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.

Military Spouse Scholarships

While spouses don’t receive the same assistance as their active duty service members, funds received by utilizing available programs are helpful in defraying the costs associated with obtaining a college degree.  When applying for assistance, make sure you know the qualification requirements, specific deadlines, and paperwork required.

In an effort to help military spouses and family members with their educational objectives, the Department of Defense offers these new programs:

Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability – A special provision offers education benefits for spouses and children of service members and veterans.  Those who have served a minimum of six years in the armed forces, and agree to serve an additional four, can now transfer unused GI Bill entitlement to their spouse.  After 10 years of service, they can transfer the benefit to their spouse or children.  Click here to learn more about Post 9-11 GI Bill Transferability.

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts – This military spouse career advancement account program provides assistance to spouses looking to acquire the skills and credentials needed to begin or further their careers.  It can be used to pay up to $3,000 in fees per year for training and education, and can be renewed for an additional year.

In addition to the above, The Department of Veteran Affairs has introduced the Spouse and Dependents’ Assistance (DEA) program which offers assistance for education and training to those who qualify.

Scholarships and Grants – In the process of searching for assistance to help finance their schooling, many spouses and their families overlook the many military and veteran-related scholarships and grants that are out there. Many go unclaimed due to the following misconceptions:

-    Some believe that VA education benefits eliminate the need for any additional funds available though grants and scholarships.  The reality is that while Survivor and Dependent Education Assistance offers great benefits, it may not cover of all the costs.  There are hundreds of scholarships and grants designed especially for education-related expenses.
-    If you think that scholarships are just too hard to get and applying requires too much effort, think again.  The fact is that applications vary to a large degree, with some requiring nothing more than completing a short application.
-    Perhaps you are under the impression that scholarships are too difficult to find.  There is a fabulous online resource created to specifically to help service members find scholarships.  Visit the “Scholarship Finder” at Military.com.

For questions and eligibility regarding tuition Assistance (TA), get in touch with your local relief agency.  Visit Education4military.com to learn more about Military Spouse Career Advancement Account.

Army Spouse Scholarships

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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