Before the introduction of the Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33 benefits) in 2008/2009, military service members had the option of signing up for the Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30 benefits) at the expense of $100 automatically taken out of their paychecks per month for 12 months.
The service members that chose this option (most of them) that now use the Post 9/11 GI Bill can only be refunded the $1200 after exhausting their Post 9/11 benefits. What this entails are the following absurd predicaments:
If you transfer your post 9/11 benefits to your dependent, you will not receive your $1200 back even once your benefits are exhausted.
If you utilize your post 9/11 GI Bill but do not exhaust benefits, you will not get your $1200 back.
This is nothing shy of extortion and we can do better.