Restructured MyCAA program to resume

WASHINGTON (WAVY) - The Department of Defense announced Tuesday that it will resume a restructured military spouse career advancement account program - MyCAA - following a comprehensive review.

The program will be available to spouses of service members in the pay grades of E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2 beginning October 25 at 8 a.m. EDT.

"The changes announced today reflect a return to the original intent of the program which is to help military spouses, with the greatest need, successfully enter, navigate and advance in portable careers," said Clifford Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. "We fully support the program and are committed to ensuring the program’s sustainability. To that end, we are making several critical operational changes."

Some of those changes include:

• Eligible spouses will receive a total of $4,000 in DoD-funded financial aid, with an annual cap of $2,000 per fiscal year.
• Funding must be used within a three-year time period from the start date of the first class; and must be used to obtain an associates’ degree, licensure or certification.
• A waiver may be granted when fees for licensure or certification require an up-front fee greater than $2,000 and up to the total maximum assistance of $4,000.

The original MyCAA program - which gave military spouses up to $6000 in aid towards higher education - was temporarily suspended by the Pentagon in February. In March, it was re-started, but only for those who were already enrolled in the program.

The changes in the program mean some military spouses previously eligible for financial aid under the old MyCAA will not be eligible under the restructured program.

Military spouse Arkesha Moses was getting her Master's Degree in Public Administration at Troy University. Under the restructuring, she's now out of the MyCAA program.

"I have found other ways to pay for my education as I hope that most military spouses will continue to do," said Moses.

Officials say the new guidelines announced Tuesday are an attempt to bring the program back to its original intent - helping military spouses with the greatest need.

Spouses already enrolled and above the E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2 pay grades, like Moses, will no longer be eligible for financial assistance as of October 21st, but will be eligible for career and education counseling.

Officials say the MyCAA program is beefing up it's career counseling, which includes advice on finding alternate sources of financial assistance. These career counseling services will be available to all military spouses, regardless of pay grade.

"The MyCAA program popularity grew beyond our expectations and became too expensive to continue. Therefore, we are returning to the original intent of the program in a way that is attainable and fiscally responsible for the Defense Department," said Stanley. "As we look to the future, we envision a program that is much broader than DoD’s financial assistance component. Military spouses will be guided along a more holistic approach to career planning."

More information on the restructured MyCAA program can be found by clicking here.