Military Students
The Department of Defense announced today the resumption of the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account - MyCAA - program. Beginning Saturday, March 13 at 12 p.m. (EST), the 136,583 military spouses who are currently enrolled in the program will once again be able to receive tuition assistance, defense officials say.
"We made a commitment to our military spouses when they established a career advancement account and we will be true to our promises," said Tommy Thomas, deputy under secretary of defense, military community and family policy.
The first phase of the reinstated program will enable the department to continue to pay up to $6,000 tuition assistance for spouses currently enrolled. The department is working hard to adjust and meet the demands of the program and develop a long-term solution for spouses not yet enrolled who would like to establish an account, Thomas said.
The program was launched March 2, 2009, to assist military spouses in attaining portable careers in high-demand, high-growth occupations. An unexpected six-fold spike in enrollment in prompted the Defense Department to pause the program Feb. 16 without notice. A thorough review began immediately to assure the program was accomplishing its intended goals. "When we determined that an operational pause in the program was critical, we failed to notify our spouses in a timely and appropriate manner," said Thomas. "As a result of our failure, we know we will have to work hard to restore their faith in us. We are committed to earning that trust through improved communication and by delivering services."
The Defense Department is currently developing long-term options for the program and expects to announce the details soon, Thomas said. Until new accounts can be created, Military OneSource Spouse Education and Career Consultants will continue to be available to provide education and training, career exploration, assessment, employment readiness and career search assistance.
Due to the varying needs of military students, Dakota College at Bottineau offers many benefits to earn a seamless college education, regardless of location. The following is a listing of benefits pertaining to military students, spouses, and veterans:
- MyCAA funds for Military Spouses
- Credit for Training (selected programs)
- Credit by Exam (selected programs)
- Reduced Tuition (selected courses)
- Online Programs
- Online Advising
- Flexible Course Scheduling
- GI Bill Benefits
- Tuition Assistance
If you have further questions, you can e-mail Tanya at: tanya.mooney@dakotacollege.edu.
