---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 3018A"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "3018A"
heading: "Opportunity for certain active-duty personnel to enroll before being involuntarily separated from service"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/3018A"
units:
  - "Part III — Readjustment and Related Benefits"
  - "Chapter 30 — All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program"
  - "Subchapter II — Basic Educational Assistance"
---

# §3018A. Opportunity for certain active-duty personnel to enroll before being involuntarily separated from service

- (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an individual who—
  - (1) after February 2, 1991, is involuntarily separated (as such term is defined in [section 1141 of title 10](/usc/10/1141.md)) with an honorable discharge;
  - (2) before applying for [benefits](/usc/38/4303.md?p=2) 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](/usc/38/3002.md?p=3) leading to a [standard college degree](/usc/38/3501.md?p=a-11);
  - (3) in the case of any individual who has made an election under section [3011(c)(1)](/usc/38/3011.md?p=c-1) or [3012(d)(1)](/usc/38/3012.md?p=d-1) of this title, withdraws such election before such separation pursuant to procedures which the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) of each military [department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall provide in accordance with regulations prescribed by the [Secretary of Defense](/usc/38/3002.md?p=5) for the purpose of carrying out this section or which the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) of Homeland Security shall provide for such purpose with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy;
  - (4) in the case of any person enrolled in the educational [benefits](/usc/38/4303.md?p=2) program provided by [chapter 32](/usc/38/chptIII/ch32.md) of this title makes an irrevocable election, pursuant to procedures referred to in [paragraph (3)](#a-3), before such separation to receive [benefits](/usc/38/4303.md?p=2) under this section in lieu of [benefits](/usc/38/4303.md?p=2) under such [chapter 32](/usc/38/chptIII/ch32.md); and
  - (5) before such separation elects to receive assistance under this section pursuant to procedures referred to in [paragraph (3)](#a-3),

  is entitled to [basic educational assistance](/usc/38/3002.md?p=1) under this chapter.

- (b) The basic pay of an individual described in [subsection (a)](#a) shall be reduced by $1,200.
- (c) A withdrawal referred to in [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3) is irrevocable.
- (d)
  - (1) Except as provided in [paragraph (3)](#d-3), an individual who is enrolled in the educational [benefits](/usc/38/4303.md?p=2) program provided by [chapter 32](/usc/38/chptIII/ch32.md) of this title and who makes the election described in [subsection (a)(4)](#a-4) shall be disenrolled from such [chapter 32](/usc/38/chptIII/ch32.md) program as of the date of such election.
  - (2) For each individual who is disenrolled from such program, the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) shall refund—
    - (A) as provided in [section 3223(b) of this title](/usc/38/3223.md?p=b), to the individual the unused contributions made by the individual to the Post-[Vietnam Era](/usc/38/101.md?p=29) [Veterans](/usc/38/3701.md?p=b-2) Education Account established pursuant to [section 3222(a) of this title](/usc/38/3222.md?p=a); and
    - (B) to the [Secretary of Defense](/usc/38/3002.md?p=5) the unused contributions (other than contributions made under [section 3222(c) of this title](/usc/38/3222.md?p=c)) made by such [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) to the Account on behalf of such individual.
  - (3) Any contribution made by the [Secretary of Defense](/usc/38/3002.md?p=5) to the Post-[Vietnam Era](/usc/38/101.md?p=29) [Veterans](/usc/38/3701.md?p=b-2) Education Account pursuant to subsection (c) of [section 3222 of this title](/usc/38/3222.md) on behalf of any individual referred to in [paragraph (1)](#d-1) shall remain in such Account to make payments of [benefits](/usc/38/4303.md?p=2) to such individual under [section 3015(f) of this title](/usc/38/3015.md?p=f).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title V, § 561(a)(1), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1571, § 1418A; amended Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 705(c)(1), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 120; renumbered § 3018A and amended Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), (c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 103–446, title XII, § 1201(d)(4), (i)(4), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4684, 4688; Pub. L. 105–368, title II, § 203(a), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3326; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(d), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2315; Pub. L. 109–233, title V, § 503(5), June 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 416.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a)(4), (5). Pub. L. 109–233, § 503(5)(B), struck out “of this subsection” after “paragraph (3)”.

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 109–233, § 503(5)(A), struck out “of this section” after “subsection (a)” in subsec. (b) and after “subsection (a)(3)” in subsec. (c).

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 109–233, § 503(5)(B), struck out “of this subsection” after “paragraph (3)” and after “subsection (a)(4)”.

Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 109–233, § 503(5)(B), (C), struck out “of this subsection” after “paragraph (1)” and substituted “of this title” for “of this chapter”.

2002—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.

1998—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 105–368 substituted “successfully completed (or otherwise received academic credit for)” for “successfully completed”.

1994—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(i)(4), substituted “after February 2, 1991,” for “after December 31, 1990, or the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this section, whichever is later,”.

Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(d)(4), substituted “section 3015(f)” for “section 3015(e)”.

1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 1418A of this title as this section.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 102–25 substituted “section 1141 of title 10” for “section 1142 of title 10”.

Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “3011(c)(1) or 3012(d)(1)” for “1411(c)(1) or 1412(d)(1)”.

Subsec. (d)(2), (3). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “3223(b)” for “1623(b)”, “3222(a)” for “1622(a)”, and “3222(c)” for “1622(c)” in par. (2) and “3222” for “1622” and “3015(e)” for “1415(e)” in par. (3).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment 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 Amendment

Amendment by 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.