Education benefits for about 750,000 Vietnam veterans—including about 100 NIU students—will end Dec. 31 with the end of the Vietnam Era GI Bill.

The Veterans Administration will stop sending GI Bill payments to veterans attending school or in training programs resulting from qualifying active-duty service between Jan. 31, 1955 and Jan. 1, 1977, according to Title 38 of the United States code.

The Vietnam GI Bill pays $376 per month to NIU veteran students plus added expenses for any dependents, said James Held, a veteran’s work/study student.

Few veteran students are affected by the GI Bill and most veterans are “well aware of the changes” in the Vietnam Bill, said Ray Becker, a service officer for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The expiring GI Bill lasted 10 years after the veteran was discharged. Medically discharged veterans received their benefits once they recuperated.

If a veteran re-enlists for four years of service, the bill will accumulate money to help pay for student loans once the veteran is discharged, Becker said.

A portion of the money will be given to the veteran each month for nine months a year, he said. The veteran must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. If a Vietnam veteran is still an active member of the service, he will be covered under the new bill, he added.

Any veteran involved in other current VA education programs, such as the Veteran’s Educational Assistance Program and the Montgomery GI Bill, will not be affected by the expiration of the Vietnam GI Bill.