Financial Aid Programs - the Abbreviated Version

Alright, so you've made the first big step and have decided to go back to school (yay!) Now onto the next big obstacle you need to get through: actually paying for school. The cost of going to school can be a big expense - you have to consider tuition cost, exams/licenses/ certificates that need to be paid for, books, supplies, etc. However, one HUGE benefit of being part of the military is that there are so many financial aid programs available to us, which at times can be somewhat overwhelming. In this post, I aim breakdown some of your financial aid options to make it a bit easier to tackle (source: military.com). 

So happy to be going to school - this could be YOU!

Post 9/11 GI Bill

This is probably one of the most well-known financial aid programs available to military members. There is a special provision in this program that allows servicemembers to share their remaining GI Bill benefits with immediate family members (that means you!) Only UNUSED benefits can be transferred to a family member (meaning if the servicemember has used 12 months of his/her GI Bill, then you are only able to use the remaining 24 months left of the benefit). There is other criteria the servicemember has to meet in order to transfer his/her GI Bill Benefits - this includes having at least 6 years of service already and an obligation to serve at least 4 more. Learn more about the GI Bill transferability HERE. 

A Quick Overview of the Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits:

If  You  Are:	You Qualify for:	Tuition and Fees	Monthly Housing Stipend	Book Stipend	Able to Transfer Benefits	Yellow Ribbon	Relocation Allowance	Licensing and Certification Exams
On Active Duty		X		X *	X			X
A Guard or Selected Reserve Member		X	NOTE 1	X	X	X	X	X
A Veteran		X	NOTE 1	X	NOTE 2	X	X	X

*Beginning October 1, 2011

NOTE 1: All students on active duty, those pursuing half-time or less, are not eligible for the Housing Stipend. 

NOTE 2: You may only choose to transfer benefits while you are still serving in the military.

Please look HERE for more detailed information from www.military.com on what exactly is provided in the Post 9/11 GI Bill. 

MyCAA - Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts

I've discussed MyCAA in my blog here because it is FAB and a great way to gain additional skills FOR FREE! It provides up to $4000 of financial assistance in either an associate's degree, license or certification. You can contact MilitaryOneSource for education counseling at 1-800-342-9647. Click here to learn more about the MyCAA program. 

Dependent's Educational Assistance (DEA) 

The Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers up to 45 months of education benefits to eligible dependents of certain veterans. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. 

Click here to learn more about your eligibility and an overview of the Dependents Education Assistance Program. 

State-Provided Education Benefits

Educational benefits for families, particularly the children of deceased, MIA, POW,  and disabled veterans, may be available in some states. Military.com has developed an on-line general summary of educational benefits for veterans, surviving spouses and their dependents.

Click here to learn more about State Education Benefits.

Private Scholarships and Grants

Many times military family members will overlook the $300 million of military and veteran scholarships and grants. 


Military.com states the following misconceptions people have about scholarships and grants:


1) VA education benefits eliminate the need for scholarships and grants.
REALITY: Although the Survivor and Dependent Education Assistance program offers great benefits, it may not cover everything. There are hundreds of scholarships and grants specifically designed to help cover education related costs, so you don't have to.


2) Scholarships are too difficult to win and applying requires too much work.
REALITY: Some scholarships do require a written essay, but each scholarship and grant application varies widely. There are many that require only a short application! AND the payoff can potentially be really helpful - you could save hundreds of dollars just for taking a couple hours of your time to write an essay.


3) Scholarships are too difficult to find.
REALITY: Military.com offers a great online resource to help military members and their families find scholarships. Visit the Scholarship Finder today to find out which scholarships you can apply for and how you can earn free money for school!

NOT APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS IS LIKE TURNING DOWN FREE MONEY. 
So what are you waiting for?! 

Just PCS'd...Can't Find a Job, Now What?

This reality of frequently having to start from scratch is something every military spouse goes through. Some of us are lucky enough to find a job at every duty station, but for those of us who aren't so lucky - whether it's because you're in a small town, like San Angelo, or your career does not transfer as easily - then what's the next step???

There are a number of options that spouses can consider when in this position. I've outlined a few of these below:

1) Consider going back to school to gain additional skills.

I took advantage of the MyCAA program to get a certification to make myself more marketable to future employers. See if there are any local colleges in your area that offer programs of study you're interested in. You don't have to commit to a 4 or even 2 year program, but you can see if there are any semester long classes that would help bulk up your resume. For example, some community colleges offer classes in Excel or Photoshop- learning more about either of these programs is going to make your skill set more appealing to an employer.

In addition, there are a number of avenues spouses can use to seek financial assistance. Various military associations and some military spouses' clubs offer scholarships for military spouses. Make sure to visit your installation's Family Readiness Center, Education Center and the financial aid office at the school you wish to attend for more information on the financial assistance programs that are available to you. You can also look OUTSIDE the military for help - Pell Grants, Federal Loans, work-study can all help pay for your education. All colleges will require that you have a Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) on file before any federal aid can be given to you - by filling this out, you are automatically considered for a financial aid packet. Visit the U.S. Department of Education for a FREE application for Federal Student Aid, www.fafsa.edu.gov, to apply for federal grants and loans. Source: National Military Family Association, www.militaryfamily.org.

2) Intern at a place where you can learn something.

I also used some of my "down" time to intern. Most of my job experience has been in public relations, communications and marketing. Since I was not able to find a job in one of these career fields, I took this opportunity to add to those skills without actually having a full-time job. So I got in contact with the Public Affairs office at our base and asked if they would be interested in having an intern. They were more than happy to bring someone on board for "free labor" : ) Not only that, but I was actually given some REAL responsibility! They let me write my own stories, interview various military personnel, take pictures to accompany my articles...I even had a couple published in the base newspaper (woo hoo)! Anyways, I digress...the point is that many offices on base NEED help and are at times severely understaffed, but they don't have the funds to pay for additional employees. This is where interns come in!

I sat down with Pamela Flemions, a Community Readiness Consultant at the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Goodfellow Air Force Base, and asked her a few questions about interning on base. She said that the base Thrift Store, the Airman's Attic (or your base's equivalent), the Morale, Welfare & Recreation center, the medical group, the library, public affairs, family support, child development center, and the housing referral office, are all organizations that are often in need of interns.

 “Volunteering can do a lot of things for you: it can help you hone your skills or acquire new skills. It can be a source of networking. It can allow you to learn more about a specific field. You will still be able to walk away with a lot,” says Pamela.

Many times, different military organizations will offer paid child care for those who are interested in interning or volunteering and have children. The Air Force Aid Society, for example, will pay for spouses of active duty Air Force members who volunteer at most base agencies - child care is provided in a Family Child Care Home, which is certified and affiliated with the base. 

To see current volunteering/internship opportunities, be sure to check out your base's Family Readiness Center webpage and your base newspaper.

3) Volunteer for a cause that's important to you.

Volunteering is something that I've tried to always incorporate in my life in some form. My husband and I have certain causes that are really close to our hearts and we try to help out in any capacity we can. At our last base, we spent 5 hours one Saturday every month and helped out at a local soup kitchen. It gave us an opportunity to give back to the community and get some quality bonding time in! 

It does not need to be a full-time job, but helping a cause you care about is really a priceless experience. In addition, volunteering is something many employers will look for on a resume. It shows them that you are well-rounded and take advantage of any "down" time you may have. 

4) Work on other skills or interests.

I have always had a love of photography and my husband gave me a DSLR camera for one of my bdays. I had been itching to learn more about my camera/ photography so I took an online class. After I finished my class, I really wanted to put my new knowledge to work so I offered to take newborn pictures for a family free of charge. The family loved the pictures so much that they recommended my work to others and I was able to actually develop a small photography business. 

What are you interested in? Have you always wanted to learn how to sew, but have never had the time to learn? Have you wanted to learn another language, but found the process too overwhelming? Have you been dying to try out new recipes or a new way of cooking? Well, now is your chance! You have the time so use it wisely! You can spend time learning a language using free online resources and podcasts from iTunes. Start reading personal finance books so you can learn more about investing and what you can do with your money once you start earning it. Watch YouTube tutorials on sewing for beginners...there are so many options! Just take some baby steps and who knows, you may even start developing your own business without even realizing it.

These are just a few ideas to get you going! Remember: just because you aren't able to find a job doesn't mean you can't make good use of your time!