VA Loan Updates

Navy officials announced new, strict rules as to who gets coveted college cash, earmarking limited tuition assistance for hot-running sailors.

R 250825Z JUN 07FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//TO NAVADMINBTUNCLAS //N01500//NAVADMIN XXX/07MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUN//SUBJ/EDUCATION PRIORITIES AND MANAGEMENT OF OFF-DUTY VOLUNTARY EDUCATION (VOLED)//REF/A/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/091035ZJUN2006//AMPN/REF A IS NAVADMIN 166/06, TUITION ASSISTANCE AND WAIVER POLICY.//

RMKS/1. THIS NAVADMIN UPDATES AND EXPANDS VOLED POLICY OUTLINED BY REF A. SUSTAINING COMBAT READINESS, BUILDING A FLEET FOR THE FUTURE AND DEVELOPING 21ST CENTURY LEADERS CONTINUE TO BE THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS’ TOP PRIORITIES. PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THAT PREPARES SAILORS FOR RELEVANT AND CHALLENGING NAVY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THROUGH VOLED DEVELOPS THE SAILORS WE NEED BOTH TODAY AND TOMORROW.

2. NAVY LEADERSHIP IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SAILORS AS THEY PURSUE THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS. MAXIMIZING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF SAILORS, GIVEN THE RISING COST OF EDUCATION AND LIMITED BUDGETS, DEMANDS THAT WE IMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT CONTROLS FOR THE TUITION ASSISTANCE (TA) PROGRAM AND NAVY COLLEGE PROGRAM FOR AFLOAT COLLEGE EDUCATION (NCPACE). WHILE THESE PROGRAMS ARE FULLY FUNDED, THESE NEW CONTROLS FOCUS ON THREE AREAS (SAILOR READINESS, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAM/FISCAL EFFICIENCIES) AND SERVE TO SHARE THIS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF SAILORS. THESE CONTROLS ARE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY FOR NEW TA AND NCPACE ENROLLMENT AND WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

3. THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY FOR ALL NEW SAILORS (OFFICER AND ENLISTED) IS ON LEARNING THEIR NAVY PROFESSION. LEADERS, MENTORS AND PEERS ARE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING EVERY SAILOR THE TRAINING, EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEED TO DEVELOP WITHIN A DESIGNATOR/RATING AND TO EARN THEIR WARFARE AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS. PHYSICAL READINESS AND TIME MANAGEMENT ARE ALSO CRITICAL FACTORS THAT DETERMINE THE SAILOR’S ABILITY TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR MISSION. TO ENSURE THIS PROPER FOCUS IS APPLIED TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND READINESS, SAILORS SHALL MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA BEFORE RECEIVING AUTHORIZATION TO USE TA OR ENROLL IN NCPACE COURSES FOR POST-SECONDARY LEVEL COURSES:

A. ADVANCEMENT ELIGIBLE SAILORS MUST HAVE TAKEN AND PASSED THEIR MOST RECENT ADVANCEMENT EXAM. SAILORS WHO ARE SERVING OUT OF THEIR RATING AND HAVE NOT PASSED THEIR ADVANCEMENT EXAM ARE ELIGIBLE FOR TA AND NCPACE WITH THE APPROVAL OF THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER/OFFICER IN CHARGE.

B. SAILORS MUST PASS (OR BE MEDICALLY WAIVED FROM) THEIR MOST

RECENT PHYSICAL READINESS TEST (PRT).

C. SAILORS MUST NOT BE UNDER INSTRUCTION IN INITIAL SKILLS TRAINING OR IN A DUTY UNDER INSTRUCTION (DUINS) TRAINING STATUS.

D. SAILORS MUST BE RECOMMENDED FOR PROMOTION OR ADVANCEMENT (AS APPLICABLE).

E. SAILORS WHO HAVE BEEN AWARDED NON-JUDICIAL OR COURTS-MARTIAL PUNISHMENT IN THE PREVIOUS SIX MONTHS SHALL NOT BE AUTHORIZED TA OR NCPACE COURSES.

4. THE ACADEMIC SKILLS PROGRAM IS NOT IMPACTED BY THIS POLICY AND COMMANDING OFFICERS SHOULD ENCOURAGE SAILORS TO CONTINUE TO USE THIS PROGRAM AS NEEDED TO DEVELOP ENGLISH, READING AND BASIC MATH SKILLS.

5. EDUCATION IS A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF OUR NAVY. WE WILL TAKE A DELIBERATE APPROACH TO PROVIDE LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, SEQUENCED TO MEET THE GROWING AND CHANGING ROLES SAILORS EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREER. TO ENCOURAGE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF EDUCATION GOALS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES WITHIN A CAREER AND ALLOW SAILORS TO SUPPORT THE MISSION THROUGH WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED, SAILORS SHOULD BE COUNSELED TO INTEGRATE POTENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT A CAREER.

A. BY STATUTE, OFFICERS WILL INCUR A MINIMUM TWO-YEAR SERVICE OBLIGATION FOR TA AND NCPACE COURSES COMMENCING WITH THEIR COMPLETION OF (OR WITHDRAWAL FROM) THE PROGRAM. THIS TWO-YEAR SERVICE OBLIGATION WILL BE SERVED CONCURRENTLY WITH ANY OTHER SERVICE OBLIGATION.

B. ENLISTED PERSONNEL WITH LESS THAN 20 YEARS IN SERVICE ARE NOW REQUIRED TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE YEAR REMAINING ON THEIR CURRENT ENLISTMENT PRIOR TO USING TA OR ENROLLING IN NCPACE COURSES.6. NAVY IS COMMITTED TO FUNDING 16 SEMESTER HOURS FOR TA, BUT MUST DO SO IN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER.

A. IN ORDER TO RECEIVE AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL TA (BEYOND 16 SEMESTER HOURS) AND/OR NCPACE, SAILORS MUST HAVE AN APPROVED ACADEMIC/EDUCATION PLAN AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THEIR FIFTH COURSE. NAVY COLLEGE OFFICE COUNSELORS WILL ASSIST SAILORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN. ONLY COURSES REQUIRED BY THE ACADEMIC/EDUCATION PLAN WILL BE AUTHORIZED FOR TA AND NCPACE.

B. TA WILL NO LONGER BE AUTHORIZED FOR COURSES USED TO EARN AN ADDITIONAL DEGREE AT THE SAME OR LOWER EDUCATION LEVEL. LOWER DIVISION OR PREREQUISITE COURSES MAY BE AUTHORIZED IF THE COURSES ARE PART OF A SAILOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM AND ARE LISTED ON THEIR APPROVED EDUCATION PLAN. SAILORS ALREADY PURSUING A DEGREE AT THE SAME OR LOWER LEVEL MAY CONTINUE TAKING COURSES PROVIDED THEIR APPROVED EDUCATION PLAN IS DATED DEC 2005 OR EARLIER.

C. TA WILL NO LONGER BE AUTHORIZED FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS).

7. SAILORS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN TA AND/OR NCPACE COURSES, AND HAVE NOT MET THE CONDITIONS LISTED ABOVE, SHALL BE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THEIR CURRENT COURSES. NEW AUTHORIZATIONS OR FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL COURSES WILL NOT BE APPROVED UNTIL THESE CONDITIONS OUTLINED IN PARAS 4-6 ARE MET.

8. EXPERIENCE TELLS US THAT FIRST DUTY ASSIGNMENTS ARE CHALLENGING AND RIGOROUS. MANAGING ONE’S TIME WHILE LEARNING THE JOB IS A KEY FACTOR IN CAREER SUCCESS. TO IMPROVE THEIR ODDS FOR SUCCESS, SAILORS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE ALL WARFARE AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS PRIOR TO REQUESTING TA OR ENROLLING IN NCPACE COURSES. SAILORS WHO ENROLL IN COLLEGE COURSES WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING ON THEIR PROFESSIONAL/WARFARE QUALIFICATIONS MAY FIND THEMSELVES UNABLE TO COMPLETE COURSES DUE TO THE HEAVY WORKLOAD AND FORCED TO WITHDRAW. THESE WITHDRAWALS REPRESENT BOTH SQUANDERED EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES.

9. COMMAND LEADERSHIP IS A CRITICAL FACTOR IN THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE POLICIES. COMMANDING OFFICERS MUST ENSURE THAT PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA HAVE BEEN MET PRIOR TO APPROVING A REQUEST TO USE TA OR ENROLL IN NCPACE COURSES.

10. NAVAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (NETC) WILL PROMULGATE STANDARDIZED EXECUTION GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA FOR WAIVERS BY SEPARATE COVER. NAVY COLLEGE OFFICE COUNSELORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM AND FISCAL EFFICIENCIES AS OUTLINED IN PARA 6 ABOVE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AN BE FOUND AT HTTPS:\\WWW.NAVYCOLLEGE.NAVY.MIL/.

11. PREPARING OUR 21ST CENTURY SAILORS FOR THE COMPLEX, DYNAMIC WORLD WE LIVE IN WILL CONTINUE TO DEMAND THAT WE PROVIDE FOR AND GUIDE THEIR VOLUNTARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. DOING SO REQUIRES METICULOUSLY PREPARED EDUCATION PLANS FOCUSED ON LEARNING, MAINTAINING, AND MASTERING THE INTRICACIES OF OUR CRAFT. SINCE THE INVESTMENT NAVY MAKES IN EDUCATION IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO YIELD OPERATIONAL EXPERTISE, THE NATURE AND TIMING OF OUR EDUCATION INVESTMENTS MUST BE TAILORED TO EACH SAILOR’S STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT.

12. POINT OF CONTACT IS MS. ANN HUNTER, NETC (N72) AT COMM (850)452-8956/DSN 922 OR EMAIL AT ANN.HUNTER(AT)NAVY.MIL.

13. RELEASED BY VADM J. C. HARVEY, JR., N1.//

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