• Has served at least 6 years (active or reserve/guard) and agrees to serve 4 more years.
• Has at least 10 years in the Armed Forces and is not allowed (either by DoD or service policy) to reenlist for 4 more years but agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by that policy or statute.
• Is or becomes eligible for retirement during the period from August 1, 2009 through August 1, 2013 (or further).
• Still based on the percentages (40% -100%) – how much time was spent on active duty by the veteran post 9/11/2001
  • For more information concerning transfer of benefits:
    http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2009/0409_gibill/

What Ch. 33 (TOE) provides:

• Cost of Tuition and Fees (paid directly from the VA to UTA)
• Monthly housing allowance (BAH) equivalent to that of BAH for an E-5 with dependents – based on percentage of eligibility. (Paid directly to dependent)
  • Dependents must be enrolled in at a MORE THAN HALF TIME rate (51%) to receive BAH payments
  • Dependents enrolled exclusively in on-line training must also be enrolled at a MORE THAN HALF TIME rate (51%) to be eligible for BAH payments. (Effective August 1, 2011)
• Books and supplies stipend (up to $1000 per year) – based on percentage of eligibility. (Paid directly to dependent)
  ACTIVE DUTY COMPLETED BY VETERAN AFTER SEPTEMBER 10, 2001

  At least 36 months	100%
  At least 30 continuous days on active duty and discharged due to service-connected disability	100%
  30 months to 36 months	90%
  24 months to 30 months	80%
  18 months to 24 months	70%
  12 months to 18 months	60%
  6 months to 12 months	50%
  90 days to 6 months	40%

How long does Ch. 33 (TOE) last?

• The veteran assigns months of benefit to dependent (i.e. If a veteran has never used GI Bill at all, they can assign 18 months to one child and 18 months to another).
• The benefits expire on the dependent’s 26^th birthday (for child) or 15 years from the date of transferring (for spouse).

Documents UTA VA office will need:

• VA Form 22-1990-E (if student has never used/applied for benefit before)
  Download this form (PDF)
• VA Form 22-1995 (if student has used benefit before, transferring from another institution)
  Download this form (PDF)
• Certificate of Eligibility
• Signed Degree Plan (signed by advisor)
• No DD214 is required if the veteran is still on active duty
• UTA VA Information Sheet
• Statement of Understanding

Certification Process for Ch. 33 (TOE):

• Student applies for benefits and turns in all required documents to the UTA VA office
  • Two step process: Veteran must apply to transfer benefit and then the dependent must fill out a VA Form 22-1990E.
• Notification of enrollment* must be received by the UTA VA office– either in person or by using Online Certification Request Form.
  *This must be done every semester or every time a student enrolls (or adds) a new class.
• Classes are checked by the certifying official against the most current degree plan. Only those classes on the signed degree plan can be certified to the VA.
• Certifying official submits VA Form 22-1999 (certification) to the VA.
• Process time = Allow for up to 7-10 business days for submittal to the VA during enrollment periods.
  • This benefit provides tuition and fees paid directly from the VA – in order to avoid incurring late fees caused by overdue accounts regarding VA covered benefits, please submit ALL documentation or notifications of enrollment within the given deadline:
    • August 1^st – For Fall Terms certifications
    • December 1^st – For Spring Term certifications
    • May 1^st – For Summer Term certifications
  • Students eligible for Ch. 33 benefits may also want to pursue other avenues in order to avoid incurring late fees:
    • Apply for Financial Aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov)
    • Pay one-third of tuition and fees by tuition deadline date
    • Receive an “Emergency Enrollment Loan” through your MyMav account or at Bursar Services
  • Late fees incurred will be the responsibility of the student.

CHANGES TO THE POST 9/11 GI BILL:

http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/post_911_gibill/Post911_changes.htm

America’s students are in debt, $1 trillion in debt in fact. But while most college graduates struggle to repay loans with less than 10 percent interest, some military personnel are drowning under significantly more expensive loans.

Holly Petraeus, CIA Director David Petraeus’s wife and an advocate for military families, told a Senate panel today that for-profit colleges are actively targeting military personnel and their families, marketing private loans with inflated interest rates.

“There are some real concerns, there is real aggressive marketing right now to the military and not just to military members, but to their spouses and to their children as well,” Petraeus said.
To pay for the pricey private schools, these colleges often market “expensive private student loans” to service members, said Petraeus, who as the assistant director of the Office of Service-Member Affairs at the newly-formed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is working to protect military families from such predatory loans.

Petraeus said she spoke with an Army wife at Ft. Campbell in Kentucky who had enrolled in an online course through a college she thought was officially associated with the military. She said representatives from the school, which actually had no military affiliation, called her a dozen times per day until she agreed to register.

But help was nowhere to be found once the school received her tuition payment. The woman ended up failing her course because she had trouble logging on, Petraeus said.
“I have a real interest in folks being able to make more informed decisions than, ‘Well, they sounded military friendly and they called me 10 to 15 times per day,” she told the Senate committee. ”There are serious questions about whether the education you get at many of these institutions justifies their high cost.”

While meeting with service members around the country, Petraeus said she also heard horror stories of loan companies charging crippling interest rates. One internet lender, she said, tells service members who visit their site: “We believe that your membership in the armed forces entitles you to special treatment. We speak your language!” That language includes a steep interest rate on their loans that far out-paces rates on government-offered loans.

And when military personel fall behind in their payments, harassing debt collectors take over.

“They may call a service member’s home and unit 20 or 30 times a day, threaten them with the uniform code of military justice, and tell them they’ll get them busted in rank or have their security clearance revoked if they don’t pay up,” Petraeus said. “We’ve even heard of a debt collector harassing a surviving spouse of a service member killed in action, insisting that she had to use the money from his death gratuity to pay off a debt immediately.”

College costs aside, many military members are in debt before they even enlist. Petraeus said that on a recent trip to Texas, “We were told that the average Air Force recruit arrives at Lackland Air Force Base for basic training over $10,000 in debt.”

“A continuing issue for the military is the general issue of indebtedness,” Petraeus said. ”Unfortunately there are still too many young troops learning about wise spending through hard experience and years of paying off expensive debt.”

Each year, we seek out the best places for military spouses to find employment, assessing these employers based on many factors. Among the most critical are these:

• Are they actively recruiting and hiring military spouses?
• What is their current percentage of military spouse employees?
• How do they approach workforce development and the retention of military spouse employees?
• Do they have policies in place to support military spouses during deployments, PCS moves and other challenges that military life can bring?

Eight same-sex couples sued the Pentagon, demanding the same medical, survivorship and other benefits as traditional military spouses. Despite the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the plaintiffs say they and their spouses are denied equal “medical and dental benefits, basic housing allowances, travel and transportation allowances, family separation benefits, military ID cards, visitation rights in military hospitals, survivor benefits, and the right to be buried together in military cemeteries.”

Denying such equal benefits is unconstitutional and “a threat to national security,” according to the federal complaint.
Lead plaintiff Major Shannon McLaughlin and her spouse, Casey McLaughlin, and seven other couples sued Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and the United States of America.

They say: “There is no enumerated power in the Constitution that allows the federal government to define marriage in such a way as to deny plaintiffs the benefits they seek, and the Tenth Amendment entrusts the regulation of marriage to the states. As applied to military benefits in this context, these statutes deny the plaintiffs equal protection, place an unconstitutional condition upon the fundamental constitutional right to marry in accordance with state law, and are legislative penalties imposed on persons in same-sex marriages that constitute impermissible bills of attainder.”
All eight couples say their branched of the military have informed them that “same-sex legal spouses are excluded from the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (‘DEERS’) and that they are therefore not entitled to the benefits that plaintiff[s] sought.”
The plaintiffs say military’s and Attorney General’s enforcement of the Defense of Marriage Act, and the subsequent denial of spousal benefits is an untenable position, as “the President and the Attorney General have acknowledged that DOMA Section 3 is unconstitutional.”

They add: “The military has emphasized repeatedly that providing these benefits is necessary to compete with the private sector to maintain quality enlistment and retention, and that the assurance that a service member’s family will be provided for in the event the service member dies serving their country is important for maintaining morale and faithful service.
“Moreover, the military recognizes the link between the payment of benefits and national security, explaining that service members who are distracted by thoughts that their loved ones are not being card for may render the service members less effective combatants: ‘Success in modern warfare demands the full utilization of every ounce of both the physical and mental strength and stamina of its participants. No soldier can be and remain at his best with the constant realization that his family and loved ones are in dire need of financial assistance.’”
Discriminatory laws “were crafted at a time when gays and lesbians were precluded from openly serving in the military, and when same-sex marriages were not legal in the United States,” the complaint states. “The military is a reflection of our society as a whole. Now that same-sex marriages are legal, and gays and lesbians can serve openly in the military, service members – such as the plaintiffs – with same-sex spouses do serve in the ranks. To maintain the uniformity of benefits … the definition of ‘spouse’ must include these same-sex spouses as well.”

The plaintiffs say the military’s enforcement of DOMA, and of sections of Titles 10, 32 and 38 “cannot be constitutionally applied to deny benefits to same-sex married couples.” They seek an injunction and attorneys’ fees.
They are represented by Ian McClatchey with Chadbourne & Parke of New York, N.Y., and John Goodman with the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, of Washington, D.C.

• applies to eligible spouses of active duty military members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the U.S. Coast Guard and full-time National Guard, who are applying and referred for certain positions at DOD activities in the U.S., its territories and possessions, and in overseas areas;
• applies only within the commuting area of the permanent duty station of the sponsor;
• applies only if the spouse entered into the marriage with the military sponsor prior to the reporting date to the new duty assignment.
• does not apply when the sponsor is separating or retiring.

Military Spouse Preference Program Eligibility:

• The spouse must be rated among the best qualified applicants for the position.
• The spouse must be located in the same geographical area as the sponsor’s (the active duty member) permanent duty station.
• Relocation of duty station must be based on a regular Permanent Change of Station (PCS) and not for separation or retirement.
• The marriage between the spouse and the military active duty sponsor must have taken place before the reporting date to the new duty station.
• Military spouses must provide a copy of or original sponsor’s PCS orders during the DoD application process.
• To be deemed among the best qualified applicants military spouses claiming eligibility must obtain a score of 80 or higher. This does not include veteran’s preference points.
• Whenever there are violations of veteran’s regulations, or problems arising out of situations of nepotism MSP does not apply.
• Individuals claiming preference must be spouses of active duty military members of the U.S. Armed forces including U.S. Coast Guard.
• MSP applies only to DoD competitive service positions.

Military Spouse Preference Program Registration: Registration may be accomplished at the losing A-coded activity up to 30 days prior to the sponsor’s reporting date or, upon relocation, at any A-coded activity in the commuting area of the sponsor’s new duty station. If not currently employed by DoD, an eligible spouse may register at an A-coded activity in the gaining area or, if registration is desired in advance, at any A-coded activity in the losing area. Spouses are not eligible if their sponsor relocates in conjunction with retirement or separation. Military spouse preference applies to temporary employment when it is expected to last one year or longer.

Skills: May register for up to 5 skills provided they are well qualified. High Grade: Spouses may register at a grade no higher than that previously held on a permanent basis or if the spouse’s only Federal service was overseas under time-limited appointment, he/she may register for the highest grade held, if they have appointment eligibility under Executive Order (E.O.) 12721. Spouses who are not current Federal employees who have E.O. 12721 and reinstatement eligibility may register under either option, whichever is more beneficial.

Separation Date: No date is entered on the registration. The computer enters the date of one year from the date of registration or file maintenance.

Release Date: No date is entered on the registration. The computer enters the date of one year from the date of registration or file maintenance. (NOTE: Both the spouse and the registering activity are notified that the “S” program registration will be terminated 12 months after initial registration or the last extension/file maintenance action. Any file maintenance or extension submitted by the registering activity and processed in Dayton extends the registration for one year. If automatically terminated, the spouse may re-register if otherwise eligible.)

Area of Referral: Employee may register for any location in the commuting area of the
sponsor’s new duty location.

Registering Activity Change: To change the registering activity of an active Program “S” registration, a new registration must be submitted (all registration elements must be completed and resubmitted).

Offer Response Time: Registrants in the continental U.S. (CONUS) must accept or decline offers from CONUS activities within 2 calendar days and registrants outside CONUS must respond within 3 calendar days.

Another private scholarship programs for military spouses.  For high school seniors are on the lookout for last-minute scholarships to help pay for college, the MacDill Officer’s Spouses’ Club is offering a scholarship to Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, and Manatee county sons and daughters of active, retired or deceased military personnel.

The MacDill Offer’s Spouses’ Club (MOSC) is a social group of military spouses who provide friendship and support as well as help raise funds for charities.  The group holds luncheons every third Thursday throughout the school year. The group does not meet during the summer.

This year, the club has decided to offer two $500 scholarships — one to a senior student and one to a military spouse.

According to FishHawk Ranch resident Rowena Mateo-Sjovall, publicity committee coordinator, application information and forms will be available at the Airman and Family Readiness Center at MacDill Air Force Base and at the MacDill Family Resource Center in Brandon. Applications are to be returned to MOSC via U.S. mail and must be postmarked no later than April 25 for consideration.

The scholarship fund is to be used during the 2011-2012 school year at an accredited college. It is to go toward higher education-related expenses, which could include books and housing.

If you are a high school senior looking to add additional funding to your college education, visit www.macdillosc.com for additional information on the  requirements.  Remember the deadline is fast approaching, so make sure you have all your paperwork in quickly to be considered.

The military spouse scholarship is also available to a military spouse returning or enrolling in school.

In addition to the application, each applicant will have to provide copies of their military affiliate’s identification and orders of PCS to MacDill.  The applicant must write an essay answering the question, “What are your career goals and what has influenced you in choosing that career?”  The last major item that the applicants need to provide is a one-page list of extracurricular activities, volunteer organizations and any leadership positions within these organizations.

It’s important that you know how valuable your comments are.  We read them very carefully.  Your words tell us where to focus our attention and where to go next.  Your best ideas allow us to tailor the military spouse employment program to your needs.

For example, you’ve asked that spouse employment programs support aspirations to all career fields, rather than a select few.  Message received.  We will to strive to help you pursue any career that fits your interest and experience.

Others have asked that we show potential employers how volunteerism is on par with work experience.  We will do this.  I am aware of the tremendous service you provide through your volunteerism.  We want employers to understand the skills and leadership that you demonstrate through your volunteer work.

We use your comments when we champion your cause.  The spouse licensure issue is a good example.  We posted a discussion board where spouses can describe their experiences, the good and the bad, with state licenses and certifications as you move from state to state.  We are sharing your comments with state law makers as we work with them on this issue.  They are seeing your first-hand accounts of the costs, obstacles and frustrations you encounter as you strive to continue your career.

We are making progress.  So far this year, 11 states have introduced legislation to break down licensure barriers.  We will continue to work with each state and address the barriers that spouses face.  We’re not there yet, so we need you to continue providing your comments.  It really makes a difference!

We’ve posted another discussion board, asking which career you want to pursue.  By reading about your career aspirations, we can best channel our efforts and energy toward meaningful support in terms of assisting you with career opportunities.

In the future, expect more opportunities to share your questions, comments and suggestions.  We are fully committed to supporting and empowering you to pursue a rewarding career. Thank you.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Source: http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2011/03/military-spouses-your-comments-help-us-boost-spouse-career-opportunities/

What is Military Community and Family Policy Page?

A step by step instruction how to create your MyCAA Account

1. For those of who never create a MyCAA Account, visit the website for account creation first- https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/Register.aspx (MyCAA is a secure site and uses high encryption to provide a safe and secure experience while viewing your personal and education information. ) Installing the DoD Root Certificate is optional. Please follow the link below for instructions on how to install the DoD Root Certificate. After you have installed the certificate, you can click the “Login to MyCAA” link below or bookmark the address https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaaSecure to use the application.
2. Instructions and Download for DoD Root Certificate
3. If you are ready to create your MyCAA Account, Click Create An Account
   

   MyCAA Step 3

4. Once you click Create An Account, you will see a notification about eligibility verification. We will ask for personal information from you and verify it through DEERS to confirm your eligibility for the program. If you’re not sure if your information is up-to-date in DEERS, this page has contact information to contact DEERS should the spouse and his/her service member need to update their information. To proceed to the next step, click the NEXT button
   

   MyCAA Step 4

5. On the next page, you will enter the information MyCAA will use to confirm your eligibility. This includes YOUR full name, your SPONSOR’S Social Security Number (SSN), and the YOUR Date of Birth (DOB).To proceed to the next step, Click Next
   

   MyCAA Step 5

6. The next step is to enter your contact information. You are required to enter a preferred phone number (formatted with area code and dashes, i.e., 703-555-3333), Street Address, City, State, and Zip. Please also select your gender. To proceed to the next step, click NEXT.
   

   MyCAA Step 6

7. The next page will ask for your sponsor’s information. Please enter your SPONSOR’s Last Name, Sponsor’s Pay Grade, Sponsor’s Date of Separation, Sponsor’s Service and Installation. To proceed to the next step, click NEXT.
   

   MyCAA Step 7

8. The final step for creating an account is to select a user name and password. User names can be whatever you would like, but may NOT include a space. Passwords must be at least 8 characters long and include at least 2 non-alpha numeric symbols (i.e., symbols such as ! or * or #). To finish the profile creation process, click CREATE USER
   

   MyCAA Step 8

9. Once you click CREATE USER, a message will be displayed stating that your MyCAA Account has been created and that you will receive an email confirming the account creation. ** NOTE: While email confirmation messages usually arrive instantly, occasionally email server traffic can delay delivery up to 24 hours.
   

   MyCAA Step 9

10. Next, go the email account you entered when creating your account and look for an email from MyCAA@bamtech.net with the subject MyCAA Account Activation.
11. When you receive your confirmation email, it will contain the user name you entered, as well as three options to choose from in order to confirm your account. Please click on Confirm Email or copy and paste the link in to your Internet browser to verify your email address and finish creating your MyCAA account
    

    MyCAA Step 11

12. When you click on the Confirm Email link or copy and paste the URL in to your web browser, you will be redirected to the MyCAA home page and a message will advise you that your email has been verified and your MyCAA Account has been created
    

    MyCAA Step 12

13. Now enter your username and password and click the Log In button to access the site.
    If you are having trouble logging on or have questions, please call Military OneSource at 1-800-342-9647.

    Now enter your username and password and click the Log In button to access the site.

1. VA plans to roll out several new programs and cooperative efforts in the coming month.
2. VA plans to develop and expand family caregiver support programs.
3. HUD Department to reduce the number of homeless veterans to 59,000 by June 2012.
4. DoD plans to continue expanding educational opportunities for military families (Spouse and Children)
5. DoD also plans to offer military families use of Interior lands and recreational facilities for recovery
6. Childcare availability for military families
7. DOD to expand employment opportunities for military families in conservation

Leaders from the top echelons of the Defense Department and other government agencies have stepped forward to voice their unanimous approval of a groundbreaking new effort to support and strengthen military families.

President Barack Obama announces a whole-of-government initiative to benefit military families as Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, and First Lady Michelle Obama look on during a Jan. 24, 2011, White House event. DOD photo by Elaine Wilson

President Barack Obama unveiled yesterday a new, whole-of-government approach to military family support, with agencies uniting to create new resources and support programs for military families worldwide.

From health care to child care to spouse employment, Obama announced the government has made nearly 50 commitments to improving families’ quality of life and well-being, with numerous agencies — ranging from the Veterans Affairs Department to the Education Department — involved in the effort.

“Through this effort, you now have the entire Cabinet and other agencies literally saying, ‘This is one of our top priorities,’” Sarah Farnsworth, deputy assistant secretary of defense for community outreach, told American Forces Press Service today. “This is not a political discussion. … We all have a responsibility to our military families and our troops.”

This effort opens doors for agencies with a longstanding desire to help, Farnsworth noted. “Some agencies that may not have previously realized they could help make a difference now have a way to get involved,” she said. And in turn, she added, DOD and VA have access to resources they may not otherwise have been able to tap.

“By having military families elevated in some of the other Cabinet agencies, it brings more federal resources to the table,” she said.

While the announcement was made at the government level, Farnsworth emphasized the community-based nature of many of the upcoming support efforts, noting plans for a greater outreach to mayors, business communities and chambers of commerce.

“It’s more about reaching out and empowering communities that may not have understood or had the resources to help support military members and their families,” she explained. “It’s the kind of effort where there’s room at the table for everybody. Military families are part of all of our lives, no matter where you sit across the agency or country.”
VA officials also stepped forward to voice their approval of the family support effort. Tammy Duckworth, VA’s assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs, reiterated in a blog yesterday the department’s longstanding commitment to families.

“War takes a toll on families,” she wrote. “Therefore, to ensure the families of service members and veterans have programs that meet their needs, the Department of Veterans Affairs has joined the White House and other federal agencies to strengthen services for family members.”

VA plans to roll out several new programs and cooperative efforts in the coming months, many of which are outlined in the White House Report, titled: “Strengthening Our Military Families: Meeting America’s Commitment.”

For example, VA plans to develop and expand family caregiver support programs, expand and enhance services to combat suicide in the veteran population, and, working with DOD, implement a multiyear mental health strategy to promote early recognition of mental health conditions.

Additionally, VA will continue working with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Housing and Urban Development Department to reduce the number of homeless veterans to 59,000 by June 2012, and to end homelessness completely by its goal year of 2015.

This governmentwide effort is “something in which we’re very excited to participate,” Duckworth wrote.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan pledged to continue expanding educational opportunities for military families yesterday in a news release.

“The men and women who serve in our nation’s armed forces place a high value on education and the availability of quality educational opportunities for their children,” Duncan said. “The U.S. Department of Education is committed to providing children of military families the support and education they need to thrive, as well as expanding educational opportunities for military spouses and veterans.”

The Education Department will focus its efforts on educational opportunities for military children, particularly during deployments and times of transition, a department news release said. The department also will work to simplify the financial aid application process for military families.

Agriculture Department officials also reiterated their commitment to military families and highlighted some upcoming efforts on behalf of military families.

“Military families face many challenges as a result of their commitment to our country, and I believe USDA’s programs can play a significant role in helping and supporting these families through their sacrifice,” Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said in a news release yesterday. “We are committed to further strengthening our 25-year relationship with the Defense Department and using the resources of the Cooperative Extension Service to serve the entire military community.”
The 4-H National Headquarters plans to enhance its relationship with active, Guard and Reserve services to support 4-H clubs and activities for military youth, the release said.

And,USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will work with the Defense, Health and Human Services and Education departments to increase child care availability across the nation.
Ken Salazar, secretary of the interior, outlined some of the Interior Department’s planned initiatives while expressing his full support of the effort in a statement issued yesterday.

“We must honor the remarkable service and sacrifices of our military families by doing all we can to provide them the support and quality of life they deserve,” he said. “As stewards of America’s great natural, cultural and historic treasures, the Department of the Interior can help provide our service members, their families, and our veterans with unique opportunities for recreation, rehabilitation and solitude.”

The department plans to work with DOD to offer military families use of Interior lands and recreational facilities for recovery, the statement said, particularly wounded warriors “in their efforts to regain psychological health, reintegrate with family and rehabilitate.”

Also, the department will work with the DOD to expand employment opportunities for military families in conservation, the release said.

“Under President Obama’s leadership and on behalf of a grateful nation, I look forward to working across the federal family to expand opportunities for military families and to honor their commitment to our country,” Salazar said.

Source: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=62575

Related Sites:
Special Report: Strengthening Our Military Families
White House Report

Under the legislation, Pentagon officials will assess the costs of providing education opportunities for military spouses as an incentive to retain service members, compared with the costs of recruiting and training new service members.

Along with the review, Congress wants defense officials to recommend ways to improve spouse education programs.

At a minimum, officials must also evaluate the effectiveness of all Defense Department and Veterans Affairs Department programs to advance education opportunities for military spouses and assess the programs’ influence on service members’ decisions to stay in the military.

Military Spouses Education Program

The requirement is one provision of the 2011 defense authorization bill, which at press time was awaiting President Obama’s signature. The review will be due 180 days after the law is enacted.

The House version of the bill contained the provision requiring the review; the Senate version did not. Senators agreed to add the provision, but also added VA programs that support military spouse education for inclusion in the review.

“It’s interesting they’re just looking at education and not spouse employment,” said Katie Savant, government relations deputy director for the National Military Family Association.

If lawmakers want the Pentagon to look at retention issues for younger troops, she said, “ultimately, spouses are really looking for a job. You need a job to help pay the bills.”

“Some people may not be able to find employment, so they turn to education. We have a highly educated population, but that may not translate to a job” for the spouse because of the location or other reasons, she said.

Military spouse education was thrust into the spotlight last year after DoD abruptly halted its popular My Career Advancement Accounts program Feb. 16, less than a year after its launch, because a flood of applications threatened to drain its funding.

Spouses raised objections with defense officials and lawmakers, and the program was reinstated in March for those already enrolled. On Oct. 25, it reopened under new rules, and is now available only to spouses of service members in paygrades E-1 through E-5, W-1 and W-2, and O-1 and O-2. Total payouts were reduced from $6,000 per spouse to $4,000.

MyCAA supports a variety of educational, credentialing and licensing programs to further portable careers, but it no longer supports work toward four-year or postgraduate degrees.

Source: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/01/army-spouse-education-programs-reviewed-011711w/