an honorable discharge and receives voluntary separation incentives under section 1174a or 1175 of title 10;

(B) before applying for benefits under this section, has completed the requirements of a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate) or has successfully completed (or otherwise received academic credit for) the equivalent of 12 semester hours in a program of education leading to a standard college degree;

(C) in the case of any individual who has made an election under section 3011(c)(1) or 3012(d)(1) of this title, withdraws such election before such separation pursuant to procedures which the Secretary of each military department shall provide in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for the purpose of carrying out this section or which the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide for such purpose with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as service in the Navy;

(D) in the case of any person enrolled in the educational benefits program provided by chapter 32 of this title makes an irrevocable election, pursuant to procedures referred to in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, before such separation to receive benefits under this section in lieu of benefits under such chapter 32; and

(E) before such separation elects to receive assistance under this section pursuant to procedures referred to in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph; or

(2) the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, allow an individual who—

(A) separated before October 23, 1992, from the active military, naval, air, or space service with an honorable discharge and received or is receiving voluntary separation incentives under section 1174a or 1175 of title 10;

(B) before applying for benefits under this section, has completed the requirements of a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate) or has successfully completed (or otherwise received academic credit for) the equivalent of 12 semester hours in a program of education leading to a standard college degree;

(C) in the case of any individual who has made an election under section 3011(c)(1) or 3012(d)(1) of this title, withdraws such election before making an election under this paragraph pursuant to procedures which the Secretary shall provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as service in the Navy, which shall be similar to the regulations prescribed under paragraph (1)(C) of this subsection;

(D) in the case of any person enrolled in the educational benefits program provided by chapter 32 of this title makes an irrevocable election, pursuant to procedures referred to in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, before making an election under this paragraph to receive benefits under this section in lieu of benefits under such chapter 32; and

(E) before October 23, 1993, elects to receive assistance under this section pursuant to procedures referred to in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph,

to elect to become entitled to basic education assistance under this chapter.

(b) (1) The basic pay or voluntary separation incentives of an individual who makes an election under subsection (a)(1) to become entitled to basic education assistance under this chapter shall be reduced by $1,200.

(2) The Secretary shall collect $1,200 from an individual who makes an election under subsection (a)(2) to become entitled to basic education assistance under this chapter, which shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts.

(c) A withdrawal referred to in subsection (a)(1)(C) or (a)(2)(C) of this section is irrevocable.

(d) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, an individual who is enrolled in the educational benefits program provided by chapter 32 of this title and who makes the election described in subsection (a)(1)(D) or (a)(2)(D) of this section shall be disenrolled from such chapter 32 program as of the date of such election.

(2) For each individual who is disenrolled from such program, the Secretary shall refund—

(A) as provided in section 3223(b) of this title, to the individual the unused contributions made by the individual to the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Education Account established pursuant to section 3222(a) of this title; and

(B) to the Secretary of Defense the unused contributions (other than contributions made under section 3222(c) of this title) made by such Secretary to the Account on behalf of such individual.

(3) Any contribution made by the Secretary of Defense to the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Education Account pursuant to subsection (c) of section 3222 of this title on behalf of any individual referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall remain in such account to make payments of benefits to such individual under section 3015(f) of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 102–484, div. D, title XLIV, § 4404(a), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2704; amended Pub. L. 103–446, title XII, § 1201(d)(5), (e)(11), (f)(3), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4684, 4685, 4687; Pub. L. 105–368, title II, § 203(a), title X, § 1005(b)(6), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3326, 3365; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(d), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2315; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(40), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments2021—Subsec. (a)(1)(A), (2)(A). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”. 2002—Subsec. (a)(1)(C), (2)(C). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”. 1998—Subsec. (a)(1)(B), (2)(B). Pub. L. 105–368, § 203(a), substituted “successfully completed (or otherwise received academic credit for)” for “successfully completed”. Subsec. (a)(2)(E). Pub. L. 105–368, § 1005(b)(6), which directed the substitution of “before October 23, 1993,” for “before the one-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this section,”, was executed by making the substitution for text which did not include the word “the” before the word “enactment”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1994—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(f)(3), substituted “October 23, 1992,” for “the date of enactment of this section”. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(e)(11)(A), substituted “(a)(2)(D) of this section” for “(a)(2)(D) of this subsection”. Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(d)(5), (e)(11)(B), substituted “such account” for “such Account” and “section 3015(f) of this title” for “section 3015(e) of this chapter”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Effective Date of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by section 203(a) of Pub. L. 105–368 effective Oct. 1, 1998, see section 203(b) of Pub. L. 105–368, set out as a note under section 3011 of this title.