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PUBLIC LAW 8 5 - 8 5 7 - S E P T. 2, 1958
[72 S T A T.
Subchapter II—Eligibility and Entitlement § 1710. Eligibility and entitlement generally Each eligible person shall, subject to the provisions of this chapter, be entitled to receive educational assistance, § 1711. Duration of educational assistance (a) Each eligible person shall be entitled to educational assistance under this chapter for a period not in excess of thirty-six months (or to the equivalent thereof in part-time training). (b) The period of entitlement of an eligible person under this chapter shall be reduced by a period equivalent to any period of education or training received by him under chapter 31 or 33 of this title. (c) If an eligible person is entitled to educational assistance under this chapter and also to vocational rehabilitation under chapter 31 of this title, he must elect whether he will receive educational assistance or vocational rehabilitation. If an eligible person is entitled to educational assistance under this chapter and is not entitled to such vocational rehabilitation, but after beginning his program of education or special restorative training becomes entitled (as determined by the Administrator) to such vocational rehabilitation, he must elect whether to continue to receive educational assistance or whether to receive such vocational rehabilitation. If he elects to receive vocational rehabilitation, the program of education or special restorative training pursued under this chapter shall be utilized to the fullest extent practicable in determining the character and duration of vocational rehabilitation to be furnished him. § 1712. Periods of eligibility (a) The educational assistance to which an eligible person is entitled under section i T l l of this title or subchapter V of this chapter may be afforded him during the period beginning on his eighteenth birthday, or on the successful completion of his secondary schooling, whichever first occurs, and ending on his twenty-third birthday, except that— (1) if he is above the age of compulsory school attendance under applicable State law, and the Administrator determines that his best interests will be served thereby, such period may begin before his eighteenth birthday; (2) if he has a mental or physical handicap, and the Administrator determines that his best interests will be served by pursuing a program of special restorative training or a specialized course of vocational training approved under section 1737 of this title, such period may begin before his eighteenth birthday, but not before his fourteenth birthday; (3) if he had not reached his twenty-third birthday on June 29, 1956, and— (A) he had reached his eighteenth birthday on such date; or (B) he serves on duty with the Armed Forces as an eligible person before his twenty-third birthday and on or after such date; or (C) the death of the parent from whom eligibility was derived occurs after such date and after his eighteenth birthday but before his twenty-third birthday; then such period shall end five years after such date, his first discharge or release after such date from duty with the Armed Forces if such duty began before his twenty-third birthday, or the death of such parent, whichever occurs last, except that in
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