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This Issue with Tuition Assistance (Sound Off)
12 years ago
Feel free to share your thoughts, concerns, bitches, gripes, complaints, insights and/or ideas. Open forum as always.
We knew it was coming. As optimistic as I tried to be with subordinates about the situation, it doesn't come as a huge shock that TA has been suspended for this fiscal year while the budget gets fucked with.
However. It's not the end of the World, its not the end to higher military learning and it's not this horribly horrible horribleness that people are making it out to be.
There is a great deal of concern with EPRs and Senior promotion being tied to higher education. I'm sure that will all be addressed in time. Speaking on an NCO level, my initial thought was that I can't necessarily mark a troop down for not seeking college credit when TA isn't being made available. But just because TA is not being offered until at least October 13 is no reason to not seek outside education. Allow me to break it down...
While this may hurt those going for bachelors degrees, the Air Force is concerned mainly with that CCAF. Which can be gained through DANTE/CLEPs. You also get credit from ALS/PME. So that's not a huge panicking point.
For those of us that have already secured our CCAFs and are seeking higher degrees. Keep in mind that active duty can use their GI Bills. Yes the benefits apply differently for Active over Veterans. I suggest you read up on the rules of GIB and talk to your local education office. But trust, you can get GI Bill benefits for tuition while in. You can also seek scholarships, grants, and/or loans like any other college student. Yes its more work than filling out a TA form, sending it to the education office and getting instant gratification. But if you WANT to pursue a degree, there are ways, channels and methods of getting it done.
Does the loss of TA suck? Yes.
It's it the nature of the beast for now? Yes.
Do you have to shut up and color? For the most part.
Lobby your state reps. If you feel comfortable doing so: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pe.....on-ta/kSyVdySm sign the White House petition to get it back.
Also keep in mind that, again, optimistically speaking, this is only a fiscal year issue. The Marine Corps dropped their TA last year and they are getting by. It could very well come back once the budget gets fixed.
All you can do is press on, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and work to change the system. If you want to continue on in your education, make it happen. It is doable.
Make the best of bad situations and press on.
Carry on.
~NCOIC
We knew it was coming. As optimistic as I tried to be with subordinates about the situation, it doesn't come as a huge shock that TA has been suspended for this fiscal year while the budget gets fucked with.
However. It's not the end of the World, its not the end to higher military learning and it's not this horribly horrible horribleness that people are making it out to be.
There is a great deal of concern with EPRs and Senior promotion being tied to higher education. I'm sure that will all be addressed in time. Speaking on an NCO level, my initial thought was that I can't necessarily mark a troop down for not seeking college credit when TA isn't being made available. But just because TA is not being offered until at least October 13 is no reason to not seek outside education. Allow me to break it down...
While this may hurt those going for bachelors degrees, the Air Force is concerned mainly with that CCAF. Which can be gained through DANTE/CLEPs. You also get credit from ALS/PME. So that's not a huge panicking point.
For those of us that have already secured our CCAFs and are seeking higher degrees. Keep in mind that active duty can use their GI Bills. Yes the benefits apply differently for Active over Veterans. I suggest you read up on the rules of GIB and talk to your local education office. But trust, you can get GI Bill benefits for tuition while in. You can also seek scholarships, grants, and/or loans like any other college student. Yes its more work than filling out a TA form, sending it to the education office and getting instant gratification. But if you WANT to pursue a degree, there are ways, channels and methods of getting it done.
Does the loss of TA suck? Yes.
It's it the nature of the beast for now? Yes.
Do you have to shut up and color? For the most part.
Lobby your state reps. If you feel comfortable doing so: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pe.....on-ta/kSyVdySm sign the White House petition to get it back.
Also keep in mind that, again, optimistically speaking, this is only a fiscal year issue. The Marine Corps dropped their TA last year and they are getting by. It could very well come back once the budget gets fixed.
All you can do is press on, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and work to change the system. If you want to continue on in your education, make it happen. It is doable.
Make the best of bad situations and press on.
Carry on.
~NCOIC
Airman: *becomes disgruntled and doesn't give a shit anymore*
And that's where poor leadership develops from!
you need a better base :P
We'll push forward as always, Hopefully we don't need to find out what happens when we can't fulfill basic tasks