VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Feb. 20, 2014) Sailors working on a college degree
should ensure their school's accreditation type supports their
educational and professional goals. Navy Tuition Assistance pays for one
associate through master's degree and only pays if a degree at a
particular level wasn't already earned using personal funds. Education
professionals at Navy College Offices and the Virtual Education Center
serve as an impartial resource to assist Sailors in making wise choices
about their education. (U.S. Navy photo illustration by Chief Mass
Communication Specialist Jayme Pastoric/Released)
Full article below. BLUF:
- Commanding Officers can waive the one-year on station requirement
- Must get a C (undergraduate) or B (graduate) in your class or you owe money
- TA no longer covers non-tuition fees
From http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=82888
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va (NNS) -- Effective immediately, commanding officers and officers-in-charge may approve waivers to the one-year requirement that Sailors must be on board their first permanent duty station (PDS) to be eligible for Tuition Assistance (TA) according to NAVADMIN 190/14 released Aug. 21.
In addition to command triad waiver approval, Sailors must meet all existing requirements for participation eligibility.
The NAVADMIN also detailed changes to the grade and fee policy for TA for courses stating after 1 Oct. to align with recent Department of Defense TA policy.
Successful course completion will be defined as a grade of "C" or higher for undergraduate courses, a "B" or higher for graduate courses, and a "Pass" for "Pass/Fail" grades and must be attained to avoid reimbursement of TA funding. Reimbursement will also be required from Sailors who don't make up a grade of "I" (incomplete) by the educational institutions' deadline or six months after the completion of the class, whichever comes first.
Also changing Oct. 1, only tuition directly related to the course of instruction - and not including fees - will be paid with TA funds. Fees no longer covered by TA include equipment, supplies, books/materials, exams, admissions, registration, fines and costs associated with distance learning.
These changes align the Navy's policy with Department of Defense Instruction 1322.25 for Voluntary Education (VOLED) programs covering policies for service members' use of TA.
"Historically, more than 85 percent of Sailors satisfactorily complete and pass their undergraduate and/or graduate level classes; this is a tribute to the focus and dedication of the Sailors using VOLED programs," said Ernest D'Antonio, the Center for Personal and Professional Development's (CPPD) Navy VOLED program director.
In Fiscal Year 2013, approximately 89 percent of courses paid for by TA were successfully passed, with 72 percent of those courses resulting in an "A" or "B" grade, according to D'Antonio.
Sailors not successfully completing courses using TA must reimburse the Navy for TA funds.
For more information Sailors can contact their local Navy College Office, Virtual Education Center (VEC) or the Navy College Program website at https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/.
For more information about the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD), visit: https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cppd/.
For more news from the Center for Personal and Professional Development, visit: www.navy.mil/local/voledpao/.
For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnet/.
