This question is from a recent All Hands Call at Naval Base Kitsap, Wash

All Hands, Sept, 2004 by Terry D. Scott

This question is from a recent All Hands Call at Naval Base Kitsap, Wash.:

Q: Why is there only a 12-semester hour cap on Tuition Assistance?

A: It's important that Sailors fully understand the reasoning behind the 12-semester hour cap, and why we've structured the Tuition Assistance (TA) program the way we have.

When DOD authorized all of the armed services 100 percent TA, it was an authorization, not an appropriation. What this meant was the Navy was authorized to offer 100 percent TA, but was not appropriated the funding. In addition, we knew that 100 percent TA would increase the number of Sailors wanting to take advantage of the benefit.

In fact, participation has risen more than 31 percent since FY02, and our obligated costs have gone from $41 million, to nearly $74 million by the end of this year. That 31 percent increase means that more than 10,700 of your shipmates are taking advantage of off-duty education today who weren't previously. I think that is the biggest success of this policy decision!

We also took a look at historic TA usage rates, and 95 percent of Sailors never reached the previous ceiling limits. Seventy-five percent of Sailors are taking fewer than 12-semester hours of courses per year. Therefore, to make sure that we could equitably offer 100 percent TA to every Sailor who requests it, the Navy set a cap of 12-semester hours per fiscal year, with a maximum of $250 dollars per semester hour. The reason for that decision was to be as fair as possible to all Sailors in all geographic locations.

For example, a Sailor who enrolls in a college in one state which offers classes for $150 a semester, would be able to take many more classes using TA than a Sailor enrolled in a college in another region charging $250 a semester. The 12-semester hour cap was put in place, to ensure that you and all of your shipmates will have access to TA funds when you need them, throughout the entire year.

There are also many other financial options available to you, such as scholarships, Pell grants and the Montgomery GI Tuition Assistance Top Up program. For those who elected to take the GI Bill and have more than two years of service, you can start using your GI Bill immediately to cover the costs of education above the 12-semester hour cap limit.

Another program designed to help Sailors continue their college education while aboard ships is the Navy College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE). Accredited colleges and universities provide all NCPACE college courses, and both undergraduate and graduate level courses are available. NCPACE courses are funded 100 percent by the Navy, with the individual Sailor only paying for books.

To learn more about your 100 percent TA benefits and other education opportunities, contact your local Navy College Office or visit them on the Web at www.navycollege.navy.mil.

Speaking with Sailors is a monthly column initiated by the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy as a way of reaching out to the men and women of the fleet, whether they are stationed just down the road or halfway around the world.