1. First of all, all of the scholarships or tuition assistance programs for military spouses are MyCAA – The MyCAA program began in November 2007 as a joint initiative between the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor and was initially available to spouses of junior enlisted members.  Click here to read more about facts about MyCAA.
   

   Military Spouse Tuition Assistance

2. There are lots of private schools or colleges offer scholarships or tuition assistance for military spouses.  While looking for money for school many surviving spouses and their families overlook the over $300 million of military – and veteran – related scholarships and grants. These scholarships programs also can be applied in some cases.  However, Scholarships are too difficult to win and applying requires too much work.
3. Each military branch also offers tuition assistance or educational benefit programs
   For Army Spouses
   • Army Family Education Programs
   • Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program (SEAP)
   • Spouse Education Assistance Program (EAP)
   For Air Force Spouses
   • General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program
   • General George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP)
   • Servicemember’s Opportunity Colleges (SOC)
   For Navy Spouses
   • SOCNAV
   • The Navy Maine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS)
     Spouse Tuition Aid Program (STAP)
   • VADM E.P. Travers Scholarship and Loan Program
   For Coast Guard Spouses
   • Coast Guard Family Education Programs
   • Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA)
   • VADM E.P. Travers Scholarship and Loan Program
   For Marine Corps Spouses
   • SOCMAR
   • The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS)
   • Spouse Tuition Aid Program (STAP)
   • VADM EP Travers Scholarship and Loan Program

For more info about Benefit Programs for Military Spouses

1. The MyCAA program began in November 2007 as a joint initiative between the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor and was initially available to spouses of junior enlisted members
2. In 2009 the program was extended to include all spouses. Applicants were able to use up to $6,000 to pursue education that would help them attain employment in portable professions.
3. There were approximately 136,000 spouses have enrolled in MyCAA until late 2009.
4. MyCAA program was closed to new spouses in February, 2010 while it assessed its original purpose to offer education that would allow for portable careers.
5. With the new plan, spouses will be eligible if their husbands are in pay grades E1-E5, the lower five of nine enlisted grades, or if their husbands are W1-W2, O1 or O2, the lower ranks of warrant and commissioned officers.
6. However, The programs will be limited to associate degrees, certification and licensures, and the amount has been lowered to $4,000.
7. Offer a maximum financial benefit of $4,000 with a fiscal year cap of $2,000.  Waivers will be available for spouses pursuing licensure or certification up to the total maximum assistance of $4,000
8. DoD will be accepting new application for MyCAA from October 25, 2010

Prepare for your MyCAA program before it is too late.  - Click here to see more about Military Spouse Career Advancement Account.

The 2009 Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, signed into law on November 11, 2009, is intended to lessen the state income tax filing burden on military families.

The new law says the non-military spouse can now retain the same home state of record/state of residence as the military spouse, as long as the non-military spouse’s sole reason for leaving that state was due to a permanent change of station (PCS) for the military spouse. For more details see Military Spouse Residency Relief Act Signed by President Obama, Aids Military Spouses, or contact your local military legal office.

1. The MSRRA changes some basic rules of taxation with respect to military spouses
   • 1) earn income from services performed in a State in which the spouse is present with their Service member (SM) pursuant to military orders and
   • 2) that State is not the spouse’s domicile (legal residence). Under these conditions, the military spouse generally will not have to pay income taxes to that State. Depending on the laws of the domiciliary State, the spouse may be required to pay income tax to the domiciliary State.

who:

2. The law is complicated and fact specific, and because its effect will depend on the interpretations of each of the States, SMs and their spouses are encouraged to seek free, confidential advice from a legal assistance office. Legal assistance offices can be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/content/locator.php .
3. The law is effective for tax year 2009 and may entitle eligible spouses for are fund on their 2009 taxes. It may, however, also require some spouses to file tax returns in their State of domicile for tax year 2009, when they might otherwise not have been required to do so. For 2010 and beyond, spouses should file new withholding forms with their employer, designating their appropriate domicile state. If the employer cannot withhold taxes for that state, the spouse will have to make estimated quarterly tax payments to that state.
4. What is domicile (legal residence)? It is the place that one considers “home.” It is the place where one has lived and formed the intent to remain for the indefinite future and return when temporarily absent. Examples of contacts with a particular State that help prove domicile include: where one votes, owns property, holds professional licenses, registers vehicles, holds a driver’s license, accepts tax breaks for a declaration of homestead, or indicates where his or her last will and testament should be probated. A determination of domicile will be fact specific. No particular combination of these or other similar contacts will necessarily guarantee proof of domicile. SMs and spouses must look to State law. One may abandon an old domicile by forming the intent to create a new domicile and by establishing new contacts with the new domicile.
5. How is this different from the current rules for Service members? The rules for spouses and SMs are very similar. Currently a SM would not pay State taxes on military pay and allowances earned in the State where the SM is assigned, provided the State of assignment is not the SM’s domicile. However, accompanying spouses would generally have all income from services performed in the non-domiciliary States exempted from taxes. SMs are also responsible for complying with the tax laws of their domiciliary State. Note, that some States, like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, do not tax income of SMs domiciled there but who are assigned to some other State and earn their income in that other State. However, those rules would not apply to the spouse. Thus a spouse who was domiciled in New Jersey, but who was living in Virginia because of the SM’s orders assigning him or her to Virginia and who earned income from services provided in Virginia would not have to pay taxes in Virginia but would owe taxes to New Jersey.
6. Common misunderstandings and uncertainties.
   • a. The MSRRA does not allow a spouse to pick or chose a domicile in any State.
     Domicile is established, not chosen. The spouse must have actually lived there, established it as
     his or her domicile, and maintained it as such by forming and maintaining the necessary contacts.
     Similarly, the MSRRA does not allow a spouse to “inherit” or assume the military member’s
     domicile upon marriage.
   • b. The MSRRA does not allow a spouse to recapture an abandoned domicile without
     physicablly returning to live in the previously abandoned State of domicile and reforming the
     appropriate intent and demonstrating it by forming new contacts.
   • c. The MSRRA does not relieve the spouse from paying State income taxes on income
     other than for services performed in the non-domiciliary State. For example, income from the
     sale of real property or from rental property would likely be taxable in the State where the
     property was located, MSRRA notwithstanding. The spouse must also comply with the tax laws
     of the domiciliary State.
   • d. It is not clear what the effect of the MSRRA will be when the spouse lives in the State
     where the SM is assigned, but works in another State. Likewise, it is not certain what the effect
     of the MSRRA will be when the spouse and SM live in a State other than the one to which the
     SM is assigned.
   • e. It is not clear whether the spouse and SM must hold the same domicile to be exempt
     from taxes in the non-domiciliary State.
   • f. The MSRRA does not affect whether a spouse must get a driver’s license in the nondomiciliary
     State. That is entirely a function of State law and is not affected by the MSRRA.
7. Other effects of the MSRRA.
   • a. The MSRRA also exempts non-business personal property (most often automobiles)
     from taxation in the non-domiciliary State when the property is titled in the spouse’s name or
     jointly with the spouse and SM. As in the case of income tax, the spouse must be in the nondomiciliary
     State to accompany the military member on military orders.
   • b. The MSRRA should make it easier for the spouse to vote in the domiciliary State by
     absentee ballot. Voting is a very important contact to help prove domicile.

Military Spouse Residency Relief Act and State Tax Requirements for Eligibility:

The spouse of a servicemember is exempt from income taxation by a state when all three of these qualifications are met.

The spouse:

1. Currently resides in a state different than the state of his or her domicile;
2. Resides in the state solely in order to live with the servicemember; and,
3. The servicemember is present in the state in compliance with military orders.

NOTE: Some states also require a fourth qualification: The spouse and the servicemember both are able to claim the same domicile.

Here are nine states that have no broad-based income tax:

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming

Lots of military related publishers put Allied American University on the Top of the Military Friendly Schools list that Allied American University offer additional benefits to student veterans such as free transcript evaluation and military designated support department. They recognized AAU for its effort to provide a military friendly education to service members and their spouses nationwide. Allied American University continually strives to tailor the educational experience to accommodate their unique learning needs and foster academic achievement. AAU offers online college courses in Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Criminal Justice and General Studies. Check out to see more detail about Military Spouse Friendly School.

AAU will assess military course completion and military occupational experience listed on AARTS, SMART, CCAF and CGI transcripts to apply the maximum allowable transfer credit recommended by the Academic Council on Education (ACE). AAU also accepts credit-by-examination for AP, CLEP, DLPT, DSST, ECE and others.

Now, since DOD is accepting new transferable G.I. Bill, military spouses now enables to enroll college courses with their tuition assistance programs.

MOAA issued a press release, which reads, in part:

The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) has expressed strong disagreement with the Pentagon’s July 20 decision to severely limit military spouses’ eligibility for the wildly popular My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) program

When the program was first announced last year, spouses were extraordinarily enthusiastic and grateful that the Defense Department was finally acknowledging it had some obligation to help them ease their own personal sacrifices,” Strobridge said. “That’s why they were so angry when the program was suspended in February, because they saw Defense leaders as backtracking on the only funded career program they ever had.”

*****

“The reopening of the program in March offered a renewed ray of hope, but now this new restriction yanks the rug out from under career spouses yet again,” Strobridge said.

“MOAA believes longer-serving spouses deserve fairer treatment, and we’ll be asking Congress to help them get it.”

Full release can be read here.

Military One Source’s MyCAA page can be found here.

militaryspousescholarships.com/blog/2010/02/what-is-going-on-with-mycaa.html”>Click here to see a comprehensive post which details the issues and timeline surrounding the abrupt closing of the program earlier this year.

Lots of chatter on twitter re MyCAA. And by the way, we recently joined the twitterverse and are looking each day to reach and interact with milspouses on twitter. If you have a twitter account, let us know by leaving it in the comment section or

An education- tuition assistance program for military spouses that proved too popular for its own good will resume in a scaled-back form this fall.

MyCAA

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program, or MyCAA, provided tuition of up to $6,000 for any military spouse to train for a portable career, one capable of enduring frequent military moves. The program was abruptly “paused” on Feb. 16 after a surge of applications threatened to drain its budget.

When it returns on Oct. 25, benefits will top out at $4,000, only spouses of junior service members – E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2 – will be eligible, and they will be restricted to pursuing associate’s degrees, certificates and licenses. Of the 136,000 spouses participating in the program, 74,000 will no longer be eligible. A career counselor with Military OneSource, which runs the program, must approve each request.

The Military Officers Association of America strongly opposed the new restrictions.

“Limiting it mostly to spouses of first-term personnel – many of whom won’t stay for military careers – seems to miss the whole point,” said retired Air Force Col. Steve Strobridge, MOAA government relations director. “Allowing coverage for courses leading to associate’s degrees but not bachelor’s or master’s degrees that are essential for nursing, teaching and other portable careers seems equally incongruous.”

When MyCAA was shut down, about 44,000 of the 137,000 spouses enrolled were using the funds to pay for a bachelor’s degree or higher, said Air Force Lt. Col. April Cunningham, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

The program, which began in March 2009, was accepting about 10,000 new applicants a month and had reached a total of about 100,000. Then, in January alone, 70,000 were added, and 25,000 more during the first half of February. The plug was pulled.

An earlier iteration of the program was run by the state’s WorkSource agency and was also aimed at spouses of junior service members. Only those seeking certificate programs were eligible. When the Department of Defense took it over, it broadened eligibility.

When the program was paused, the DOD failed to promptly notify participants, angering many and leaving plans in limbo. Spouses set up a Facebook page titled “Take Action Against MyCAA Shutdown” that attracted more than 2,800 members. The program was reinstated in March to those who were already enrolled, but nobody else was allowed in.

Miles guessed that OC will have fewer MyCAA participants simply because a smaller number of spouses are eligible and there’ll be less money available.

The National Guard Child Care Subsidy Program is coordinated through the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA).  The amount of the subsidy is based on total family income, the number of children and type of child care needed.  The minimum monthly pay out is $100 per child per month.

A call center has also been set up to help Guardmembers navigate the paperwork and process of receiving the subsidy.  For more information on the program visit the National Guard Family Program’s website at http://www.guardfamily.org or call 1-888-642-2799.

Dear Hillary Clinton U.S. Secretary of State,

Welcome to Korea and I hope you could have a good chance to discuss the Peace in East Asia including Korean Peninsula.

I am S.C. Shin, a civil investigator recommended by Korean National Assembly for the sinking of Cheonan and I’m writing this letter to let you know the truth exactly here in Korea.

I have graduated Korea Maritime University in 1982, served 2 years in Navy as a sailing & gunnery officer, worked for Hanjin Shipping on a containership regular line between Far East & West coast of U.S as a navigator for several years and experienced shipbuilding inspect affair for 7 years in Major Shipyards in Korea such as Hyundai, Samsung, Daewoo and Hanjin Heavy Industry.

I have built 3 bulk carriers of 136,000 tons and 10 container ships of 2,000~4,000 teu in charge of hull structure, shipping machinery and outfittings, paint and nautical equipments including navigation system.

Unbelievable conclusion and posture of the Administration

I didn’t agree with the conclusion of the Korean military administration and now sued for libel by them.

Can you imagine this situaton? I was the only person stood on the opposite position. That’s the only reason I am sued. I cannot understand how this happens in a democratic country in the world.

So I want to talk to you about my oppinion and I think this might be a meaningful information to lead you to the truth of the unfortunate accident in Korea.

As you know, this is so much important problem for the peace of Korean Peninsula devoting to the world’s peace that you and your country eagerly pursue to complete.

The Military Administration made a conclusion that Cheonan had torn in two and sunken by the ‘Explosion of Torpedo’.

But my oppinion is quite different from it because I could not find even a slight sign of ‘Explosion’ but could find so many evidences of grounding in/out of the vessel.

I want to ask you fully understood that a tiny voice for the truth may prevent unexpected disaster and assure the safety of 70 million people in Korean Peninsula.

Well, I’m going to tell you about the circumstances which Baengnyeong-do is located in and especially about the geometric background with natural environment, critical for vessels sailing this area.

1. Where is Baengnyeong-do located ?

Baengnyeong Island is a South Korean island in the Yellow Sea(West Sea), off the Ongjin peninsula in North Korea. It lies less than 10 miles from the North Korean coast, and is over 100 miles from the mainland of South Korea.

2. Sky view of Baengnyeong-do & Daecheong-do

The scenery from the sky is very pretty and calm while the underwater condition is extremely terrible.

3. Shallow water, Rock fields and Strong tidal current

The Red marking shows Grounded Position marked on Operation Status map which Naval Fleet 2 explained to the victim’s family the next day of accident, Torn-down Positon, Rescue Position and Aft & Fore Position.

4. Too much narrow and dangerous Fair way

Shallow water and Rock fields between Baengnyeong & Daecheong islands seriously disturb safe navigation from east to west, via versa.

Any vessel coming out of the Narrow Strait has no choice but to keep her course steady due to shallow water both right and left.

Vessels can easily face dangerous situations in this kind of unique area and fallen in the status of  ‘Running aground’ or ‘Collision’.

Regardless of the Cheonan Accident, this area must be studied and pertinent policy to be needed to prevent disasters.

5. Geological features

Daedong River of North Korea has good sands, diatomite soil and silica are raw materials of Glass that accumulates.

The river carries them to the sea and strong tidal currents carry them down to the Baengnyeong area and make a lot of Sand hills along the sea shore, making the area harder to travel.

6. What happened on the day of Mar. 26, 2010 ?

The first call from 772 to Headquarter was “Grounded !”
The first call from HQ to Korea Coast Guard was “Grounded !”
The first report to the Administration was “Grounded !”

7. Confusion – The exact time of 1st accident

The adminstration on National Defence first announced that the accident broke out at 21:45 but they changed everyday until KIGAM(Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources) reports the very time of Earthquake-wave.

8. Found an Operation map that indicates ‘First Grounding’

Naval administration and the survivals gave a briefing to the families of victims on Mar. 27th – the next day of accident, showing a mark of the exact position of grounding on operation map on which the time of tidal current and the depth of water commented on the top-left corner.

The naval adminstration says “The map is ours but a family of a victim took it up and wrote memo there.”

But another family of a victim declared that the admistration had a explanation about the accident with the map and obiously told about “First Grounding” on an interview with Korea Broadcasting System(KBS) for the current program titled ‘Trace 60 Minute.’   ( Below : A family of a victim says “I heard that navy explained about ‘first grounding’ with that map.” )

And recently we found a film that shows Navy explains the situation to the families of victims with that map, as below.

9. The evidences of  ’Grounding’

(1) Serious Scratches of lower part of side hull

(2) Damage of Bilge Keel and Penetration nearby

(3) Denting damage of  5-Screw blades of starboard side.

The damage of denting forward proves the vessel have experienced ‘Full Astern Engine’ while grounded on sand hill or mud to get out of the terrible situation.

(4) Compare the conditions of lower side plate between PCC-772 and PKM-357 which stayed in water for 53 days after sunken in Yellow Sea, in the 2nd battle at Yeonpyeong broken out in June, 2002. (She is now resting in the yard of Korean Navy Fleat 2 where you are staying now.)

10. Cases of  ’Grounding’ for reference

Kim Tae-Young, the minister of National Defence said “There was no ‘Grounding’ as we can see the Sonar dome not damaged.”

But, as you know, it is really out of common sense just like as to say a ball player who is just sliding in home, “You are ‘Out !’ because your left knee is found clean.” How ridiculous !

The length of 722 is 88m’s long and 10m’s wide. The Sonar dome is only 90cm’s long and 30cm’s wide. There’s no relation between the vessel’s grounding and the damage of sonar dome at all.

When a vessel grounds the Sonar dome may be damaged, but ‘no damage on Sonar dome’ doesn’t guarantee ‘no grounding’, as you can see below that shows the clean bottom of fore part.

11. The Mid Report of Administration – April 25

• No penetration
• No burn damage
• No heat
• No splinters
• Cable covers are not damaged
• Oil tank and dump area not damaged at all

That’s it. That is enough to declare “There was no explosion ! ”
But their conclusion was  ‘Non-contact in-water Torpedo’ !

Unbelievable. Torpedo exploded 3m’s beneath 772 and there was no damage but there’s only ‘Cutting Down’ the steel !

12. If Torpedo exploded ;

• How are the bodies of victim who were found near the cutting area so clean while a big explosion broke out that is enough to tear down the vessel in two ?
• How could the bottom of the hull has no penetrations by splinter at all ? The splinters from the torpedo
• How could the vinyl covers of cable have no damage ?
• Why couldn’t we find even a dead fish in that area while a great explosion had broken out ?
• Why nobody got otolaryngologic desease at all ? Even no nose-bleeding.

13. What is the 2nd accident that caused the serious damage after getting out of ‘Grounding’ ?

(1) Rock crash  (2) Explosion  (3) Fatigue Fracture  (4) Collision

Anything else? Those might be enough ..

(1) There was no rocks in that area torn down. – Rock Excluded !
(2) Couldn’t find a slight sign of explosion – Explosion Excluded !
(3) The crack started from the bottom – Fatigue Fx. Excluded !

The rest one is ‘ Case (4) – It’s Collision ‘.

That’s why I get to the conclusion – The 1st accident is ‘Grounding’ and the 2nd one is ‘Collision’ – with every knowledge, experience and analysis.

14. Collision with what ?

(1) Might be a military vessel. - The rule of military government prohibits fishing at night and required to be back before 1 hour earlier the time of sun-set in that area.
(2) Maybe, of course, one of  ‘Above-water vessel’ or ‘Under-water vessel’
(3) Who knows? Only God knows?

15. Brief of my opinion

(1) The most important thing is there were two series of accidents not one.
(2) The 1st accident was ‘Grounding’ with the evidences above.
(3) The ‘Grounding on a sand’ made some damages and led flooding but itself didn’t make those serious situation torn down in two.
(4) The 2nd accident hit a count-blow to sink.
(5) I couldn’t find even a slight sign of ‘Explosion’.
(6) The 2nd accident was ‘Collision’ with my analysis above.

Dear Secretary of State,

This is my conclusion with deep analysis and I believe my opinion is very close to the truth.

Have you known that all?  Then please consider again about the tension in Korean Peninsula.

If you didn’t know that, please ask you staff -  “Bring me another report that contains the ‘Truth’ ! ”

This is not just an accident of a country in East Asia, but now it has grown up to most sensitive topic throughout the world.

Mr. President of United States, Obama said on his address ” On the issues that have come up that a commander in chief is going to make decisions on, I have shown the judgment to lead. that is the leadership that I want to show when I’m president of the United States.”

Now is the time, I think, my hero Obama shows us his leadership, truth, faith and justice to solve the puzzled problem for the peace in Korean Peninsula.

We want to check it again precisely and scientifically according in the way of common sense and with perfect evidences. That’s all.

That would be the righteous way to approach this matter and that will help to harden the relationship between Korea and Unitied States.

To tell the truth with you, I am very worry about that so many people in Korea are anxious about ’How Unite State accept this conclusion so simply - Torpedo Explosion’ without any doubt.

I say with all my heart, there was no explosion. So there was no Torpedo, either. I could find only mechanical damages with a lot of grounding evidences.

As they sued me, I am going to establish the cause of the accident in court with every evidence that I found. Would you please pray for me to get good result?

Thank you for your time and I’ll be very grateful if I can recieve your ideas for this matter, if possible.

Faithfully,

S. C. Shin

The Military Education Scholarship Program was started in May of 2007. VA Mortgage Center.com is the nation’s number 1 dedicated VA Loan Lender in the nation and VAMC wanted to give something back.

While looking for ways to give back to those that served or are going to serve, VAMC decided that it would set up its own scholarship program. The scholarship was set up for students in ROTC programs, veterans, reservists, military children, and military spouses.
What started out with 2 scholarships awarded and now the program has grown to 5 scholarships for $1500 each!

To win one of the five scholarships you would simply submit a 2-3 page essay in response to the prompt:

“John F. Kennedy once said: “A young man who does not have what it takes to perform military service is not likely to have what it takes to make a living.” In your pursuit of higher education, how do you relate the challenges faced through military service to those faced in the academic and professional world? How will, or how has, your military service taught you to deal with adversity? ”

While writing your essay, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

1. Your personal opinions and experiences about the way in which your military service has shaped your life, including the skills you received and are applying as a student and in the workplace.

2. The ways in which your military service has prepared you for success in your education and in life.

3. As an individual, what do you hope to contribute to and accomplish?

Once you completed your essay, you would then submit it on VAMC’s Scholarship Program guidelines page.
For potential recipients who are children or military spouses, the essay should be written by the parent or spouse who has served or is serving. You may also choose to do an interview style essay in which you would obtain all the information through interviewing your parent or spouse.

The Military Education Scholarships are awarded biannually each year in the Fall and Spring. The winners receive a check from VAMC to use towards whatever they choose. You may win the scholarship more than once, so hurry and submit your essay by teh May 1st deadline.

A few important criteria to choose top military spouse friendly schools are whether they offer MyCAA, and online programs and college degree where spouses can study their education at a comfort home.

• Allied American University
• Everest College
• Westwood College
• UOP
• Walden University
• Fremont College
• Grantham University