Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Service Members No Longer Have Forever to Transfer the GI Bill

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It has been just under a year since the “Forever GI Bill” was signed into law, but many service members are discovering forever isn’t quite as long as they thought.

Beginning in 2019, a service member’s privilege to transfer their GI Bill to their dependents will be restricted and those who serve longer are being impacted by the restrictions.

One of the best benefits of serving our great country is the ability to receive the GI Bill which covers most, if not all, of a college degree. Another advantage is the ability to transfer this benefit to dependent children or spouses.

I have spent the summer visiting college campuses with my rising high school senior. Two things I have discovered: making life decisions at 17 years old is a lot of pressure and the cost of a four-year degree can run upwards to $40,000 and don’t get me started on residency requirements.

As a military family do we ever live someplace long enough to be considered a resident?

Service Members No Longer Have Forever to Transfer the GI Bill

Do you think this restriction will discourage service members from making longer commitments to their country in the future?

The GI Bill Restriction May Impact Your Plans for Paying for College

What does the new GI Bill restriction mean for your military family? To transfer the GI Bill to dependents, a service member must serve at least six years and commit to an additional four years.

The change restricts service members who have served 16 years or more from transferring their GI Bill. Luckily for my family, my husband transferred his GI Bill to our children about two weeks before the new restrictions were announced.

But it makes me wonder why the change? These restrictions apply only to career military which begs the question, will this restriction discourage service members from making longer commitments to their country in the future?

Related: Why You Should Consider Attending a Yellow Ribbon School

Some may argue the reason for the change is to encourage senior service members to use their GI Bill benefits to further their education and ensure a smooth transition into the civilian workforce. I would agree, having an education makes the transition easier, however, where does this leave service members who have earned a degree prior to or while in service? They don’t need the GI Bill and can’t transfer it to a dependent, which means the benefit would not be utilized.

The Tuition Assistance Program May Be a Better Option for Service Members

Service members can transfer their GI Bill to dependents and still earn a degree while on active duty. The Tuition Assistance Program is available to active duty members in all branches, which covers education expenses, leaving the GI Bill available to their dependents.

Tuition Assistance covers expenses for vocational/technical schools, undergrad degrees, graduate programs, independent study and distance learning programs. In order to use the TA Program, an enlisted service member must have enough time remaining in service to complete the course for which he or she has applied. After the completion of a course, an officer using TA must fulfill a service obligation that runs parallel with – not in addition to – any existing service obligation.

The TA Program will cover 100% of college expenses not to exceed $250 per semester credit hour or $166 per quarter credit hour. There is a $4,500 cap per government fiscal year which is October to September.

To access the TA program visit your local installation education center, go online to a virtual education center or click on the following links for each service branch:

Transfer Your GI Bill Before July 2019

The GI Bill restriction does not go into effect until July 19, 2019, so if you are approaching 16 years of service or more and want to transfer your GI Bill now is the time.

The good news is, if you complete the transfer now, you can make changes later. If you have additional children or want to change how the bill is divided among your dependents this can be done at a later date as long as the transfer takes place prior to July 2019.

If you are interested in transferring your GI Bill to your dependents log onto DMDC milConnect, find the “I want to” section and select “Transfer my education benefits.”

If you are not eligible for the GI Bill transfer or have already used the benefit there are additional scholarship options available to military dependents and yourself. Here is a list of more than 50 scholarships which are available to the military community.

Related: Military Spouses Unaware of MyCAA Scholarship Program

Also visit your local education center and veteran affairs office at your university of choice for additional scholarship resources and assistance.

What do you think about the new GI Bill restrictions? Will this change impact a service member’s decision to re-enlist?

Why His Deployment Is the Right Time to Earn Your College Degree

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Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

Your service member’s deployment may be right time for you to start taking college classes.

You’ve been thinking about going back to school for a while now and your spouse just deployed. What are you waiting for?

Deployment is a great time to earn a college degree.

We’re all busy with family, work, volunteering and just life in general, which can put higher education on the back burner. If getting a degree truly is important to you, don’t put it off any longer.

Ask yourself a few questions and follow these tips to start working toward a college degree while your service member is away.

What type of learning environment suits your needs best?

Start by deciding if you would benefit most by going to a traditional college, an online program or a school that offers both in person and online classes. Is it feasible to make the commute to campus? Are you disciplined enough to take classes online and study on your own? What kind of experience are you looking for? Some people thrive in the classroom interacting with the professor and other students while some prefer to do it all on their own.

Do you want to go to a two-year or four-year college?

Community colleges offer associate degrees through a two-year program. Many students start at these schools, because they cost less and then transition to a four-year school to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Research colleges thoroughly.

Don’t limit your options to the college closest to you or exclude one you think might be too expensive. You might miss a great school that way. Widen your search and see what each school has to offer then you can determine if it is a match for what you want. Make sure the college you choose offers the program you want in the timeline you are looking for.

Browse through the school’s alumni directory to see what graduates have done with their degrees. Are there many listed in the field you are interested in? Read the school’s testimonies and search social media to see students’ perceptions of the college.

Decide on a major.

While you don’t need to decide on a major before you begin classes, it is helpful to have an idea of the area in which you want to pursue. You can take a few classes without declaring a major or simply register for general studies and many students change their majors multiple times.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

College is expensive. Don’t forget to apply for scholarships for military spouses.

One thing to consider though, you may end up taking extra classes, which means your college degree could take longer to attain and you will be spending more money.

Look for scholarships.

College is expensive, but you don’t have to foot the whole bill. There are thousands of scholarships available; you just have to look for them.

I had 9 scholarships for my undergraduate years. Combined they covered everything. A friend received one scholarship that paid for everything.

Scholarships are offered in various amounts and every little bit helps. Spend some time researching college scholarships. Apply to the ones that require more work. Those with essays receive fewer entries because people don’t want to spend the time doing them.

Start volunteering with your community, if you aren’t doing so already. This is a very valuable quality to put on scholarship applications and some scholarships even require a certain number of volunteer hours. Look for scholarships that are specific to you as well. There are scholarships available strictly to military spouses.

Talk to friends, family and coworkers about their experiences.

It can be difficult to make such a big decision. Seek out help from friends by simply asking them what they liked best about their school, their college experience and how they made their decision on a school that lead them to a degree.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

What tips do you have for going back to school during a deployment?

Make a college plan.

Look at the necessary courses for the degree you have chosen. Review the class schedule ahead of time and make a plan with a timeline for completing your degree. Some classes are only offered in specific semesters. Most programs have a capstone class that must be taken in your last semester. Make sure you know when that is so you aren’t waiting an extra semester just to take that one class because you didn’t time your program correctly.

Delegate time.

Once you have decided on a college and a program, make sure you take it seriously and spend the necessary time studying. That means setting aside a specific time to study. Do your homework. Don’t waste your time and money avoiding it. Delegate your time wisely and don’t show up late for class.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

Are you thinking about going to college while your service member is deployed? What questions do you have?

Enjoy your classes.

College is a wonderful thing and can be a great experience if you let it. Study hard and you will feel so rewarded when you receive your degree.

What tips do you have for going back to school during a deployment?

Military Spouses Unaware of MyCAA Scholarship Program

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Earlier this year, the RAND Corporation, a research group, released a study that military spouses are NOT using scholarship programs that are aimed to help assist the community with college.

Particularly, a majority of military spouses didn’t know about the MyCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Account) Program.

As military spouses, we experience multiple moves, deployments, TDYs and any other unexpected surprises that come our way. Because separation often times keeps military spouses busy holding down the fort, college might take a backseat.

Military Spouses Unaware of MyCAA Scholarship Program

MyCAA was created so that military spouses can pursue a meaningful education and attain portable careers.

Also, college is pretty dang expensive and scholarships are critical to help with tuition. I speak for myself when I say I wouldn’t have been able to finish my college education without scholarship programs. Last school year, the College Board reported that the average cost of tuition for state residents is more than $9,000 and almost $23,000 for out-of-state residents. In addition, if you wanted to attend a private university, tuition is more than $30,000.

Tuition is really intimidating and might have hindered a lot of spouses from attaining their bachelor’s degrees. But, just like the RAND study exposed, military spouses don’t know what’s out there. It’s important to share the message and pass along the details of MyCAA.

MyCAA was created for military spouses by the DoD, so they can pursue a meaningful education and attain portable careers. The goal of MyCAA is to work with a spouse’s military lifestyle and to ease the financial burden of a college, but less than 1/5 of eligible military spouses use MyCAA. MyCAA provides payment for obtaining appropriate licensing or certificates needed for certain jobs.

To be eligible for MyCAA, military spouses need to be married to active duty service members (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force) at the following pay grades: E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2.

Guard and Reserve spouses can use MyCAA if they start and complete their classes while their service member has Title 10 orders.

The RAND study highlights that one of the main causes for not using the MyCAA program is because a lot of military spouses think they don’t qualify or are time limited. It also found that newer military spouses didn’t know MyCAA existed.

Related: 10 Employment Programs to Help Military Spouses Find Jobs

Military OneSource counselors are available to military spouses that have questions or need guidance with MyCAA. It doesn’t hurt to reach out to someone, especially if you’re thinking about a career change or continuing your education.

Even if you aren’t eligible for MyCAA, there are so many other military spouses out there that would benefit from this amazing program, so be sure you keep it in mind for others.

Have you used the MyCAA scholarship? Why or why not?

10 Reasons to Shop the Commissary

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Being part of the military community has many benefits and the commissary is one privilege everyone should take advantage of. Great savings are not the only reason to shop at the commissary either.

Here are 10 reasons to shop at your commissary.

1. Save Money

Yes, saving money is the No. 1 reason most people shop at the commissary. Consumers save 30% or more on average over commercial grocery stores. “Commissaries are required by law to sell items at prices set only high enough to recover item cost, with no profit or overhead factored into item price.”

Have you noticed all the orange “VALUE” tags lining the shelves? There are on average 300 products in more than 33 categories with this label. These truly are value items as the commissary has worked hard to identify “name brand products that provide consistent value, based on an average lower price than the equivalent store, private label item.”

2. Case Lot Sales

Another great way to save is buying in bulk. Commissaries have customer appreciation case lot sales twice a year stateside. “We choose the items from the list that we think will sell well at our stores,” said Mark Crump, the store manager at the Little Creek commissary. “These are not items that have been sitting in our warehouse.”

Products are marked down and you can still use coupons to further increase your savings.

3. Rewards Card

The commissary rewards card allows you to redeem coupons electronically and all commissaries worldwide accept the rewards card. You can pick one up at the checkout and register it at home or on your smartphone. From there you can browse coupons and add them to your card. New coupons are posted multiple times a week so check it before you head to the commissary. At the checkout simply hand your card to the cashier. With digital coupons you won’t have to worry about clipping coupons at home and having the frustration of leaving them in the car. The rewards card comes as a key chain tag as well, so as long as you have your keys you’ll have your coupons.

4. Click2Go

Click2Go is a new service currently being tested at only 3 commissaries: Fort Lee, VA, Offutt Air Force Base, NE and Travis Air Force Base, CA. Click2Go allows customers to order their groceries online and pick them up at the commissary curbside. If the program proves to be popular the service may be added to more locations.

5. Support Scholarships for Military Children

The Scholarship for Military Children Program provides college scholarships to military dependents. It was “created in recognition of the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and to celebrate the role of the commissary in the military family. It is the intent of the program that a scholarship funded through contributions be awarded annually for each commissary operated by the Defense Commissary Agency worldwide.” Every commissary awards at least one $2,000 scholarship and more may be possible based on funding and eligible applicants.

6. Pathways for Students and Recent Graduates

This is a federal driven program that includes an internship program for current students, a recent graduates program and the Presidential Management Fellows Program for people who earned an advanced degree within the proceeding 2 years. These programs promote employment opportunities for students and recent graduates in the federal workforce. The commissary supports these programs.

7. International Aisle

There are some wonderful products on the international aisle and you aren’t likely to find them at commercial grocery stores. If you have a sweet tooth or would just like to try a British chocolate bar, grab a Crunchie. It is a honeycomb toffee chocolate bar that will fix your sweet tooth for a few days. The international food aisle isn’t just for sweets; you’ll find a wide variety of products from many countries.

8. Meet Other Military Families

At times being part of the military life can be lonely. Shopping at the commissary gives you an opportunity to meet other families. Striking up a conversation over an item on sale or just how cute the little baby in the shopping cart is one easy way to feel a little more connected.

9. Consistency in Your Life

Moving can put you at odds but there is one thing that can be consistent in your life, the commissary. Looking for a new home, new schools, new stylist and new friends is a lot to worry about. Knowing the commissary is available is one less stress. You won’t have to look for a new grocery store.

10. Support Military Dependents

Many of those working at the commissary are military dependents. You will hear many different accents from spouses from all over the world and notice young baggers that are children of service members. There are also a few retired individuals that will be happy to share a story with you.

These are just a few of the many reasons to shop at the commissary. Why do YOU shop at your military commissary? Tell us in the comments section.

Applications for Commissary Scholarship Now Open

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The Scholarships for Military Children Program, now in its 15th year, provides college scholarships to military dependents. Applications for the 2015-2016 school year awards are now available at each commissary as well as online. This scholarship was “created in recognition of the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and to celebrate the role of the commissary in the military family community. It is the intent of the program that a scholarship funded through contributions be awarded annually for each commissary operated by the Defense Commissary Agency worldwide.” Every commissary will award at least one $2,000 scholarship and more may be possible based on funding and eligible applicants.

Who is Eligible for the Scholarships for Military Children Program?

The scholarship is only open to dependent unmarried children under age 23 of active duty, reserve/guard and retired military members or survivors of service members who died while on active duty. Dependents whose sponsor died while receiving retired pay from the military are also eligible. Applicants must be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) database and have a current military ID as well.

Each person submitting an application must be enrolling in a full-time undergraduate degree program at an accredited U.S. college or university for the fall term of 2015. Those who have already attained an undergraduate degree are not eligible.

The scholarship is based in part on academic achievement.  All high school applicants must have a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 basis. The requirement for college students however is a minimum unweighted GPA of 2.5, also based on a 4.0 scale. Those currently studying at a community or junior college must be enrolled in a program that transfers into a four-year program.

How to Apply

Applications are available at your local commissary or you can download one . All application packets must be turned in at a commissary or mailed to one. You can look up the contact information for each commissary and contact them to determine who the application should be turned into specifically. The packet should contain the two-page application, school transcript with a cumulative unweighted GPA and a short essay.

This year the essay is:

Choose a woman who during WWII significantly influenced military decisions for either the Allied or Axis forces. Discuss what she did and why, how her actions impacted the war effort, and any unique challenges she may have faced. What lessons can be learned from her actions? Please choose an actual person (i.e., not a representation such as “Rosie the Riveter”). You may choose someone who served in the armed services, a civilian who acted “behind the scenes” or an intelligence spy.

While this subject could be quite lengthy, the essay must be 500 words or less. It needs to be typed, double spaced, and no longer than 2 pages.

The Notification Process

Letters will be mailed to recipients on or about May 15th. Those who applied but were not chosen will not be notified.

While it is a onetime award, it is a great opportunity to receive money for college. The $2,000 scholarship can be put toward any qualified expenses, such as tuition, fees, lab fees and books. The check is issued directly to the college so any other education-related costs, including class equipment or supplies are also allowed.

This is a great scholarship so don’t delay. Apply for a college scholarship through your military commissary today.