Army Spouse Scholarships

As the spouse of a soldier in the U.S. Army, you may want to take advantage of programs designed to offer financial assistance and scholarship opportunities to family members looking to pursue educational and career goals.

Earlier this year, the Department of Defense (DoD) and Veteran’s Administration (VA) announced brand new benefit programs designed to help spouses of service members to obtain monetary aid as they seek to gain the skills and credentials to begin or advance their careers.

Here are some of education and emergency relief programs currently offered by the Army for its spouses and family members:
Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability: A special provision of the new Post-9/11 GI Bill offers education benefits for the spouses and children of servicemembers and veterans. Under the new law the Department of Defense is authorized to allow individuals who have served at least 6 years in the Armed Forces and who agree to serve at least another 4 years to transfer unused GI Bill entitlement to their spouse.

SOCAD: The Service member’s Opportunity Colleges (SOC) degree program for the Army. Colleges that are part of this network offer associate and bachelor’s degree programs either on or in close proximity to Army installations across the globe. SOCD colleges form groups in which each college accepts credits from all the others.

The SOCAD program guarantees that spouses and adult family members will be allowed to complete their studies toward a degree even if the Army may transfer you multiple times. There are also degrees offered through distance learning which do not require classroom residency.

Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program (SEAP): This is a need-based option created to provide spouses of active duty Army Soldiers, and widows/widowers of those who died while on active duty, financial aid for education that will ultimately broaden and enhance their occupational opportunities. To qualify, you must be a resident of the United States.

Individuals receiving free tuition as a result of their employment will not be able to receive tuition assistance from Amy Emergency Relief (AER) but may apply for assistance to cover fees, books and the cost of other supplies needed for classes they are enrolled in.

SEAP has a cap of $2,500 in funds per academic year.

Spouse Education Assistance Program (EAP): This is available for those deployed overseas to Europe, Korea, Japan or Okinawa. The Army Emergency Relief offers your spouse a grant to help with the expenses associated with pursuing his or her education, up to $350 per term.

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MYCAA): This program was designed to provide assistance to military spouses trying to obtain the skills and credentials they need to begin or further their careers. Through these accounts, the costs of training and education are covered, giving participants the chance to get a degree or credential in portable fields that are in demand across the country. MyCAA can be used to pay up to $3,000 in fees for one year and may be renewed for an additional year for a two-year total of up to $6,000.

Spouse and Dependents Education Assistance: This program offers up to 45 months of education benefits to eligible dependents of service members which can be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-site training.

Regarding scholarships, many go unclaimed because eligible recipients don’t know where to look. Visit the Military.com’s Scholarship Finder to find out what is available and how to apply.

The Army, as all branched of the Armed Forces, is committed to helping spouses and dependents of its service members in their quest for educational training and in developing skills to further their success both personally and professionally.

The Marines offer several programs designed to support the educational goals of its members.

The Marine Corps provides up to 100 percent of the cost to service members who elect to pursue off-duty or voluntary education. This would include all active-duty and Reserve enlisted Marines on continuous active duty attending accredited colleges and universities.

Officers who are on active-duty are eligible to receive Marine Corps Tuition Assistance if they commit to staying on active duty for two continuous years after completing the course funded by the program.

Those who meet eligibility requirements and elect to enroll in courses toward a degree may not exceed $4,500 in tuition-assistance funds per fiscal year. Funding is limited to $250 per semester hour or the equivalent in undergraduate, graduate, vocational and technical classes, independent study and distance-learning programs.

Marine Corps College Fund – Marines who demonstrate a potential for academic excellence and are listed on eligible Marines’ contracts during their initial enlistment into the service may be eligible to receive tuition assistance through this fund.

Montgomery G.I. Bill -  At the time of their initial enlistment, service members can sign up for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. During the first year, a monthly deduction of $100 is taken out of the participant’s paycheck. After that, a marine can use the Bill at any time for up to 10 years following the time of honorable discharge. Those on active duty can use is in conjunction with tuition assistance.

Article Source: http://www.education4military.com/reblog/2009/10/marine-tuition-assistances-eligibility.html

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts

What is Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts?
The Department of Defense (DoD) Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program provides up to $6,000 of Financial Assistance for military spouses who are pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to employment in Portable Career Fields.

Who Is Eligible For Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts?
Spouses of DoD Active Duty members and activated members of the National Guard and Reserve Components are eligible. The period of eligibility for spouses of Guard and Reserve members is from the date of the Alert or Warning Order for Military Recall or Mobilization, through activation and deployment until 180 days following De-Mobilization.

Military spouses who are legally separated by state law or court order are ineligible. Spouses who are Active Duty or activated Guard or Reserve members themselves are ineligible because they have their own education benefit programs. Unfortunately, Public Law 110-417 Sec 582 does not allow MyCAA to provide education benefits to Coast Guard spouses.

What Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Pays For?
Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Financial Assistance (FA) pays for education and training programs, tuition, and licensing/ credentialing fees. This includes degree programs (e.g. associates, bachelors, masters, doctoral and post doctoral), continuing education classes (including those offered through professional associations), Bar, CPA and other similar exams, and state certifications for teachers, medical professionals and other licensed occupations. If the cost of a course includes books, supplies or equipment necessary for the performance of the spouse’s chosen occupation (e.g. cosmetology or masonry tools, electrician operations manual, etc.), Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts will pay these costs if not billed separately. Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts also pays for High School Completion courses, GED tests and English As A Second Language (ESL) classes.

What Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Does Not Pay For?
Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts does not pay for education and training programs that include computers (CPUs or laptops); application, graduation or membership fees; student activity cards; child care; parking; transportation; or medical services. If a spouse enrolls in a course without an approved Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Financial Assistance (FA) document, the spouse will be responsible for paying course costs. Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts does not provide reimbursements of any kind.

How to Get Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Started?
Eligible spouses can establish a Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Account by visiting the MyCAA website ~ https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa. Once spouse profile information is provided, Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts will verify spouse DEERS eligibility. Eligible spouses will be allowed to create their Career and Training Plan and request Financial Assistance (FA) when they are within 90 days of course start dates. Additionally, spouses are responsible for applying to their selected school or program and enrolling in each course included in their approved Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Career and Training Plan(s).

All you need is a set of clear objectives just like you would in mission or objective planning in the military.  After deciding to take advantage of the military education benefits you’ve earned through your service, you can use a simple, “SMART” method, as shown on www.military.com. for writing down your goals to assure that they are:

• SPECIFIC
• MEASURABLE
• ACTION ORIENTED
• REALISTIC
• TIME-DRIVEN

1)    Specific: Make sure that your goals are clearly stated, focused, and concise.  Avoid general terms and give as much detail as you like.

• A vague example: “I want to get my degree.”

• A specific example: “I am going to get my bachelor’s degree in computer technology.”

2)    Measurable: Include time frames, dates, dollar amounts, etc. to measure your success.

• An un-measurable example: “I want to get my degree someday.”

• A measurable example: “I am going to get my bachelor’s degree in computer technology by next winter.”

3)    Action-Oriented: The goal must call for you to take action.

• A non-action oriented example: “I want to get my degree someday.”

• An action-oriented example: “I will take two classes per semester and pass all of the general CLEP exams to earn my bachelor’s degree in computer technology by next winter.”

4)    Realistic:  Make sure your goals are manageable, attainable, and believable.

• A not-so-realistic example: “I want to get my degree in six months.”

• A more realistic example: “I will take three classes a semester, pass all of the general CLEP exams, and use my military experience credits to earn my bachelor’s degree in computer technology by next December.”

5)    Time-Driven: Make sure your goals have a starting point, a timeline, and an ending point.  You can also break them down into smaller objectives: short-term (within the next six-12 months), medium-term (one to five years), and long-term (the next five to 15 years).

Get your education with low or no cost out of your pocket with Military Spouse Career Advancement Account.