Career program for military spouses being relaunched

The program was created by the U.S. Departments of Defense and Labor to help spouses begin and continue to advance in a career field which can sometimes be challenging due to the frequent moves required of military families. The program offers funding to eligible military spouses of E-1 through E-5 and O-1 to O-3 service members for expenses related to postsecondary education and training including: tuition, books, equipment, credentialing and licensing fees in five different career fields. These fields include education, healthcare, information technology, financial services and construction. Candidates can receive $3,000 for one year which is renewable a second year for an additional $3,000.

As a pilot program, several requirements are being looked at to see if changes need to be made to better the program. "As the data rolls in, things will change. All rules are on the table right now. Since this is a pilot program, all rules are up for discussion and revision including the rank requirements," said NAS Jax Navy College Office Director Jonathon Woods.

Several changes are also being made regarding the process steps at NAS Jax. "Currently, the program is not open to E-6 and above. When this program kicked off, about 100 spouses of E-6 and above came in to apply and now we can't get them back, so we are rearranging the processing order to better serve them. Previously, we had our candidates start the processing procedures at the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) for their qualification check. We've revamped our procedures and now their first stop is at the Navy College Office,"

explained Woods. "This way, we can look at their educational history, discuss their goals and create a record for them. If they don't qualify because they don't have their prerequisites completed, we can point them in the right direction with an educational institution and get them started so they can qualify and they won't just melt away."

After visiting the Navy College Office, candidates and potential candidates are then sent to the FFSC to meet with WorkSource State Veteran's Representative Gregory Spiro and WorkSource Senior Career Coach Conni Smolder who will determine if their academic program fits into the initiative's guidelines.

"Right now we have 60 potential candidates for the program which means they are close to being eligible but just need to finish their prerequisites because we do not pick up the cost for these classes. The program covers secondary education," stated Spiro.

"This really is a tremendous program because it puts military spouses to work and provides families with a second income. Unfortunately, when military spouses get transferred from base to base, they are usually pulled out of their jobs, usually are unable to have a career and it's often difficult for them to find employment," Spiro continued. "Spouses have been left behind so often. This program was created just for them. We currently have 14 spouses enrolled at NAS Jax. These are quality individuals who once they complete their degrees will find good paying jobs to help support their families."

Once approved for the program, a special account is created for the spouses and all monies are paid directly to the school they are attending. Another requirement is that they are stationed here for a year. After a year, they can transfer and continue their education with funding from the program.

Each client is closely monitored throughout the program by Spiro and Smolder. "When they first come to us, we discuss the process of the program, education direction they are headed and offer career coaching. We watch their progress throughout the program and when they graduate, we go to the phase two portion of the program which is finding them employment," added Spiro. "I'm an employment specialist so I help our clients find jobs through our networking sources. The ultimate goal of this program is to get people working. And then, once they start working, we continue to monitor them for about a year to gather data for the Department of Labor."

WorkSource can also help military spouses with other free services. "One client needed some extra classes after earning her bachelor's degree because she was moving so they set her up and paid for her continuing education," said Woods. "They have also provided tuition grants for two E-6 military spouses. They have been extremely pro-active in helping our military spouses."

The final step of the qualification process is with the FFSC who will verify the service member's rate and transfer date. Once it is approved, an account is set up and they can begin taking classes.

One military spouse currently enrolled in the Military Spouse Career Advancement Initiative is Diana Vargas. "My husband was deploying so we were at the air terminal and I just happened to pick up a copy of the Jax Air News and read a story about the new program. I asked my husband if he thought I qualified for it and he said to go to the FFSC to find out. So I went there and spoke to Greg and found out I qualified for this program," she said. "We lived in Norfolk and transferred here. I was fortunate that I was able to finish my associate of arts degree just before my husband got orders. I had plans to go to another university there when we found out we were moving."

"It's difficult when you move and have to learn your way around, try to find a job and find a new school. So when you get this kind of help, and it's free, it's great. It's not easy trying to earn a degree with a family but sometimes you have to make some sacrifices to achieve your goals. When I saw this program and learned about it, I realized that they take all that into consideration," continued Vargas. "Greg and Conni looked at my transcripts and we brainstormed about what I should do. I had already started taking classes at the University of North Florida, but soon realized my best option was to attend Columbia College. I am now working on my bachelor's in business administration, majoring in finance. I'm currently taking classes online because my husband is deployed and we have a child so this was the best option for me."

According to Vargas, her ultimate goal is to finish her degree next year and find a job she really likes. "This is a great opportunity for military spouses and it's helping me fulfill my goals. I encourage military spouses to come in and speak with the counselors. Even if you don't qualify right now, you will find out what you have to do and other options. It's easy for me to get my classes done online and the instructors are very understanding and accommodating," she said.

"We can support all key areas of this program except construction through the schools on base. And, they understand how to package a high quality educational product for the working adult, deploying adult and for the spouse who is left behind to manage the family," noted Woods. "We also have three different support networks working with each military spouse so we can cater to their individual needs."

The program is specifically targeted to military spouses with a high school diploma or GED and/or some level of post secondary education. To be eligible for a career advancement account, spouses of military service members/sponsors must:

Be married to a service member/sponsor on active duty;

Be married to a service member/sponsor at the E-1 through E-5 levels or O-1 through O-3 levels;

Be married to a service member/sponsor who is assigned to a demonstration site or reside in the state at the time of eligibility determination when the service member/sponsor spouse is deployed or on an unaccompanied military tour from a demonstration site;

Be married to a service member/sponsor with a minimum of one year remaining at the demonstration installation duty assignment; with the exception of duty assignments that will require relocation as part of the Base Realignment and Closure Act of 2005;

Not be receiving trade adjustment assistance or Workforce Investment Act funded individual training accounts.

For more information on the new program, go to www.MILSpouse.org or call 542-2477 or 542-2766, Ext. 146.