[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 46 (Monday, March 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13391-13392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05110]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


GI Bill Trademark Terms of Use

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to advise the public of the 
terms of use for the GI Bill Trademark. The trademark is to protect 
Servicemembers, Veterans, and eligible family members and survivors 
eligible for GI Bill educational benefits from schools that mislead 
with deceptive promotional efforts, targeting those benefits for 
monetary gain.

DATES: Effective Date: March 10, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barrett Y. Bogue, GI Bill Outreach 
Development Team Leader, at (202) 461-9800, Department of Veterans 
Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration (22), 810 Vermont Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20420.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: On April 27, 2012, President Obama signed Executive 
Order 13607, directing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the 
Department of Defense, and the Department of Education to undertake a 
number of measures to ``stop deceptive and misleading'' promotional 
efforts that target the GI Bill educational benefits of Servicemembers, 
Veterans, and eligible family members and Survivors. Trademarking ``GI 
Bill'' was part of that order to protect military families from being 
misled by schools that target their Federal education benefits.

[[Page 13392]]

    A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination 
thereof, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of 
one party from those of others. A trademark typically protects brand 
names and logos used on goods and services.
    For the purposes of this trademark, GI Bill is defined as a 
service, ``providing education benefits, namely, financial assistance 
such as accelerated payment and tuition assistance for institutions of 
higher learning, non-college degree programs, on-the-job training and 
apprenticeship training, flight training, independent training, 
distance learning and internet training, correspondence training, 
national testing programs, licensing and certification; 
entrepreneurship training, work-study programs, and co-op training to 
Veterans, Servicemembers, National Guard members, Selected Reserve 
members, and eligible dependents.''
    As of October 16, 2012, ``GI Bill'' is a federally registered 
trademark owned by VA. The mark consists of standard characters without 
claim to any particular font, style, size, or color.
    Authorized Use of the Trademark: Third-party use of the trademark 
is restricted to the education and training institutions eligible to 
receive VA education benefits, State Approving Agencies, and recognized 
Veterans Service Organizations. Parties not identified are prohibited 
from using GI Bill in any manner that directly or indirectly implies a 
relationship, affiliation, or endorsement with the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
    Terms of Use: Authorized third-parties may use the registered 
trademark ``GI Bill'' in print, electronic, radio, digital, or other 
media as established by the terms of use.
    The trademark symbol ``[supreg]'' should be placed at the upper 
right corner of the trademarked phrase in the most prominent place at 
first usage; such as the title of a brochure, form, or the very top of 
a Web page and the following trademark attribution notice must be 
prominently visible: ``GI Bill[supreg] is a registered trademark of the 
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about 
education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. 
government Web site at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.''
    Use of the registered trademark symbol is not required each time 
the mark appears in a single document or on a Web page. However, the 
symbol should be prominent on all individual documents and Web pages.
    Third-party use of the trademark is restricted and subject to the 
following:
    (1) The GI Bill trademark is not to be incorporated or included in 
company or product names, trademarks, logos or internet domain names.
    (2) The term ``GI Bill[supreg]'' is to be used solely to promote 
official VA benefit programs and services and must include the proper 
trademark symbol.
    (3) Use of the trademark attribution notice, indicating that the 
mark and all associated services belong to VA, is required and shall be 
taken as evidence that use of the mark is in good faith.
    (4) No entity shall use the GI Bill trademark in any manner that 
directly or indirectly implies a relationship, affiliation, or 
association with VA that does not exist.
    (5) Disparagement or misrepresentations of VA services through use 
of the mark, or by the use of confusingly similar wording, are strictly 
prohibited.
    Infringement: VA reserves the right to bring action against any 
party that violates VA's terms-of-use concerning the mark in Federal 
court. Suspected violations must be reported by email to [email protected] with the following information:
    [ssquf] Date suspected violation occurred;
    [ssquf] Location;
    [ssquf] Explanation; and
    [ssquf] Designated Point of Contact Information.

    Authority:  E.O. 13607, USPTO Reg. No. 4,225,784.

Signing Authority

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Jose D. 
Riojas, Chief of Staff, Department of Veteran Affairs, approved this 
document on March 1, 2014, for publication.

    Dated: March 5, 2014.
Robert C. McFetridge,
Director, Office of Regulation Policy and Management, Office of the 
General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-05110 Filed 3-7-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P