| DOD to Resume Restructured Military Spouse Career Program The Department of Defense announced today the resumption of 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.” Amongst these changes, 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 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.” Under the long-term program guidelines, career counselors will continue to work with all military spouses to help develop career and education goals and plans, and assist them in identifying and accessing available federal education benefits toward these goals. “Families play a crucial role in supporting our men and women on the battlefield. When service members are confident that their families at home have access to resources and support, they are better able to focus on their mission,” said Stanley. “The Defense Department is committed to investing in military families. When we invest in the well-being of the family, we invest in the well-being of the force.” More information can be found on the MyCAA Web site. MilitaryConnection.com is a portal of all things military. We appreciate your service and patronage and continuously work to be your “go-to” site for employment and education information. We work to connect members of military and veteran communities as well as their families with outstanding jobs. We handle all occupational areas including healthcare, transportation, law enforcement, trades, security, high tech and much more. You will find excellent jobs for military and veterans in both the civilian and government sectors on our site. MilitaryConnection.com is proud to present a multitude of resources for those seeking employment opportunities including a variety of articles and job tips aimed to help you find work. We also have many valuable resources including our Virtual Job Fair, Directory of Employers and the Military Connection Job Board with thousands of nationwide jobs. MilitaryConnection.com recognizes the wonderful contributions of Transition Officers and Veteran Service Officers. We value their hard work and are proud to work with and for them. When the next tour is back home, it’s on MilitaryConnection.com. |