SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MILITARY SPOUSES A Google search for “scholarships for
military spouses” returns 113,000 results. Here’s a look at a few of the most popular:
•
AccoCollegeScholarships.org (
www.collegescholarshi
ps.org/scholarships/spouse.htm) provides links to each of the military services’ scholarship and education programs, specific scholarships supported by the military, state-support- ed scholarships for military spouses, and scholarships sup- ported by civic groups and charitable associations.
• Sponsored by DoD’s Spouse Tuition Assistance Program, the My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship Program is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 (with a cap of $2,000 a year) of financial assistance to eligible military spouses who are pursu- ing a license, certification, or associate degree in a portable career field or occupation. Eligible spouses (E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2, and O-1 to O-2) can establish a MyCAA Account at
https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/default.aspx.
• The National Military Family Association (NMFA) sponsors Joanne Holbrook Patton scholarships (
www.milita
ryfamily.org/spouses-scholarships) that range from $500 to $2,500 and offer the recipient eligibility for institution- specific scholarships offered by NMFA-partner colleges and universities.
decision resources, including a guide to choosing a school and a GI bill comparison tool to assist you in finding a school and determining your GI bill ben- efits while attending that institution. Interested in attending a school overseas? The website details the process for foreign-school application and approval. There are FAQs and the ability to submit your own questions to the VBA. Finally, the VBA has imple- mented a feedback program that allows you to alert them of any issues or problems you have using the VBA’s education benefits. Though the transferability of the Post-9/11 GI
Bill is a great benefit for military spouses, other options are available. The examples in “Scholarships for Military Spouses,”
above, represent excellent programs and resources spe- cifically for military spouses but highlight the fact that
unless you find a scholarship program that provides a full ride, these programs cannot compete with the benefits provided by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Halfway through its seventh year of implementa-
tion, the first proposed reduction in this benefit is working its way through Congress. The bill (H.R. 3016, Amended) proposes that children using trans- ferred benefits will see a 50-percent reduction in the monthly housing allowance. How much longer will servicemembers have the
Post-9/11 GI Bill transferability option? Your guess is as good as ours. But if your servicemember is con- sidering a transfer of this benefit to you and/or your children, complete at least a minimum transfer while you’re still able. — Capt. Paul Frost, USN (Ret), deputy director, MOAA Transition Center
MAY 2016 MILITARY OFFICER 65
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