Joe Wallace

Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.

Workforce Pell Grant Offers Expanded Options for Vocational Training

The Federal Pell Grant program helps undergraduate students finance their college education. In the past, these needs-based grants were reserved for long-term academic programs, excluding short-term job training. But that is changing thanks to new federal legislation aimed at expanding Pell grant options. Workforce Pell Grant Offers Expanded Options for Vocational Training On May 19,…

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New Legislation Proposes Fixes for VA Education Benefits

In May 2026, Veterans Education Success submitted testimony to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on pending legislation affecting VA education benefits. This statement discusses failures at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including disrupted benefits payments, fraud involving student veterans, and major IT failures. New Legislation Proposes Fixes for VA Education Benefits In 2026, the…

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Failing or Withdrawing from College Classes on the GI Bill

If you attend school on the GI Bill and fail a class, will you get charged for the GI Bill benefits you used? What about those who withdraw or have an “incomplete” designation on one of their courses? Failing or Withdrawing from College Classes on the GI Bill The VA is required to approach you…

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Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program Changes

The Department of Education rolls out new restrictions on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program as of July 1, 2026, requiring people to enroll in the federal Repayment Assistance Plan to earn credit toward debt discharge. The law excludes the Tiered Standard Plan from the list of qualifying repayment options.

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How DANTES Kuder Journey Helps Military Families Plan College Degrees

The transition from military to civilian life brings uncertainty. Frequent moves and the requirements of the Department of Defense often put the career or education goals of a spouse on hold, and when the time comes to look toward post-military college, families need a starting point. >> Find VA-approved schools with the College Recon School…

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IBM SkillsBuild for Active Duty, Veterans, and Military Spouses

When you make the jump from military service to a civilian career, the federal government has programs to make that transition easier. Two options for veterans and transitioning service members you should know? The Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge program, and the VA-partnered IBM SkillsBuild.

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Military and Student Discounts for College Grads

Earning a degree is a big achievement for anyone, but for those balancing their military service with the demands of a classroom, graduation carries a different weight. Whether you are transitioning out of the military or a veteran finally getting your degree, you’ll face a unique set of logistical hurdles. From coordinating travel for a spread-out family to finding a suit that fits your new civilian life, the costs of the milestone can stack up quickly.

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The Unlimited Yellow Ribbon Option

The VA Yellow Ribbon program allows veterans to attend private universities and avoid excessive out-of-pocket education costs. While the Post-9/11 GI Bill typically provides full tuition benefits at public universities, it features a “ceiling” of benefits for private and foreign institutions. For institutions where tuition exceeds this ceiling, the Yellow Ribbon Program bridges the gap through school contributions and matching federal funds. Not all schools participate in Yellow Ribbon, but a large number of them do.

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Questions and Answers on Modified GI Bill Rules

The Department of Veterans Affairs is automating the review process for more than one million veterans who may qualify for additional education benefits. This change in procedure follows recent court rulings that expand access to the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) and the Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30).

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VA Education Benefits for Dual-Military Couples

When a married couple has served in the U.S. military together and qualify for VA education benefits, the transition to college life presents a unique opportunity to stack those benefits. For couples in which both spouses are veterans, the traditional “one household, one set of benefits” rules that often govern active-duty benefits, such as housing allowances, do not apply. This is an advantage for dual-veteran couples who are considering attending school simultaneously, because the VA treats each veteran as an independent applicant.

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VET TEC 2.0 Accepting Applications

The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, signed into law in 2025, restored the VA program VET TEC. The act is considered a “formal reauthorization” and expansion of the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses program, which ended in April of 2024. But VET TEC is not quite open for applications yet, as we discuss below.

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Using DoD Skillbridge for AI Internships

Transitioning service members enter a job market where Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills have become important to have on a resume, depending on the career field they choose, “on the outside”. The Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge program offers a bridge between active duty and these growing technology roles.

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Using Artificial Intelligence to Translate Your Military Resume

The 21st-century job marketplace is increasingly run by AI. There are artificial intelligence programs screening resumes, creating job titles and descriptions, and then there are the jobs that directly require expertise in artificial intelligence. When you are transitioning out of the military, you can use AI to translate your military skills to civilian ones, whether…

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