Ed Center promotes TA alternatives

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Charles V. Rivezzo
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  With the Air Force officially suspending military tuition assistance for the rest of the fiscal year, many Dyess Airmen have reached out to the Dyess Education Center for alternative ways to pursue their education.

Effective March 11, Airmen are not permitted to submit new requests for TA. Airmen currently enrolled in, or approved for future courses, are not affected and are allowed to complete those courses.

"Believe me, this was a tough decision because our Air Force truly values education. We understand suspension of TA benefits makes things tougher," said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Cody in a letter to Airmen.

While it may be tougher to obtain a higher education, it is by no means impossible. According to Dyess Education Center officials, there are still plenty of alternative programs to continue pursuing education while TA is suspended.

"There has always been up and down cycles of TA," said Fred Patao, Dyess' chief of education and training services. "There was a point in time when 100 percent TA was not the norm and just because TA is going away for a short period of time doesn't mean education needs to stop. I think this is a wave we need to ride for a short amount of time and find out what's going to happen in FY 14."

Alternative education programs include the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, (Chapter 30), Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606), Reserve Education Assistance Program (Chapter 1607), the Post 9/11 GI Bill, federal grants and federal financial aid.

Patao added that while many young Airmen are unable to access their GI Bill until their three-year mark, taking advantage of free CLEP and DANTES testing is a very effective way to attain an associate's degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

"The knowledge our Airmen gain through education helps them become better Airmen, better mentors, better supervisors and better managers," Patao said. "Life-long learning is an over-arching aspect of everything that an Airman needs to be, and education helps support that."

For more information regarding other financial aid sources, as well as the GI Bill, to help pay for your education, call Fred Patao at (325) 696-5538 or Rebecca Carson at (325) 696-5539.