TA done for now, education options still available Published March 22, 2013 By Master Sgt. Christian Michael 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Sequestration's unpopular cuts have reached Southwest Asia, where deployed American service members now have one less option to pay for their higher education, but there is more to education than tuition assistance. Recent reductions in military expenditures have temporarily suspended the quality-of-life tuition assistance programs for the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and Marine Corps. While that option is gone for all but the Navy, which is still reviewing its TA program, the 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron Education Office encourages deployers to continue their education. "Don't give up!" said Master Sgt. Mysti Habetler, education specialist. "There are other ways to pay for your school. Most (schools) will even let you set up payment plans. It may slow down your degree plans but don't let it stop you!" The education office here hosts the University of Maryland University College and Central Texas College representatives on site, and numerous other colleges and universities are available through distance learning programs. In addition, the office hosts a bevy of other programs in support of up to 400 weekly customers, which is why the staff dubbed themselves the "busiest and largest education center in the Department of Defense." Last term, the office facilitated the enrollment of almost 250 students in 12 onsite college courses, and since October helped approximately 20 Airmen complete their Community College of the Air Force degrees. UMUC runs the National Testing Center here, and can provide up to 150 tests a week, also known as college-level examination program or DANTES subject standardized tests. There is no charge for military members who are initially taking a test; if they fail the test the first time and want to retake it, the cost is approximately from $80-$100. CLEP testing is one of the most inexpensive ways of pursuing a degree and other professional development, and helps the government save money for military quality of life programs. "When military members take CLEPs/DSSTs and pass, they save the DOD thousands of dollars a week in TA," said Master Sgt. Eldon Fletcher, education superintendent. "(Here), we save the DOD about $40,000 per week. Last week alone - since T.A. was suspended - military members took and passed enough CLEPs/DSSTs to save the DOD $72,750, the most savings in one week since October 2012." These savings come in addition to the TA saved via the suspension. Other services the center provides include degree counseling, professional military education exams, career development course exams, defense language aptitude battery, defense language proficiency tests, armed forces classification test, Air Force officer qualification test, American College Testing, and officer training school counseling, to name a few. These are just the exams the military, itself, facilitates, and does not include what is still available through normal channels for students. "Members should work with their school finance office," Habetler said. "Most of them have a point of contact onsite that can help with funding and is knowledgeable of Veterans Affairs programs - such as GI Bill, scholarships and where to apply for federal loans and grants. We aren't able to provide guidance on the GI Bill as it is a VA program and for the rest each school has its own processes and programs." The GI Bill remains unaffected by sequestration for veterans who are planning or have already gotten out, and there still remain programs both federal and state available for service members to pursue their degrees. In the end, center staff encourages members not to give up on continuing their education. "Even if you are just pursing your CCAF degree, continued education always provides benefits," Habetler said. "Be creative with finding ways to fund school. If the first thing you try doesn't work, don't give up." The Air Force is currently conducting an analysis to determine what changes, if any, need to be made to keep the fiscal 2014 military tuition assistance a viable, voluntary educational program. There are efforts in congress to force the reinstitution of tuition assistance, so members should remain informed on the situation through available news sources and their chain of command. For more information and updates to changes in the program, contact your base education office.