Military spouse advocates lobby Congress to expand MyCAA

In January, President Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011. In doing so, he set in place the $725 billion defense budget for the year as well as a number of adjustments and requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) programs--one of which being that defense officials are required to review all DoD military education benefits and employment programs for the spouses of soldiers. Once evaluated, recommendations are to be submitted to Congress.

One particular program that many are hoping will be enhanced in this process is the My Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA), a spouse education benefit program that recently underwent some limiting revisions. "We asked Congress to request a report from DoD on the MyCAA restructure that removed many military spouses from the program," Kelly Cotton, the deputy director of government relations for spouse and family issues at the Military Officers Association (MOAA) reported at the February 18^th Congressional Military Family Caucus kickoff. "We are pleased Congress heard us and requested reports on all education and employment programs for military spouses with the Department of Defense."

MyCAA: A background

Since early 2010, military education benefits for soldier spouses have been in the spotlight. In February 2010, the Department of Defense unexpectedly canceled My Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA), a popular tuition-assistance program, fearing its limited budget wouldn't be able to provide military education benefits to the tens of thousands of soldier spouses who applied.

After a strong response to the cancellation of the program, the DoD reinstated MyCAA in March 2010 to assist the 98,000 soldier spouses already enrolled in the program. In October 2010, the DoD adopted new MyCAA rules to offer program benefits to a smaller group of spouses. The spouses who were left behind remain unhappy.

"The DoD showed lack of respect for the spouses," Rebecca Duncan, a military spouse, tells The Associated Press in Pentagon Suspends Career Aid for Spouses. "To me this was a huge slap in our faces."

The DoD approved a grant so Duncan could pursue an applied sciences degree that would translate into a pay raise. She reportedly learned the grant had been halted before signing up for classes.

MOAA: Military education benefits strategy

MOAA is among the organizations and individuals who are advocating for military education benefits for all soldier spouses."MOAA believes education and career development go hand-in-hand, and we believe all military spouses deserve the opportunity to seek career development through tuition assistance, educational counseling, and training programs," MOAA says on its MyCAA fact sheet.

"MOAA is confused with DoD's decision to provide funds only to spouses of first-term enlisted and officers. While these groups can clearly benefit from MyCAA, spouses who have experienced multiple moves and disruptions in seeking or maintaining careers are left behind."

MOAA is currently working with congressional sponsors to approve new MyCAA legislation, putting into practice a three-tier strategy:

1. Seeking legislative support for the expansion of military education benefits to all spouses
2. Pursuing tax credits and other aid to sponsor spouse licenses and certifications required as a result of military relocations
3. Protecting existing spouse careers and military education benefits

MyCAA Eligibility & Details

On October 25, 2010, the DoD implemented new financial assistance guidelines for MyCAA. These guidelines establish that:

• Only spouses of active-duty servicemembers and Reservists in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2 and 01-02, or National Guardsmen on federal Title 10 active-duty orders, can participate in the program
• Beneficiaries should receive a maximum financial benefit of $4,000 with a yearly cap of $2,000
• MyCAA tuition assistance should only cover associate's degrees, certifications and licensures
• Military spouses must finish their programs of study within three years

According to MOAA, the restructuring of MyCAA does not allow all soldier spouses to keep their jobs in spite of relocations. Because soldier spouses change stations with their partners, they often have a hard time finding and keeping jobs. The goal of MyCAA is to allow military spouses to receive benefits that help them obtain state licensing or credentials to develop careers in areas such as teaching, real estate or nursing.

To reinstate the program after its initial closure, cuts to the benefit program were necessary. The new rules limit the soldier spouses who can benefit from the program and do not provide funding to those who are pursuing bachelor's or master's degrees. The total benefit amount was also reduced from $6,000 to $4,000, and according to MOAA, spouses who experience one or more permanent changes of station are ineligible.

Meanwhile, Katie Savant, the government relations deputy director for the National Military Family Association (NMFA), reminds lawmakers in the Army Times' Spouse Education Programs to Be Reviewed to focus not only on military education benefits for soldier spouses, but also on initiatives to boost their employment.

"Ultimately, spouses are really looking for a job," she says. "You need a job to help pay the bills."

Share This

Email