Military Spouse Education Benefits

It's tough being the spouse of an active duty servicemember. Re-locating every few years not only makes it difficult to maintain friendships, but it also makes it almost impossible to complete an education and start a career. A few years ago, the U.S. military recognized these spousal sacrifices and teamed up with the Department of Veterans' Affairs to come up with an array of military spouse education programs. The goal of these programs is to help spouses improve their educations and increase their occupational opportunities, no matter where they are stationed or transferred.

Military Spouse Education Opportunities

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA). Under the MyCAA Program, the Department of Defense provides eligible military spouses, up to $4,000 to pursue a degree, certification or license in one of several portable career fields.

Post-9/11 GI Bill Transfer. With this benefit, the servicemember transfers, while still on active duty, some or all of his or her education benefits to his or her spouse. Military spouse benefits vary depending on whether or not the spouse goes to school while the sponsoring servicemember is still on active duty.

Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship. Military spouse scholarships are awarded to active duty, National Guard and Reserve, retirees, and survivors' spouses of all U.S. military branches. These scholarships can be used to obtain professional certification at vocational schools, or pursue undergraduate or graduate programs at colleges. Scholarships range from $500 to $1,000 and may apply toward tuition, fees or room and board.

U.S. Army

Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program (SSEAP). Need-based, the SSEAP applies to state-side spouses of active duty, retired or deceased Army soldiers. Spouses can receive up to $2,900 per year towards an undergraduate or graduate degree as a full-time student at a college, university, or for certification at a vocational school.

Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program (OSEAP). With a mission similar to SSEAP, this military spouse benefit applies only to active duty spouses residing overseas.

U.S. Air Force

General George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP). Administered by the Air Force Aid Society, STAP is a grant providing Air Force spouses who are stationed overseas with partial tuition assistance. The purpose of the program is to meet 50% of the unpaid tuition costs of military spouses' education, up to a maximum of $1,500 per academic year.

General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant. Also managed by the Air Force Relief Society, this military spouses' education benefit is directed toward stateside-based active Air Force spouses. It provides up to $2,000 per academic year to assist with paying undergraduate college degree costs.

U.S. Navy/ Marines

Vice Admiral E.P. Travers Loan Program (Travers Program). Administered by the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, the Travers Program provides state-side stationed active duty Navy and Marine Corps spouses interest-free loans of $500 to $3,000 per academic year. Recipients may use it to pay for tuition and fees for undergraduate degree programs and professional certifications leading to increased employment opportunities.

Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP). Also a Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society program, STAP provides interest free loans of up to $3,000 per academic year. The funds may be used by overseas-stationed active duty spouses to pay for undergraduate or graduate program expenses, such as books and tuition.

Ron Kness retired from the military in 2006 with 36 years of service. His last assignment was a Division Command Sergeant Major/ E-9