Air Force Voluntary Education Support Programs

Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)

One unique benefit of serving in the Air Force is the Community College of the Air Force. The CCAF is administered as a part of the U.S. Air Force Air University, which provides the opportunity to earn an associate's degree through military training, as well as transfer courses from other schools. The CCAF provides a transcript which includes all official military training, with the credit hour equivalency in civilian education. By supplementing this with a few civilian courses, an airman can earn an associate's degree in one of many majors, ranging from business and public relations to history, medical or military technology. The CCAF includes programs that allow servicemembers to earn vocational certifications related to their military training.

Tuition Assistance for Airmen

Each branch of the U.S. military has a similar version of tuition assistance, or TA. One of several Air Force voluntary education support programs, TA provides funding for up to 100 percent of a servicemember's college tuition and fees for courses taken during off-duty hours. Tuition assistance funding is currently set at a maximum of $250 per semester hour and $4,500 per fiscal year.

Tuition assistance can not be used toward courses for the same degree level, or one that is lower than that already held by a college or graduate student. For example, an airman who holds a bachelor's degree may use TA to pursue a master's degree, but not a second bachelor's degree. An associate's degree from the CCAF does not count toward this limit, however. An airman with an associate's degree from the CCAF may use TA to work toward an associate's degree at a civilian college. Tuition assistance is available for active-duty servicemembers and some members of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

Tuition Assistance Top-Up: Get GI Bill Benefits Early

If the tuition and fees of an educational program are greater than the maximum provided by Air Force Tuition Assistance, a servicemember may need to reach into his own pocket. If he or she is eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill--Active Duty, or the Post-9/11 GI Bill, he or she may apply for the Tuition Assistance Top-Up program. TA Top-up allows servicemembers to draw advances on GI Bill benefits to pay for expenses that aren't covered by TA. While it is more financially advantageous to use the GI Bill after leaving the service, TA Top-Up allows servicemembers to complete degrees when they have the time or ability, sometimes before transitioning to civilian life.

Montgomery GI Bill--Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR)

If you currently serve in the Air Force Reserves or the Air National Guard, and you enrolled in the Montgomery GI Bill--Selected Reserves when you enlisted, you made a smart move by electing for this Air Force voluntary education support program. There is one caveat: the Montgomery GI Bill--Selected Reserves option may not be used in conjunction with the TA Top-Up program.

As long as you are on "active drilling" status and serve the required amount of time to earn the full MGIB--SR benefit, you may use it. Keep in mind, if you don't use MGIB-SR benefits before you are discharged from the Air Force Reserves or Air National Guard, you lose access to them. Be smart. Find the opportunities to use them!

From the CCAF to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, more Air Force voluntary education support programs are available than at any time since World War II.