Oh My, MyCAA: Controversy Over the Changing Benefits Program

The 2010 changes to the popular My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) program have created a stir that is likely to continue up to and after the much-anticipated October 25, 2010 program re-launch date. Though the abrupt changes to the program that extends military education benefits to spouses have drawn criticism throughout the military community, MyCAA will continue providing benefits in what the Department of Defense (DoD) says is in line with the program's original intent.

MyCAA: Versions One and Two

In 2007, MyCAA's Financial Assistance (FA) was established to help spouses of junior servicemembers pursue education, training, certificates, or licenses that would help them find employment in "portable career fields." These chosen fields were poised for growth and gave spouses better chances of finding employment near military bases. Career choices included accountant, web developer, and teacher. The program was expanded in March 2009 to include all servicemembers' pay grades and spouses' programs of study.

2010: The Year of the MyCAA Changes

However, the program suffered a meltdown. In January 2010, assistance requests ballooned to 70,000 (from the average level of 10,000/month), which caused a February freeze to all MyCAA benefits. A month later, during the middle of the semester, the program partially resumed for spouses with existing accounts. According to Heidi Evans who writes for Military Spouse Magazine, she and other spouses were left holding a bill that MyCAA had originally agreed to pay. Under the new guidelines, enrolled spouses have until October 21, 2010 to submit their FA documents to have one last round of classes (starting on or before January 31, 2011) paid for under the old program guidelines.

Spouses without existing accounts will have a chance to apply for the benefits starting October, 25, 2010. While some of the program's changes have been announced, details about changes to "portable careers" guidelines haven't yet surfaced. Currently, much of the documentation on the official MyCAA site was still outdated in September 2010, a month before the new program's launch.

Why the Fuss? New MyCAA Guidelines

The new MyCAA guidelines decrease the total benefit amount from $6,000 to $4,000 with a cap of $2,000 per year. Additionally, only spouses of servicemembers in grades E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2 are eligible, and only associate's degree programs, licenses, and certifications are covered. Any spouse working on a bachelor's or graduate degree is disqualified once the new program launches in October 2010.

Who do the changes affect? Of the current 136,583 spouses currently participating, 73,891 -- 54 percent -- will be ineligible after October 25, 2010. Steven Strobridge, government relations director for the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), was quoted by AirForceTimes.com as saying: "MOAA Believes strongly that the newly announced restrictions penalize spouses whose careers are most injured by military relocation requirements." Strobridge pointed out that the program is limited to spouses of "first-term personnel, many of whom won't stay for military careers" and that the program changes "miss the point" by not covering portions of "bachelor's or master's degrees that are essential for nursing, teaching, and other portable careers."

Some military spouses also criticize the program's changes. In the Bangor Daily News, military spouse Sarah Smiley's column accused the DoD of being "threatened by military wives with anything more than an associate's degree, certification, or licensure" because, she argues, it's in the military's interest to keep families mobile. "One of the DoD's greatest assets is spouses who smile and happily follow along," wrote Smiley, who posited that women with advanced degrees may be less likely to follow along because the spouse might have the better paying job.

The DoD, on the other hand, looks at the return of the program as a sign of their commitment to military families. In a release announcing the return of the program, Clifford Stanley said, “Families play a crucial role in supporting our men and women on the battlefield. When service members are confident that their families at home have access to resources and support, they are better able to focus on their mission.” He continued, “The Defense Department is committed to investing in military families. When we invest in the well-being of the family, we invest in the well-being of the force.”

Post-9/11 GI Bill Complements MyCAA

When MyCAA benefits were frozen, MOAA hosted an online poll asking, "Have you or your spouse been affected by the halt in the MyCAA program?" Of the 348 responses, 59 percent selected "What is MyCAA?" and only 5 percent selected "yes." Even with the upset around the new changes being implemented in October 2010, MyCAA remains a military education benefit program spouses and families should know is available to some.

Spouses who qualify for MyCAA can first earn an associate's degree with the help of MyCAA and then look at the option of completing a bachelor's degree under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit that allows servicemembers to transfer GI Bill benefits to spouses and family members. Spouses who don't qualify for MyCAA, should also look at the new GI Bill benefits to see if their servicemember meets eligibility requirements to transfer benefits. All active duty military spouses are eligible for MyCAA career counseling services, and the DoD has said it will be helping spouses find other sources of financial aid.

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