AFI changes affect TA

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Scott Poe
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE. Ark. --  Tuition assistance is one of many benefits Airmen are entitled to and a reason why many Airmen joined the Air Force.

TA can be used to achieve multiple degrees including a CCAF degree. As of Oct. 1, 2014, several changes to tuition assistance have been implemented and will impact these Airmen.

"There are a lot of changes with tuition assistance," said Master Sgt. Shawna Budde, the Education Center superintendent. "One of the major changes we are seeing now is that all members are required to have their TA request submitted no later than seven days prior to the term start date, which is causing a lot of problems for individuals who were not aware of the changes."

TA requests cannot be submitted any earlier than 45 days before each term start date.

Other changes include:

· The Air Force Credentialing Opportunities Online will take the place of military tuition assistance by January 2015. Airmen who are currently enrolled in a certification program funded through MilTA will have one year to complete their program. For one to pursue new certifications, they will be based on the Airman's specialty code.

· Officers are no longer eligible for the certification program. It is now strictly for enlisted.

·  For commissioning programs, information can be found online on the Air Force Portal. The Education Center will no longer have counseling for members who are looking to commission. However, they will assist members with navigating the commissioning website on student computers at the Education Center.

· New grade requirements. Airmen who receive a D or below in undergraduate courses and a grade of C or below in graduate classes will be required to reimburse TA funds.

· Members are required to have an E-degree, or electronic degree plan, which identifies semester hours needed for their program.

· Lifetime caps have been set on semester hours allowed. 124 semester hours will be allowed for undergraduate and 42 semester hours for graduate level courses. For example, if a class was taken 10 years ago using TA, those credits will count against the cap.

"If members have not taken a class in the last year, they must come in and do a one-on-one with a counselor here and have their education record updated," said Budde. "Also, anyone using TA for the first time must meet with a counselor as well."

To accommodate for the changes, the Education Center is now hosting walk-in briefings. Walk-in initial tuition assistance briefings and education briefings are held every Tuesday at 8 a.m. and every Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Education Center and last about an hour.

Although supervisors are involved with the approval process, the Education Center is currently having minor difficulties with supervisors not being able to approve TA because of a glitch in the network.

"We are well aware of the issues with the supervisors not being able to approve TA applications but we are working with Airmen to make sure their TA documents are generated," said Budde. "The problem has been elevated, but currently they do not have a fix for it."

If you need assistance or have questions about the program call the Education Center at 501-987-3417 or email them at education@us.af.mil.