Air Force suspends tuition assistance

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Krystie Martinez
  • Air Combat Command Public Affairs
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. --  Air Force officials suspended military tuition assistance due to sequestration, effective March 11 for the remainder of the fiscal year.
 
The announcement follows the Army and Marine Corps' decision to suspend their tuition assistance programs, which was recommended by the Department of Defense.

"As our nation faces difficult times and budgetary constraints, it leads to difficult decisions among our leadership," said Command Chief Master Sgt. Richard Parsons, Headquarters Air Combat Command.

Tuition assistance is a voluntary education program that supports Air Force recruiting, retention and readiness by providing active-duty personnel 100 percent tuition and fees for college courses, with a maximum of $4,500 per fiscal year and $250 a semester hour.

For fiscal year 2012, the Air Force spent $198 million with 34 percent of Airmen using tuition assistance, said Hiram Wood, Headquarters Air Combat Command Education Operations branch chief. Air Combat Command spent approximately $41 million as 22,410 Airmen used tuition assistance throughout fiscal year 2012.

Airmen currently enrolled in courses or who have tuition assistance approved for future courses are not affected; however, new requests will not be approved.

"It really means that Airmen will not be able to use their tuition assistance to cover a couple semesters for the rest of the year," Parsons said.

Parsons recommends Airmen seek out other opportunities to advance their education with College Level Examination Program tests and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support, more commonly known as CLEPs and DANTES. Airmen can also explore the option of using their Post 9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill; however, the chief recommends Airmen carefully research this option.

"Our education center is very informed, very service oriented, and they'll be more than willing to help these Airmen find the best way for them to obtain that education," Parsons said.

Although tuition assistance has been suspended for the remainder of this fiscal year, education is still a priority for the command and the Air Force.

"Education has always been critically important to the U.S. Air Force and certainly to our enlisted Airmen," Parsons said. "So our education, training and experience really make up the foundational blocks of our competence as Airmen."

The chief added that although educational benefits are important, readiness is critical.
"We need to remain focused on our mission and remain focused on the purpose of our service- and that is to fly, fight and win and defend our nation," Parsons said.