Educational Benefits for Family Members

Photo By Jason Bortz | Terri Stine, a work and family life specialist at the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, discusses educational benefits and job opportunities during with a group of spouses and active duty personnel on June 18. To help sort through the abundance of benefits and options available, spouses and dependents can utilize the FFSC.  

UNITED STATES

06.20.2019

Story by Jason Bortz 

Naval Air Station Pensacola

Active-duty service members have many options for assistance in furthering their education, but military spouses and dependents are also eligible for benefits.

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) Education Assistance Program offers interest-free loans and grants ranging from $500 to $3,000 per academic year to spouses of active-duty and retired service members for undergraduate programs at an accredited two- or four-year institution.

The Department of Veterans Affairs also offers programs to assist with tuition costs for military spouses such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, scholarships and education assistance programs for dependents of Veterans who are permanently disabled due to a service-related condition. For the Post-9/11 GI Bill, service members must transfer all 36 months or the portion of unused benefits to a spouse or child while still on active duty.

There are also federal and state benefits that military spouses can apply for to further their education. Each state has different programs and resources available to assist military spouses with education. The web site www.statepolicy.militaryonesource.mil has information for each state.

To help sort through the abundance of benefits and options available, spouses and dependents can utilize the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC). At the FFSC onboard NAS Pensacola, Terri Stine, a work and family life specialist, can help spouses and dependents find benefits that meet their educational goals whether it is obtaining a general educational development (GED) or earning a master’s degree.

“There are a lot of benefits available to military spouses and dependents,” said Stine. “I can help explain scholarship options or help select an appropriate school or program. “

Stine explained that one of the unique factors for many spouses at NAS Pensacola is that they are only here for a short period of time while their spouse are in training. This can limit some of the educational options, but there are still plenty of choices and resources available such as online programs.

“Before going with an online program, make sure it’s accredited or check with a Fleet and Family Support Center,” warned Stine.

In addition to FFSC, MilitaryOneSource provides education consultants to assists service members and their families. The service is free and provides a confidential one-on-one session with an expert in education resources. The consultants can assist with selecting a college, locating sources for financial aid, finding military-friendly schools that allow previous college credits to be transferred and getting credentials converted and diplomas translated to meet state requirements. For more information, visit www.militaryonesource.mil or call 1-800-342-9647.

With all of the options and benefits available to military family members, earning a degree or certification is worth pursuing. All family members have to do is ask for assistance.

For more information on educational benefits or with help selecting a job, contact the NAS Pensacola FFSC at [phone].

For more than a century, NAS Pensacola, referred to as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation," has supported operational and training missions of tenant commands, currently including Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC), Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC), the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), Marine Aviation Training Support Groups (MATSG) 21 and 23 and is the headquarters for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).

• Date Taken: 06.20.2019
• Date Posted: 06.20.2019 09:42
• Story ID: 328463
• Location: US