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Up to $6,000 available to military spouses for education/training in portable careers

  • Published
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  The Department of Defense's expanded Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program is now offering up to $6,000 to military spouses who are interested in pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to careers in high growth, high demand portable career fields.

MyCAA financial assistance pays for expenses such as post-secondary education and training, tuition, licensing, and credentialing fees. This includes degree programs (e.g. associates, bachelors, masters, doctoral and post doctoral), continuing education classes (including those offered through professional associations at conferences), Bar, CPA and other similar exams, state certifications for teachers, medical professionals and similar licensed professionals, and services required to become employed in portable career fields (e.g. finger printing, security checks, drug tests, etc.). MyCAA does not pay for computers, school application fees, graduation fees, student activity cards, child care, parking, transportation, medical services or testing fees. NOTE: If the cost of a course includes books, supplies or other necessary equipment, MyCAA will cover that cost. Schools use MyCAA's AI Portal to bill DoD electronically.

Spouses of active duty members and activated members of the National Guard and Reserve Components are eligible. The period of eligibility for spouses of Guard and Reserve members is from the date of the Alert or Warning Order for Military Recall or Mobilization, through activation and deployment until 180 days following De-Mobilization. Military spouses who are military members themselves are not eligible.

Eligible spouses who are ready to explore portable careers options and develop a career goal and plan should establish a MyCAA Account by visiting the MyCAA Web site at https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa. This is an easy, self-help process.

Spouses are encouraged to work with their School Academic Advisor or call a Military OneSource Career/Education Consultant at 1-800-342-9647 if they need help in:
· Establishing a MyCAA Account and signing the MyCAA Statement of Understanding
· Choosing a portable career and establishing a career goal
· Developing a career plan (selecting courses, exams, other needed services)
· Looking up school(s) of choice in the MyCAA AI Portal
· Requesting that a new school be added if the school of choice is not already listed
· Requesting up to $6,000 of financial assistance to pay for courses of study or related licensing and credentialing services provided by other agencies (e.g. Bar or CPA exams, state certification exams for teachers and nurses, finger printing, drug testing, security checks, etc.)

Spouses may also receive assistance in establishing career and academic goals, and selecting a school or training program, through the Base Education Center.