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Navy's Tuition Assistance to be Distributed Quarterly Beginning in October

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100819-01
8/19/2010

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexandra Snow, National Naval Medical Center Public Affairs

BETHESDA, Md. (NNS) -- A policy change, effective Oct. 1, to the Navy's Tuition Assistance (TA) program will not only place monetary caps on the funds available to Sailors, but also affect how and when the funds are allocated.

TA provides funds to eligible active-duty personnel and enlisted Reservists, who are recalled to active duty for 120 days or more, to further their education on an off-duty basis, said Joyce Murphy, Navy TA program manager at the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) in Virginia Beach, Va.

Currently, Sailors can receive tuition assistance throughout the year. When the policy takes effect, benefits will be allocated quarterly and determined by available funds. In addition, applications for assistance will be processed on a first-come-first-serve basis until the quarterly cap is reached, according to NAVADMIN 245/10, which was released July 21.

Sailors can still submit applications for TA benefits at any time; however, applications will not be processed more than 30 days prior to the start of each quarter, said Murphy. TA pays for the cost of tuition and mandatory fees directly associated with course instruction, but does not cover the cost of applications, registration, parking, textbooks or any living expenses accrued during enrollment, Murphy added.

To apply for TA benefits, personnel must use the Navy College Web site. They are also encouraged to contact their nearest Navy College office to discuss their educational goals with a counselor and review college credits earned via Navy training and experience, said Lt. Cmdr. Walter Rogers, Voluntary Education Programs (VOLED) analyst at CPPD in Virginia Beach, Va.

Before receiving the electronic assistance voucher that allows them to enroll in college courses or certification programs, Sailors must submit their online TA application for command approval, said Rogers.

"Sailors may also access our Virtual Education Center (VEC) for educational information, counseling and TA processing," added Rogers.

Those who enroll in courses prior to applying for TA benefits will not be reimbursed, said Rogers. Likewise, if a Sailor is approved for TA benefits and chooses not to enroll in the course, they must contact the Navy College offices or VEC to cancel the voucher. If they do not, the Sailor must reimburse the government in the amount of the voucher.

"TA cannot be used congruently with Navy College Fund benefits or other education programs such as the Advanced Education Voucher and Graduate Education Voucher," said Murphy, "[but] if a Sailor's tuition costs more than the TA cap, then they can use their Montgomery GI Bill benefits to [supplement] their TA."

Navy College offices are located in Anacostia and at Naval Support Activity Bethesda. For more information on TA and other educational programs and services offered by the Navy, visit www.navycollege.navy.mil.