There was an announcement about MyCAA that MyCAA program is temporarily halting operations. This pause will not affect approved Financial Assistance documents.

Under the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account program, the husbands or wives of military personnel are eligible to receive up to $6,000 to pursue further education.

Last week, the Defense Department abruptly stopped the program, telling students on the MyCAA website that the program was under review.

The Department of Defense says it saw an unforseen spike in applications this winter and the program almost reached its budget threshold.

The DOD says this is a temporary stop to the program until a new plan is in place.

There are lots of Military Spouse Alternative Education Funding Resources

Spouses say they hope the funding comes back so she and other military spouses can finally finish their degrees.

Click here to Visit More information about MyCAA Announcement.

1.     The Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program (SSEAP) is a need-based education assistance program designed to provide spouses of active duty and retired Soldiers, and widows(ers) of Soldiers who died either on active duty or in a retired status, and residing in the United States, with financial assistance in pursuing educational goals. The purpose of the program is to assist spouses/widows(ers) in gaining the education required to allow them to qualify for increased occupational opportunities.  Individuals who receive free tuition as a result of their employment will not receive tuition assistance from AER. However, they may apply for assistance for fees, supplies or books (no duplicates) for classes in which they are enrolled.  “Active Duty” military personnel are not eligible.

2.     Spouses/widow(ers) must reside at a stateside residence, and be enrolled, accepted, or pending acceptance as full time students in post-secondary or vocational institutions and approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

3.     SSEAP is NOT an entitlement or automatically approved. SSEAP does not apply to second undergraduate or graduate level courses.

4.     Stateside financial assistance is awarded based on financial need, as evidenced by income, assets, family size, special financial obligations and circumstances.

5.     The scholarships are awarded annually for up to four (4) academic years to attend post secondary school FULL TIME for the entire academic year as first undergraduate level students. Funds are to assist with academic expenses at the attending University/School and will be disbursed equally between the Fall and Spring semesters or quarters to assist with tuition, books, fees and supplies.

6.     The Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program scholarships are awarded annually for up to four academic years to attend post secondary school full time as undergraduate level students. All students must complete an application and mail all supporting documentation each year.

ELIGIBILITY:

To be eligible for SSEAP, applicants must be residing in the United States and be the spouse of an Soldier on active duty, widow(er) of an Soldier who died while on active duty, spouse of retired Soldier or widow(er) of Soldier who died while in a retired status.

APPLICATION AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION:

1.     Spouses/widows(ers) who wish to participate in SSEAP may submit an online application (AER Form 6) on our Web Site: www.aerhq.org. All applicants must complete a new application for each academic year. Read instructions and application carefully before completing. All requested documents are required with the submitted online application and must be mailed to this headquarters. All the necessary documents must be postmarked no later than AER’s postmark deadline date for each academic year.

2.     The online application and supporting documentation listed below must be submitted postmarked no later than March 1, 2010. The applicant is responsible for meeting the deadline date. Incomplete and/or late applications/documents WILL NO longer be considered. The supporting documentation is as follows:

a.     PRIVACY STATEMENT (IF APLICABLE) – The privacy statement (Part 7 of the AER Form 6) must be signed and dated by both the spouse and the Soldier (as applicable). If special circumstances preclude the Soldier’s signature, inform us in detail so those circumstances can be considered. If the spouse is signing for the Soldier (they must sign Soldier’s name, by POA) and include a copy of the General Power of Attorney. Without the signatures, the application is not complete.

b.     ORDERS – Send copies of the documents, not originals.

1.    ARNG AND USAR SOLDIERS – Most recent Assignment Orders. Active Duty Orders must include ETS and period of active duty through entire academic year and assignment to eligible command.

2.    If Soldier is deceased while on Active duty, copy of Army Casualty Report.

3.    A copy of spouse Discharge Orders/DD214 is needed (along with Soldier’s PCS Orders) if previously in the USA, USN, USAF, USMC, RES OR GRD.

c.     2010-2011 STUDENT AID REPORT (SAR) – Financial Aid Analysis: postmark deadline not later than May 1, 2010. The SAR is the resulting analysis of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application or renewal.

STEP # 1: COMPLETING THE FAFSA APPLICATION

1.  The hardcopy FAFSA can be obtained from your school Financial Aid Office or education advisor. Submit the FAFSA application, not later than March 1, 2010, to the processing organization, NOT AER.  It may take as long as six weeks for processing.

2.   The FAFSA is also available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you apply on the web, you can print the SAR from the site after the data is confirmed. It must include the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) and all family financial information provided on the FAFSA to be acceptable. You may request a SAR be mailed to you to forward to AER. If you requested hard copy of the SAR, it is usually eight pages in length. The applicant must mail a photocopy of the entire SAR to HQ, AER.

3.   2010-2011 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR): Alternate documentation – The 2010-2011 ISIR has the same information as the SAR. The postmark deadline is May 1, 2010. This is not the institution financial aid offering. The applicant must mail a copy of the entire ISIR to AER.

4.   Do NOT mail AER a copy of your FAFSA application, the FAFSA renewal forms, the computer-generated printout of data on the application, the family tax forms, or the institutional financial aid offering. The 2010-2011 analysis from the Department of Education is the required document to be mailed.

5.   To be acceptable, the SAR or ISIR analysis must include complete family financial information and the EFC.

STEP # 2: PRINTING THE STUDENT AID REPORT (SAR), RESULTS FROM THE FAFSA APPLICATION

The 2010-2011 Student Aid Report can be downloaded and printed from the FAFSA website at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

To access the SAR on the FAFSA website please follow the following steps:

1.     Go to the FAFSA homepage: www.fafsa.ed.gov

2.     Under the orange box #3: FAFSA Follow-up click on the link: “View and print your Student Aid Report”

3.     You then see a Student Access page that says “Confirming your Identity.” Fill in your information and click on the link “Submit”

4.     You will then see another Student Access page that says “Transactions.” There will be table that lists your transactions. Under the heading “Transaction Number” there will be a number. Click on that number. (The number is usually 01)

5.     On this Student Access page you will see a column on the left. Click on the link on the bottom of the column called, “Print Summary”

6.     You will now be at the “Print Summary” page.

7.     Now click on the link next to the number 2. “SAR (PDF version)”

8.     This link will download your SAR as an Adobe Acrobat File. This is the correct SAR.

Please print the pdf version, which is 3 pages and mail it to AER by postmark May 1, 2010. The SAR that is printed off the FAFSA website should be 3 pages. The first page is a big table and on the top left corner it says SAR 2010-2011.

There is also a yellow hardcopy version that FAFSA can mail that you that is 4 pages which are all front and back. Both of these versions are acceptable. To be sure we receive all the information we need, please provide a copy of the entire SAR.

d. OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS:

1.  If you will be a freshman and have never attended college – a transcript is not required.

2.  If you are currently in a post secondary school or have taken undergraduate courses previously,

send an official transcript of ALL post secondary grades to include the most recent semester or

quarter completed to HQ, AER, verifying cumulative GPA.

e. ID CARD: A legible copy of student’s Dependent Military ID Card, FRONT AND BACK.

f. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: If a spouse has special circumstances that she/he wishes HQ, AER to consider,

include an explanation in “Remarks” of the AER Form 6 or send an additional letter with their application.  Should

special circumstances occur after the application is forwarded, provide a subsequent letter to HQ, AER.

TIMETABLE: MARK YOUR CALENDAR

MARCH 1, 2010: Supporting documentation must be mailed to HQ, AER postmarked not later than March 1, 2010.  Online applications must be submitted not later than March 1, 2010.  Official transcripts may be mailed with the application or separately but must meet the March 1 postmark deadline. ARNG and USAR orders and Army Casualty Report, only if applicable, are due by March 1, 2010.

MAY 1, 2010: SAR or ISIR financial aid analysis, 2010-2011 report, may be mailed with your supporting documents or separately but must be postmarked no later than May 1, 2010.

MAY 2010: Award letters mailed to scholarship recipients during the last week of May.

JULY 1, 2010: Scholarship recipients complete and return the AER Scholarship Agreement and provide a copy of report of final spring grades (photo copy acceptable) for the 2009-2010 academic year.

JULY 26-30, 2010: HQ, AER disburses scholarship funds to schools.

DECEMBER 2010: Applications for the 2011-2012 Academic Year (AY) will be available on our (AER) web page, www.aerhq.org; after December 1^st.

WHAT TO SEND?

A COMPLETE APPLICATION INCLUDES:

1. AER Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program Application for AY 2010-2011, SUBMITTED ONLINE.
2. Signed Privacy Statement by applicant and Soldier (if applicable).
3. A General Power of Attorney, (if applicable).
4. ARNG and USAR Soldiers: Active Duty Orders, serving under Title 10, US Code, (if applicable).
5. Deceased Active Soldiers: Army Casualty Report, (if applicable).
6. A copy of student’s Discharge Orders/DD214 if previously in the USA, USN, USAF, USMC, RES or GRD, (if applicable).
7. Official transcript(s) of all grades verifying CUM GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale.
8. 2010-2011 Student Aid Report (SAR), Financial Aid Analysis.
9. A legible photocopy of student’s Dependent Military ID Card, FRONT AND BACK.

Mail completed Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Application with required documentation to HQ, AER. For

Acknowledgment that AER has received your Application or subsequent correspondence, enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard. We will date and return it. This is the only way we can acknowledge receipt. Note, return receipt to the student of the stamped dated postcard does not necessarily mean that your Application was complete.

Headquarters, Army Emergency Relief

Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program

200 Stovall Street

Alexandria, VA 22332-0600

PLEASE NOTE: HQ, AER assumes no responsibility for applications or supporting documentation not received by this office OR not received in a timely manner.  We do not assume responsibility for items mailed to this address with insufficient postage and subsequently returned to the applicant by the postal service.  All correspondence to the student will be sent to the address listed on the application until a change is received in writing to the contrary.  We assume no responsibility for letters from HQ, AER not delivered to the applicant.  All changes to information furnished to HQ, AER must be submitted in writing.

NO EXCEPTIONS TO ANYTHING POSTMARKED AFTER THE DEADLINE DATE

Source: http://www.aerhq.org/Education_Spouse_Stateside_ProgramDescription.asp

II111TH CONGRESS1ST SESSION S. 475To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to guarantee the equity ofspouses of military personnel with regard to matters of residency, andfor other purposes.IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFEBRUARY 25, 2009Mr. BURR (for himself and Mrs. FEINSTEIN) introduced the following bill;which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ AffairsA BILLTo amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to guaranteethe equity of spouses of military personnel with regardto matters of residency, and for other purposes.1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Spouses Resi5dency Relief Act’’.VerDate Nov 24 2008 04:21 Feb 26, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S475.IS S475 jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS2•S 475 IS1 SEC. 2. GUARANTEE OF RESIDENCY FOR SPOUSES OF MILI2TARY PERSONNEL FOR VOTING PURPOSES.3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 705 of the4 Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 595) is5 amended—6 (1) by striking ‘‘For’’ and inserting the fol7lowing:8 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—For’’;9 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub10section:11 ‘‘(b) SPOUSES.—For the purposes of voting for any12 Federal office (as defined in section 301 of the Federal13 Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431)) or a State14 or local office, a person who is absent from a State be15cause the person is accompanying the person’s spouse who16 is absent from that same State in compliance with military17 or naval orders shall not, solely by reason of that ab18sence—19 ‘‘(1) be deemed to have lost a residence or20 domicile in that State, without regard to whether or21 not the person intends to return to that State;22 ‘‘(2) be deemed to have acquired a residence or23 domicile in any other State; or24 ‘‘(3) be deemed to have become a resident in or25 a resident of any other State.’’; andVerDate Nov 24 2008 04:21 Feb 26, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S475.IS S475 jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS3•S 475 IS1 (3) in the section heading, by inserting ‘‘AND2 SPOUSES OF MILITARY PERSONNEL’’ before the3 period at the end.4 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents5 in section 1(b) of such Act (50 U.S.C. App. 501) is6 amended by striking the item relating to section 705 and7 inserting the following new item:‘‘Sec. 705. Guarantee of residency for military personnel and spouses of militarypersonnel.’’.8 (c) APPLICATION.—Subsection (b) of section 705 of9 such Act (50 U.S.C. App. 595), as added by subsection10 (a) of this section, shall apply with respect to absences11 from States described in such subsection (b) on or after12 the date of the enactment of this Act, regardless of the13 date of the military or naval order concerned.14 SEC. 3. DETERMINATION FOR TAX PURPOSES OF RESI15DENCE OF SPOUSES OF MILITARY PER16SONNEL.17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 511 of the18 Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 571) is19 amended—20 (1) in subsection (a)—21 (A) by striking ‘‘A servicemember’’ and in22serting the following:23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A servicemember’’; and24 (B) by adding at the end the following:VerDate Nov 24 2008 04:21 Feb 26, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S475.IS S475 jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS4•S 475 IS1 ‘‘(2) SPOUSES.—A spouse of a servicemember2 shall neither lose nor acquire a residence or domicile3 for purposes of taxation with respect to the person,4 personal property, or income of the spouse by reason5 of being absent or present in any tax jurisdiction of6 the United States solely to be with the servicemem7ber in compliance with the servicemember’s military8 orders if the residence or domicile, as the case may9 be, is the same for the servicemember and the10 spouse.’’;11 (2) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), (e),12 and (f) as subsections (d), (e), (f), and (g), respec13tively;14 (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol15lowing new subsection:16 ‘‘(c) INCOME OF A MILITARY SPOUSE.—Income for17 services performed by the spouse of a servicemember shall18 not be deemed to be income for services performed or from19 sources within a tax jurisdiction of the United States if20 the spouse is not a resident or domiciliary of the jurisdic21tion in which the income is earned because the spouse is22 in the jurisdiction solely to be with the servicemember23 serving in compliance with military orders.’’; and24 (4) in subsection (d), as redesignated by para25graph (2)—VerDate Nov 24 2008 04:21 Feb 26, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S475.IS S475 jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS5•S 475 IS1 (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or the2 spouse of a servicemember’’ after ‘‘The personal3 property of a servicemember’’; and4 (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘or the5 spouse’s’’ after ‘‘servicemember’s’’.6 (b) APPLICATION.—Subsections (a)(2) and (c) of sec7tion 511 of such Act (50 U.S.C. App. 571), as added by8 subsection (a) of this section, and the amendments made9 to such section 511 by subsection (a)(4) of this section,10 shall apply with respect to any return of State or local11 income tax filed for any taxable year beginning with the12 taxable year that includes the date of the enactment of13 this Act.14 SEC. 4. SUSPENSION OF LAND RIGHTS RESIDENCY RE15QUIREMENT FOR SPOUSES OF MILITARY16 PERSONNEL.17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 508 of the18 Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 568) is19 amended in subsection (b) by inserting ‘‘or the spouse of20 such servicemember’’ after ‘‘a servicemember in military21 service’’.22 (b) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub23section (a) shall apply with respect to servicemembers in24 military service (as defined in section 101 of such Act (50VerDate Nov 24 2008 04:21 Feb 26, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S475.IS S475 jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS6•S 475 IS1 U.S.C. App. 511)) on or after the date of the enactment2 of this Act.ÆVerDate Nov 24 2008 04:21 Feb 26, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S475.IS S475 jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS

The Fort Hood Area Military Family Member Scholarship Fund is an independent organization developed for the purpose of providing scholarships for deserving, eligible U.S. military family members. A special Selection Committee will nominate applicants based on the spouse’s academic record, job record, volunteer work, participation in community-based activities, letters of recommendation and a brief essay. Financial need is not considered. All properly submitted applications are reviewed and evaluated by the Selection Committee in accordance with the organization’s constitution and by-laws. All materials submitted remain confidential.
2. Eligibility For This Scholarship Program in Fort Hood Area.

a. The applicant must be:
1) the spouse of an active duty U.S. military sponsor assigned to Ft. Hood and residing in Bell, Coryell, Lampasas, or Williamson County, or
2) the spouse residing in Bell, Coryell, Lampasas, or Williamson County of an active duty U.S. military sponsor, or
3) the spouse of a deceased or retired active duty U.S. military sponsor residing in Bell, Coryell, Lampasas, or Williamson County.

b. “Active duty U.S. military sponsor” is defined as active-duty Regular Army or an Army Reservist who is activated at the time of application for scholarship or a National Guardsman who is activated at the time of application for scholarship.

c. The applicant must be a high school graduate or hold a valid high school equivalent.

d. The applicant must be accepted by an accredited institution of higher learning (i.e., college, vocational, or correspondence) or expect to be accepted by such an institution for an undergraduate/graduate degree. Persons pursuing a second undergraduate or graduate degree are NOT ELIGIBLE.

e. The applicant must possess a valid U.S. military identification card.

f. Active Duty service members are not eligible.

g. Those who have previously received a Fort Hood Area Military Family Member Scholarship are ineligible to apply. Those who have previously applied, but DID NOT RECEIVE a scholarship are eligible to re-apply.
3. Procedures.

Applicants must submit the following as a completed packet to be considered by the Selection Committee:

a. Completed Application Form. Use this year’s current Form. Do not send resumes, copies of awards, or diplomas. Provide only the information requested.

b. An essay, in 500 words or less, explained in your own words: Upon completion of this phase of your education, how do you see yourself applying this knowledge in the next 5-10 years ? See Application Form #13 for instructions.

c. Official college or vocational transcripts (if available) with an original signature or seal. No copies will be accepted.

d. Two (2) sealed letters of recommendation should be completed by persons unrelated to you who will attest to your motivation, character, and integrity.

e. Copy (front and back) of applicant’s current picture U.S. military ID card.

f. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that a completed packet, as listed above, is mailed with sufficient postage. Postage-due mail will not be accepted and will be returned to the Post Office. Hand-carried applications will not be accepted. Include applicant’s last 4 numbers of their Social Security Number on all application materials.

g. The completed packet must be postmarked by 26 March 2010 and mailed to:
Fort Hood Area Military Family Member Scholarship Fund

P. O. Box 5299
Fort Hood, Texas 76544

h. Incomplete applications are ineligible for consideration.

i. Questions? Call (254) 286-2334. If dialing from Ft. Hood: 9-286-2334. This is a voice mailbox. Please leave a message, your name and phone number and allow at least 48 hours for a response.

Or write FHAMFMSF, Box 5299, Fort Hood, Texas 76544.

4. Scholarship Awards.

Scholarships awarded must be used during the school year immediately
following the award. Funds available 1 July 2010 must be claimed not later than 26 February 2011. The Scholarship Committee will award funds directly to the institution of higher learning (not to individual recipients) in the recipient’s name upon verification of registration. Scholarship winners who accept a full four year scholarship (to include tuition, room and board) from another source must forfeit this scholarship and notify in writing the Ft. Hood Area Military Family Member Scholarship Fund Committee of their decision by 1 October 2010. Scholarship selections are made at the end of April and scholarship recipients will be notified no later than mid-May 2010.

Effective August 1, 2009, the ability, for the first time, to transfer benefits became available. This allows a qualified service member to take their educational benefits and transfer them to immediate family for their use. This would allow 36 months of educational benefits to be used by a spouse or a child of a service member. This applies to all service and service members that qualify Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and other DoD service members. Talk is in the works so that in the future, more Guardsmen may be covered under this policy as well.

The military has long been a staunch advocate of continuing education. Many soldiers that are on a career path have already obtained, or are working on their degrees with the help of programs that the service provides to active duty personnel. They may have enlisted for the educational benefits. They now have the ability to provide that benefit to their family members.

Benefits can be transferred to spouses. Spouses can use the benefit immediately. This means that a military member that is on active duty can transfer their unused benefits to a spouse. That spouse can than immediately start their college education. A spouse has up to 15 years to use the benefit.

A dependent child can also use this program. They have to be 18 or have their high school diploma before they can use the benefit though the service member may transfer to them before that. There is no time limit as to how long they have to use the benefit, but they must use it before reaching the age of 26.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides 36 months of education benefits. This provides for tuition and any incidentals that are associated with school. This means, books, computers, software or anything else that may be deemed as needed for the class is covered. When transferred to a spouse or a dependent child, they also qualify for a monthly living stipend.
Transferability does not have to be to a spouse or to a child.

A service member does not have to pick one or the other. The service member can transfer their benefits to one or more qualifying family members. A spouse and several different children can use the educational benefits. Once benefits are transferred, the marriage of a child or the divorce of a spouse does not affect the benefits. The service member however, can revoke them if they desire to do so.

With the many changes to educational benefits the military has seen, GI Bill transferability was the most requested. President Obama stands behind this furthering of commitment to the military.

‘‘I’ve been a Key Spouse for three years and I love what I do in trying to make a difference in my fellow spouses’ lives,” said Ms. Stewart.

The 1 AS has a high operations tempo, in which the Active Duty spouse is often away from home fulfilling missions in support of the Top 5, including the first lady, vice president, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, secretary of state and secretary of defense.

Ms. Stewart said the training received at the A&FRC proved to be very beneficial.

‘‘I had an opportunity to meet and network with spouses whose partners are deployed fairly regularly,” she said. ‘‘Though our Active Duty spouses in the 1 AS are not deployed with the frequency of other organizations, they are gone quite a bit when they are fulfilling the mission worldwide. So, we were able to share stories and experiences.”

During the training, spouses learned about deployments and missions of Team Andrews organizations, including the security forces and medical squadrons. They also learned about scholarships and employment opportunities available to them.

Ms. Stewart said one of the benefits of being a squadron’s Key Spouse is the opportunity to meet other spouses in your squadron and the closeness that evolves as a result – something which can be difficult in the National Capital Region since we can live anywhere in Maryland, D.C. or Virginia.

‘‘When you marry into the military, you marry into the military family, but when you are a Key Spouse and active in your squadron, you take it to a whole different level. You become family to so many spouses in your squadron and are all tight-knit, especially when our families are far away,” she said.

Ms. Stewart said the best thing about being a Key Spouse is making a difference. ‘‘As a Key Spouse you help open lines of communication between the commander, the squadron and the spouses – it just helps things run more smoothly and gets people together,” she said.

The Active Duty military members are appreciative of the Key Spouse efforts. ‘‘We’ve heard feedback from the Active Duty spouses how we, as Key Spouses, make their transition to Andrews more friendly and welcoming. That’s what we’re here for.”

The Key Spouse program is a formal commander and first sergeant program in the squadrons to provide informational support, said Master Sgt. Erika Perrin, 316th Force Support Squadron A&FRC NCO.

‘‘The Key Spouse program provides a viable means of sharing information – whether at the base level or at the squadron level – with their fellow spouses,” said Sergeant Perrin. ‘‘The Key Spouse program is important because it helps ensure family readiness – something that’s essential to mission readiness. Our Active Duty military members getting ready for a temporary duty or deployment can’t focus on the mission and be mission-ready if their minds and attentions are focused elsewhere.”

For more information on the Key Spouse Program, call 301-981-7087.

Source: http://www.capflyer.com/stories/112509/news_28221.shtml

Spouses of troops may get to change their state residency to that of their military counterpart as President Obama is expected to sign the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act within the next few days.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act as part of the House Suspension Calendar by a unanimous voice vote on Monday, according to a news release from the office of Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock.

“This is fantastic news for our service families worldwide,” Carter said in the news release. “We should have done this long ago, but at least we are now on track to have a new law in 2009.”

It was approved by the U.S. Senate July 23, according to previous Killeen Daily Herald article.

The legislation was put on a fast track for passage into law this year at the request of Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.

The bill, if signed by President Obama, will allow a military spouse to maintain the same residency as their service member regardless of where they are stationed, Carter’s communication director John Stone said.

The bill will affect where the spouses can vote and obtain their vehicle registration, as well as other residency-based functions.

Service members have had that option for decades, while spouses have not.

For more detail, visit online https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa

The bill was introduced by Congressman John Carter (R-TX), who represents Fort Hood, the largest military installation in the country. “This is fantastic news for our service families worldwide,” says Carter, who has been pushing the legislation for the last three years.

Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the companion bill into the Senate, which passed unanimously in August. The legislation will amend the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA) of 1940 allowing military spouses to share a home state with their spouse, the service member.

Currently, military spouses experience impediments in voting and property ownership as well as deterrents in employment and education. The bill offers fair treatment of the military spouse and improves the quality of life for military families by allowing the stability of a single state of domicile to call home.

Over 8,000 military spouses, friends and family members united to support the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Military-Spouses-Residency-Relief-Act/51457362877 They shared their individual stories as they contacted Congressional representatives to ask for support. Initially, Army Spouse, Rebecca Poynter and Navy Spouse, Joanna Williamson, approached Congressman Carter with their request to petition. “It has been a grass roots effort by thousands of spouses across the country, who have campaigned to get this passed, by telling their stories,” explains Poynter.

“The support from Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and the Veterans Service Organizations who testified in our support is greatly appreciated,” said Williamson, “and together we claim this victory for all military families.”

This is exciting news for military spouses and will undoubtedly save us all time and possibly even money.

Below are three main medical training courses,

• Medical Coding Courses
• Medical Billing Course
• Medical Transcription Course
• Massage Therapy Course

Military Spouses: MyCAA Funds May Cover 100% of Your Career Training Tuition and Fees

As a military spouse, you need a flexible way to get career training that prepares you for today’s portable careers. And you need an education that fits with your family’s budget. At Allied, we can help you with both – from helping you secure MyCAA funds to pay for your education costs to building a solid educational foundation for a career you can take with you wherever you go.

Even though you may move from one duty station to the next, you can build a career that provides the opportunity and challenge you’re looking for.

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA)
Did you know that with Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA), your education may be fully covered? MyCAA funds are available exclusively to military spouses to cover 100% of the cost of tuition and fees – meaning that an exciting, mobile career that helps with the family income may be closer than you think.

About MyCAA:

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Program (MyCAA) is a Department of Defense (DoD) program that provides up to $6,000 to spouses of active duty military members and spouses of activated Guard and Reserve service members (deployed for a year or more) for certification, licensure, education or training in careers in high-growth, high-demand occupations.
Legal spouses of military service members with a minimum of one year remaining on active duty are eligible for the program. This includes spouses of active duty service members, Coast Guard deployed with the Navy, Active/Guard Reserve (AGR), and Reserve Component service members (Guard and Reserve) called to active duty for a year or more.
To apply for the program, you must complete an online profile and call a Military OneSource Career and Education Consultant at (800) 342-9647 to create a career plan and goal. If you need any assistance with your profile or eligibility questions, please call Military OneSource.
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Executive Order 13473, which went into effect Sept. 11, 2009, identified three groups of qualifying spouses now eligible to apply for temporary, term and permanent employment in all pay grades:

The groups are:
– The spouse of an Airman who has been issued orders for a permanent change of station that requires relocating.
– The spouse of an Airman who retired with a disability rating at the time of retirement of 100 percent; or retired or separated from the Air Force and has a disability rating of 100 percent from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
– The un-remarried widow or widower of an Airman killed while in active-duty status.

“Military spouses that fit into one of the three groups will find more job announcements open to them. While not a promise for employment, the new policy does increase their eligibility for referral and consideration for federal jobs, providing they meet the qualifications required for the job,” said Deborah Keating, the program manager of the noncompetitive appointment of certain military spouses at the Air Force Personnel Center.

Department of the Air Force positions being advertised on USAJOBS using this authority will list the authority on the “Qualifications and Evaluations” tab. With the specific job announcement open, select the “Qualifications and Evaluations” tab, and under the “Qualifications Required” heading, look for “Appointment of Certain Military Spouses.” This indicates that the position is open to spouses meeting the qualifications listed above.

The timing of the executive order coincides with the Year of the Air Force Family.

“This executive order is clearly another positive step that takes care of the military family. Military spouses face many life-changing events during a military career that can significantly impact the household income,” said Brenda Liston, chief of Airman, Family, Wounded Warrior and Community Operations at AFPC. “By giving military spouses expanded job opportunities, the President is providing an opportunity that can help restabilize the family budget and start military spouses in a portable career.”

Once a spouse becomes eligible, they have a two-year window to use this benefit.

For spouses who relocate through a PCS, the eligibility period starts the date the orders are issued.

“If an Airman received their PCS orders with an issue date in March 2008, and the spouse meets all the qualifications, including moving with the Airman and being married to the Airman on or before the date of the orders, they are eligible until March 2010 to apply for federal jobs using the military spouse appointment authority,” Ms. Keating explained.

The eligibility phase for spouses of Airmen with a service-connected disability of 100 percent is based on the date of the documentation verifying the 100 percent disability.

Un-remarried widows or widowers have two years from the date of the documentation verifying the member was killed while in active-duty status. Ms. Keating emphasized the date of documentation starts the clock, not the date of death.

Similar to other status candidates, such as veterans, non-Department of Defense transfers or prior federal employee reinstatements, the hiring official within each office has the discretion to use this hiring authority. To ensure the new spouse benefit is included with positions announced for “status candidates,” applicants should review the job announcement carefully.

With contractor-to-civilian conversions, new organizations standing up and overall increases in positions, the Air Force is hiring more than 9,000 new positions in fiscal year 2010. The Air Force is projecting an even larger hiring surge in fiscal year 2011 with an estimated 25,000 new positions by fiscal year 2013. Positions are already appearing on USAJOBS.

“This is the perfect time for spouses to visit their local Airman and Family Readiness Center to get professional assistance with creating resumes for vacancies listed on USAJOBS,” Ms. Liston said. “If our professionals find that the spouse is missing critical skill sets in the desired career field, we can help the spouse build those skills by guiding them to the proper education or volunteer channels.”

For specific details on the noncompetitive appointment of certain military spouses, go to http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/ and Quick Search “RIN 3206-AL73″.

For more information on the noncompetitive appointment of certain military spouses, call the Total Force Service Center at 800-525-0102.

Source: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123177091