38 USC § 3201 - Purpose

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s3201"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "38 USC § 3201 - Purpose"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
section_number: "3201"
section_name: "Purpose"
chapter_number: 32
chapter_name: "POST-VIETNAM ERA VETERANS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS"
part_number: "III"
part_name: "READJUSTMENT AND RELATED BENEFITS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 94–502, title IV, § 404, Oct. 15, 1976, 90 Stat. 2393, § 1601; amended Pub. L. 99–576, title III, § 309(a)(1), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3270; renumbered § 3201, Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)"
---


# § 3201. Purpose

December 31, 1976July 1, 1985

It is the purpose of this chapter (1) to provide educational assistance to those men and women who enter the Armed Forces after , and before , (2) to assist young men and women in obtaining an education they might not otherwise be able to afford, and (3) to promote and assist the all volunteer military program of the United States by attracting qualified men and women to serve in the Armed Forces.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 94–502, title IV, § 404, Oct. 15, 1976, 90 Stat. 2393, § 1601; amended Pub. L. 99–576, title III, § 309(a)(1), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3270; renumbered § 3201, Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Prior section 3201 was renumbered .

### Amendments

1991— renumbered  as this section.

1986— inserted “and before ,”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

> “The provisions of this title [enacting this chapter, amending sections 1652, 1661, and 1662 [now 3452, 3461, and 3462] of this title and section 725s of former Title 31, Money and Finance, and enacting provisions set out as a note under
> 
> ] shall become effective on
> 
> .”

provided that:

### Short Title

For short titles of , and title IV of , which enacted this chapter, see Short Title of 1976 Amendments note set out under .

### Enrollment in Program Before April 1, 1987

> **“(c)** **Exception.—** Notwithstanding the amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section and sections 1602 and 1621 [now 3202 and 3221] of this title], any individual on active duty in the Armed Forces who was eligible on June 30, 1985, to enroll in the program established by chapter 32 of title 38, United States Code, may enroll, before April 1, 1987, in such program.
> 
> **“(d)** **Notice Requirement.—** The Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, shall carry out activities for the purpose of notifying, to the maximum extent feasible, individuals described in subsection (c) of the opportunity provided by such subsection.”

, (d), , , provided that: