hange to $4500 annual TA cap use

[Joel]

I'm planning to submit a change proposal for how the military lets us use our $4500 of annual TA.

The major point for me is the $250/credit cap. I'm suggesting that cap be lifted entirely and we be allowed to spend the $4500 as we see fit. If you want to spend $1500ish on one course from the Harvard Extension, then so be it. You may only be able to 3 courses a year, but that's your choice. It won't cost DoD any more than the current set up.

I'd really like to start the MBA program at UMass when I finish my BS, but courses are nearly twice what TA will allow per credit.

I'd like input from other TA users on this as well as any other suggestions you may have.

[LordRayner82]

Good luck with that. I know for myself and those in my shop, it would be awesome if they gave you the cash and said "do with it as you please". I know on my base, the NAV College rep consistently tells me that barely anyone uses their TA, thats in comparison to the amount of personnel on the base. Things have been pretty tight with TA though, because even though some claim not enough use it, that changed something up recently. Allow me to place a little emphasis on this for all... IF YOU HAVE USED UP ALL OF YOUR TA AND REQUIRE A WAIVER, YOUR WAIVER MUST BE SUBMITTED AND IN PENSACOLA (Navy) BY COB ON THE 31ST! NO EXCEPTIONS! They changed the date from August to March 31st about a week and a half ago, just in case some were unaware of it!

[JBjunior]

Not going to happen, the system in place is too geared towards the way it already is. The $250 credit is getting lifted, to $300 or so. But guess what? The colleges will up their rate for military to match it and it will screw us even more. Imagine all of the colleges raising their rates to whatever they want? There isn't that many military members completing college at any given time that we would be able to make them compete against each other to lower their rates. They have them matching TA now, lets keep it that way.

[morfritz]

I think the issue is also for those military members that are not able to complete the course that they take. So, they have to pay the money back. In order to keep costs low, the cap is at $250. I would benefit from lifting the cap, but I know that my situation is not that many others face.

[LordRayner82]

Raising it to 300? Haven't heard that yet, but it is enticing (will lower copayments for Masters degree). Is this suppose to be DoD wide or branch specific?

[bat21]

The way they do TA sucks, but they are finally going to let us use it for Graduate School, which is very good for Military folks!

[bat21]

For us USAF types you can do your T/A all online at the AF Portal, and submit with no problem.

[SIMPLY_HUGO]

Navy will give waivers. They limit me to two classes at a time though =\