ASU’s Division of Continuing Education will once again be offering career certificate programs for military spouses through a program known as the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program. MyCAA was placed on hold in March by the Department of Defense (DoD). The DoD has now completed its program review and will be making the necessary adjustments to resume the MyCAA program beginning in October 2010.
Starting 8 a.m. (EDT) Monday, Oct. 25, 2010, Military OneSource career and education counselors will have a much more active role in supporting military spouses. In addition to understanding resources available via DoD’s financial aid support, they will provide support and assistance to identify and gain access to other federal, state, and local programs. All military spouses of active duty service members will be eligible for career counseling and support.
New financial assistance guidelines. With a focus on the original intent of the program, the Defense Department’s financial assistance program will:
● Be available to spouses of active duty service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2
● Offer a maximum financial benefit of $4,000 with a fiscal year cap of $2,000. Waivers will be available for spouses pursuing licensure or certification up to the total maximum assistance of $4,000.
● Require military spouses to finish their program of study within three years from the start date of the first course.
● Be limited to associate degrees, certification, and licensures
These new guidelines reflect a return to the original purpose of the program–to assist spouses of service members in achieving portable careers. These changes also align the program with responsible fiscal planning by the Defense Department to help sustain the program. Additional program details will be posted on this Web site when they become available. We encourage you to check the site often.
Grandfathering in: Spouses who currently have an active account will be allowed to request financial assistance until Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010. And beginning Sept.1, 2010, spouses may request financial assistance for classes that have a start date up to Jan. 15, 2011. To ensure adequate time to plan for courses, no career plans (from currently enrolled spouses) will be accepted after Aug. 31, 2010. All currently approved financial assistance documents will be honored.
Additionally, the review revealed that National Guard and Reserve members must be on active duty for their spouses to receive the MyCAA benefit. Spouses may no longer use the MyCAA benefit when the service member is in an alert or demobilization period. The new eligibility rule takes effect immediately.
The program will be closed from Friday, Oct. 22, to Monday, Oct. 25, 2010, to ensure the infrastructure is in place to implement the new program.
Jul 30, 2010
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