Armed Forces Offer Tuition Assistance, Education Benefits

Special Section: Back to School 2009

The Armed Forces offers several programs to support the education goals of their service members. These include access to distance learning programs, credit-equivalency exams and up to 100 percent Tuition Assistance (TA) for college courses taken during off-duty hours.

The Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) was created to provide educational opportunities to service members, who, because of frequent moves, had trouble completing college degrees. Today SOC is a consortium of more than 1800 colleges and universities that provide educational opportunities for service members and their families. The contract is managed for DoD by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), which is a DoD organization created to help service members pursue their educational goals and earn the degrees or certification.

DANTES provides references that list distance learning courses available from various institutions. These catalogs can be found at the DANTES homepage under “Distance Learning” and “DANTES Catalogs.” The institutions listed in the catalogs are “military friendly” and are interested in working with individuals from the various Services.

DANTES does not fund courses, but service members may be eligible for TA funding. DANTES also offers credit equivalency exams such as the College Level Examinations Program (CLEP) exams that can be administered through education service offices or education centers.

In addition to these courses and exams offered through DANTES, service members have the advantage of substantial educational partnerships in Hampton Roads through the SOC program. These colleges and universities accept college credit from one another and simplify the process of applying for admission or enrollment. The program may also eliminate or reduce residency requirements and provides academic counseling. Service members can use TA to pay for courses taken.

TA is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Armed Forces. Congress has given each service the authorization to pay up to 100 percent for the tuition expenses of its members. This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual services.

Service members may also elect to use the Montgomery G.I. Bill “Top-Up” in addition to TA to cover high-cost courses or expenses that exceed the annual maximum.

All services cover tuition and lab fees and enrollment, special and computer fees, although these can not exceed the maximum amount allowed. TA is not authorized for books or for lower or lateral degrees.

Currently, each service allows $250 per semester hour credit, $166 per quarter hour credit and a maximum of $4500 per year, with the exception of the Navy, which allows 12 semester credit hours per year.

TA is available for courses that are offered in the classroom or by distance learning. The courses must be offered by colleges that are accredited by accrediting agencies that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. A list of approved accrediting agencies may be found at www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.
By law, officers incur an active duty service obligation (ADSO) of two years when they use TA. The ADSO is calculated from the date of completion of the last course for which TA was used.

In addition to degree programs, TA is available to help complete a high school diploma and to complete certificate programs. TA is not authorized for programs beyond the master’s degree.
Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process and restrictions.

Navy/Marine Corps
The Navy College Program (NCP) provides opportunities to Sailors and Marines to earn college degrees by providing academic credit for training, work experience and off-duty education. The NCP mission is to enable Sailors and Marines to obtain a college degree while on active duty to better prepare them for advancement and apply themselves to new situations and challenges. While the NCP is primarily geared toward enlisted members, some NCP components are also available to officers.

The Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART) validates military occupational training and experience. This includes military occupations and training, completed college-level examinations and the recommended credits for each, as well as any college courses already taken while on active duty.
Unofficial transcripts can be downloaded from https://smart.cnet.navy.mil and are available at local Navy College Offices as well. To have an official SMART sent to an educational institution, members must complete a SMART request form online or at the Navy College Office.

Rating and degree roadmaps recommend college credits for Navy military training and rating work experiences. Degree-specific roadmaps are rating-related degrees that make the most of recommended credit for Navy training and on-the-job-experience.

Tuition Assistance (TA) may also be available. TA may be used for both classroom and distance learning courses, regardless of course length. Further details on this program are available at https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/ta1.html.

Various components of the Navy College Program offer specific educational opportunities to Sailors and Marines. Navy College Learning Centers provide a variety of computer-based learning programs, from writing skills improvement to General Educational Development preparation courses.

Through Navy College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE), shipboard Sailors and Marines can take courses toward their degree objective. All undergraduate and graduate courses are offered from regionally accredited institutions and are fully transferable.

Interested Sailors and Marines should contact their local Navy College Office. For those who are not near a Navy College Office, contact the Navy College Center in Pensacola, Fla., for more information. Professional counselors staff the Navy College Center, answer phone calls and respond to e-mail inquiries. Call (877) 253-7122 or visit https://www.navycollege.navy.mil.

Air Force
The Air Force offers Airmen several programs to support their voluntary education goals, including Tuition Assistance for college courses taken during off-duty hours. Active duty, active guard and reserve, and Air National Guard and Air Reserve Airmen who have been activated under Titles 10 or 32 of federal law are eligible.
Airman must apply electronically through the Air Force Virtual Education Center, which can be done through the Air Force Portal at https://www.my.af.mil. There are six steps to completing the AFVEC online TA process.
The Virtual Education Center became a “one-stop shop” for Airmen’s educational needs when the TA program went online in 2005. In addition to the online services, all Air Force bases have an education office where additional information can be found.

Enlisted Airmen are enrolled automatically in the Community College of the Air Force, where Air Force training is applied toward an associate’s degree. These credits are updated automatically when training is completed.
Airmen are required to establish specific education goals, but they are no longer required obtain a signature from their commander on their TA Statement of Understanding. Airmen should discuss their plans with their supervisor.

Army
All Active Duty Soldiers (officers, warrant officers, enlisted) are authorized to participate in the Tuition Assistance (TA) Program through the GoArmyEd portal. This includes members of the Active Guard Reserve, as well as Reserve Component Soldiers who are activated under U.S. Code Title 10 or Title 32. TA is available to all Army components. However, each of these components has its own procedures for obtaining TA.

Activated Reserve Component Soldiers and the Active Guard Reserve receive TA and other education support from Regular Army (Active Duty) resources and should use the GoArmyEd portal to access TA. Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers in drilling status should refer to the following Web sites: USAR – https://www.armyreserveeducation.com and NGB is https://www.nationalguardbenefits.com.

For Active Duty Soldiers, the first step is to obtain a username and password via the GoArmyEd site. The Soldier must declare a specific degree/credential as an educational goal and obtain a degree map. TA will only be approved for courses that are listed on the degree map or lead to the goal. Soldiers should review their personal goals and look at information available on the GoArmyEd portal.

Soldiers must contact an Education Center counselor for validation of their chosen educational goal and activation of the Soldier’s access to the TA functionality of the GoArmyEd portal.

The Soldier should print the TA Statement of Understanding (SOU) from the GoArmyEd portal, sign it and obtain a signature from the Unit Commander. The TA SOU should be submitted to the Soldier’s Army Education Center. A counselor will upload the TA SOU into the Soldier’s eFile. The Soldier may submit the TA SOU in person at the Education Center, by email, by regular mail or by fax.

If approved for TA, the Soldier will be notified by email.

Soldiers must submit a new, signed TA SOU annually. No further TA will be approved until an Army Education Counselor has verified the receipt of the TA SOU.

Soldiers must print the approved TA Reimbursement Form from GoArmyEd and enroll in the class directly with the college. The Soldier will self-pay for the class. Reimbursement for these courses will be made directly to the Soldier, rather than the college. Soldiers must ensure that the college submits grades to the Army for the class to receive TA reimbursement from the Army.

Further details regarding TA procedures are outlined in the GoArmyEd Training which is accessible by clicking the Training link from the GoArmyEd homepage after logging into the portal.

For additional assistance, call the GoArmyEd Helpdesk at (800) 817-9990 or select “Create a Helpdesk Case” to create a case online. •