Military tuition assistance restored, but timing is uncertain

Stars & Stripes ^ | 3/27/2013 | Leo Shane III

[markomalley]

The military’s tuition assistance programs will resume soon, but no one knows when.

Last week, Congress rolled back plans to halt all new enrollments to the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps tuition assistance programs, after veterans groups and military advocates protested the budget-saving moves.

The measure, included in the new appropriations bill to fund government operations through October, was signed into law Tuesday by the president.

But military officials said they still haven’t restarted the education benefit enrollments, because they are trying to decipher what the new budget bill requires and where additional cuts will come from.

Pentagon spokesman George Little said that the department “will comply with the recently enacted legislation” but details on when the programs will resume have not been finalized.

Officials from the service branches met early Wednesday with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s staff to discuss the benefit. The new budget bill does not erase almost $43 billion in sequestration defense spending cuts for this fiscal year, but does give Pentagon planners some more flexibility in implementing them.

Representatives from the services said they hope to make final decisions on the education benefit in the next few days.

“What we know definitively is that right now, it’s suspended,” said Air Force spokeswoman Maj. Cristin Marposon. “It’s being worked aggressively, and as soon as we have the way ahead, it will be announced.”

Army and Marine Corps officials said they hope to release new guidance on the programs soon. But, until then, all new enrollments are on hold.

[Marie]

There has been a lie that has been repeated in the media and here on FR over and over again that’s been bothering me.

Everyone keeps saying that, once sequestration began, the tuition assistance ended; however, those already enrolled were covered.

This is NOT true.

My husband was signed up, and approved for, a class two MONTHS ago. He began the class last week and it was not covered. The college has put everything on hold for now; but if this isn’t fixed within eight weeks from the start of class, we’re going to be hit with a $750 bill to cover his tuition.

I know that it’s not a big deal in the scheme of things, but a lot of soldiers were signed up and had to drop classes because they couldn’t afford the possibility that they’d have to pay for it two months down the road. We know on soldier that was only two classes from his BS and had to quit for now because of this.

To be clear: These were classes that had already been approved.

[markomalley]

There has been a lie that has been repeated in the media and here on FR over and over again that’s been bothering me.

I've been retired for over 10 years, so I wouldn't know. And it was only 75% TA when I was in (they moved it to 100% a few months before I retired...and after I had by Bachelor's degree...go figure)

What you say doesn't surprise me a bit, though.