Hazelwood Act - amazing Education Benefit!

I have been working with some great students who are ready to use the Hazlewood Act in Texas to reach their education and career goals.  Once again, I am impressed at how easy it is to use for either University of Texas - Arlington or Lamar University. 

Hazlewood Act Forms

A Texas veteran may qualify for an exemption from payment of tuition and most fees under the Hazlewood Act if he or she:

1. Is a Texas resident;
2. was a resident of Texas at the time he/she entered the US Armed Forces;
3. have served at least 181 days of active military duty as indicated in “net active service” (the sum of 12(c) and 12(d) on the DD214);
4. has received an honorable discharge or separation or a general discharge under honorable conditions;
5. has Federal education benefits for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazlewood benefits (Pell and SEOG grants are not relevant as of Fall 2005);
6.  is not in default on a Federal education loan or student loan made or guaranteed by the State of Texas; and
7. enrolls in classes for which the college receives tax support unless the governing board of the college rules to allow the exemption.

You will be required to present a letter from the VA regional office at Muskogee, Oklahoma (1-888-442-4551) stating that you are not currently eligible for VA GI Bill benefits and complete an application before you can utilize these benefits.

If you meet the criteria listed above you should contact the Veterans Affairs Office and let them know you may be eligible.

This exemption cannot be used at a private or propriety institution. There are no funds in the Hazlewood Act. It is an exemption from payment of tuition and all fees except for the property deposit fees and the student service fees. The Hazlewood Act exemption can only be used at a Texas public institution.

I spoke with a great RN who is ready to take her nursing career to the next level by earning her BSN from UT Arlington.  She has exhausted her VA GI Bill benefits so she is eligible to have her tuition eliminated by the Hazelwood Act. 

It is a great deal!  So if you qualify, make sure you take advantage of this great program.

For-Profits to get more Military Scrutiny!

As we travel around to military bases, here is my biggest issue with online schools:  technology should lower the cost, not increase it!  Here is a quote from a recent Businessweek article on military education benefits:

"On-line education programs cost about 28 percent more than comparable courses taught on ground campuses in fiscal year 2009, said Daniel Sitterly, director of force development for the U.S. Air Force. Many online programs charge the maximum per credit hour, $250, that institutions are allowed, he said."

That is just wrong.  Lamar University has a Bachelor of Arts and Applied Sciences that works for military members that costs just $150 per credit hour with NO Application fee.  Let's do the math shall we?  If the maximum you can get per fiscal year is $4,500 then you can take either take 6 classes at most online schools or 10 classes at Lamar University. 

While I was at the Great Lakes Education fair, the ESO there told me he was happy to see online schools that didn't charge the maximum because they could. 

So scrutinize away - it is time for military education to leverage technology to increase efficiency, not costs.

Can't get MyCAA - try Pell Grant!

As the New England College of Business and Finance team developed an Associate's degree to help after changes to the MyCAA program, our goal was to help military families.  One of the more contentious elements in the new MyCAA program is that only certain spouses can use it.  If your military spouse is an E1-E5, W1-W2 or O1-O2 you are in!! 

If not - you are left out. 

So the outstanding team at NECB decided that our program would be available to ALL military spouses regardless of the rank of your service member.  So anyone with a dependent military ID is eligible for the special $4,000 associate degree in business.  This is a GREAT DEAL - so please help us spread the word as we are building a true online community of military spouses working on their business degrees.

I just got a great email from a spouse in Michigan.  Her husband is an E-6 so she doesn't qualify for the MyCAA program.  But she was able to qualify for a Pell Grant for $5,200 per year - more than enough to cover the cost of the NECB business degree!  

If there is a will - there is a way!  So don't be discouraged if you don't qualify for the MyCAA, we can help you find other ways to earn your degree. 

Thank you for your service

We spend a lot of time on military bases speaking with our troops about their education options.  If I get the chance, I do try to thank them for their service.  But when someone is killed in the line of duty, it seems so inadequate.

My daughter plays and loves lacrosse.  Her passion started when we went to the Naval Academy to watch their lacrosse team.  These athletes are truly inspiring especially when compared to the spoiled professional and college athletes today.

One star that we loved to watch play was Brendan Looney.  He always left it ALL on the field, fighting hard for every point and for his team.  He was nothing short of amazing. 

After graduating from the Naval Academy, he became a Navy SEAL.  Not surprising at all when you watched him play lacrosse. 

He was killed last week in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.   He was truly an amazing American. 

LT Looney, our thanks to you for your service, our prayers for your family and we will always remember your sacrifice for this country.

ATTENTION VETERANS: MBA Hiring Conference

ATTENTION VETERANS  - MBA hiring conference ( if you don't have an MBA, please check out Florida International and New England College of Business )

Subject: MBA Veterans Conference--Google, Goldman, Nike and more...

We hope that your students will join us at the MBA Veterans Career Conference, the premier MBA hiring event of the Fall 2010 recruiting cycle. Only 39--2nd Year MBA spots and 45--1st Year MBA spots remain available. Tell your students to register today or they'll miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with the market's most prestigious MBA employers (who specifically want to hire them); listen to Bob McDonald, the President and CEO of Procter & Gamble; and network with other MBA Veteran students and alumni from across the world.

2010 Sponsors: (As of 9/22/10)

Google

Goldman Sachs

Accenture

Apple

IBM

Kraft

Nike

Citi

UBS

AAR

PepsiCo

Fidelity

Credit Suisse

General Electric

American Airlines

Procter & Gamble

Booz Allen Hamilton





Please forward this email to your colleagues, students, friends, and corporate partners. Our goal is to help 100% of your veteran students obtain the careers of their dreams. As former US Army officers and alumni of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's MBA program we personally understand the challenges that veterans face as they transition to the private sector. With a 10:1 student/firm ratio your students have an unmatched opportunity to market themselves to the world's top employers. Don't let them pass up on this incredible opportunity. We look forward to meeting your students in October. For complete conference details, visit our website at http://mbaveterans.com Please note that registration for MBA program staff is only available to those who successfully participate in our Special Incentives program. Click here for complete details.mbaveterans.com/special-incentives>



STUDENTS: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER<http://mbaveterans.com/>

Little Rock AFB - Ed Fair tomorrow!

If you are stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, please stop on by the base Education Fair tomorrow at the Exchange.  We will be there with all our schools to talk to those looking to achieve their education goals.  The fair is on September 23, 2010 from 1000 to 1400 (or 10:00 to 2:00 for those civilian types).

Looking forward to it!!

MyCAA - one month for current spouses

Yesterday, I entered all our courses  for our military spouses who are on current MyCAA approved programs attending American College of Education and New England College of Business so that our students can get their Financial Assistance approved for classes starting on or before January 1, 2011. 

Remember:  you have only ONE MONTH to get your FA approved for this time period.

Because these schools care about military spouses - both of them are allowing our MyCAA students to double up their classes to maximize their reimbursement.  This is huge!!

And don't forget that NECB has a special MyCAA Business Degree - an Associate degree in business administration for a total tuition cost of only $4,000 so that MyCAA can pay the full tuition!!

We will keep you posted - but please make sure you know all the key dates for the MyCAA transition.

GI Bill Benefits

If you are looking for a way to calculate your GI Bill benefits, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America GI Bill website has a very cool calculator set up. You can easily see what you would receive for your education through the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

There are always great resources out there - and if you don't feel like looking, then just drop us a line at military@auspartnerships.com

MyCAA Thank You

The New England College of Business and Finance received the thank you note below for creating an Associate's Degree just for the new MyCAA program. The total tuition cost for the degree is $4,000 which means you CAN earn a degree using those education dollars. Tracie Jefferson has already enrolled and was just so thankful that there are people who really do support military families. This note made our day!

Best Military Education Fair!

OK - Hill AFB ROCKS! Best military base education fair ever yesterday! It was held outside in spectacular weather and the ESO's team cooked burgers for all. Free food always packs them in.

It was amazing to me how many contractors were looking for business degrees - so I actually ran out of New England College of Business and Florida International University brochures.

Thanks to all of our Air Force Service members who came by the booth as well as our military contractors. After meeting you, it is easy to see why our military is so strong.

Hill AFB Education Fair

If you are in Utah, head on over to Hill AFB for the education fair from 10 to 2. A great opportunity to learn about the best way to maximize your TA or GI Bill benefits. See you there!

MyCAA - get started

When I was accepted to the United States Naval Academy in 1979, I got a signed congratulations letter from the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Hayward. So it seems fitting that when he found out about our work to help military wives earn a degree with their MyCAA education dollars - he wanted to help.

So take a look at the press release for the New England College of Business MyCAA Associate Degree in Business!

More MyCAA Changes

From the Military Onesource site:

"Current News:
In response to input from spouses and schools, effective Monday, September 13, 2010, spouses with an active MyCAA account may request financial assistance for classes that have a start date up to January 31, 2011 instead of January 15, 2011. As a reminder, all requests for financial assistance must be submitted by October 21, 2010."

This is so that more spouses can finish their spring classes! So all you MyCAA users - make sure you get things signed up soon!

DON'T FORGET! NECB has an ASBA for $4,000 so MyCAA can pay for it all!!

Military Wives!

A special thanks goes out to Wives in Bloom for letting people know about the changes to MyCAA and the New England College of Business (NECB) program for military spouses. It is always hard to get the word out, even for an Associate's degree in Business that will have 100% of the tuition paid by MyCAA.

So thanks to the Wives in Bloom team for helping all military wives!

MyCAA comes back!

Wow - what an incredible response to the amazing program offered by the New England College of Business and Finance for spouses who are ready to use their MyCAA education dollars to earn a degree. The spouses I spoke with yesterday were literally so happy they were crying.

The main thing they said when they found out they could use their MyCAA education dollars to earn and Associate of Science in Business and not have to pay any out-of-pocket was that it felt nice to know people cared. The spouse of an E2 currently serving in Iraq with 3 kids just needed to know that people really do support her and what she is going through right now. She needed to stop feeling down and do something to break out of the funk of a long deployment. Earning her degree is her goal and knowing that there is a school where MyCAA can pay for the tuition was just amazing!

Please help spread the word so that more spouses can improve their lives today!

MyCAA Changes!

We have sent the word out to military spouse clubs across the country today announcing New England College of Business and Finance's new program to help military spouses earn an Associate's degree in business administration. WE NEED EVERYONE TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

On October 25th, the MyCAA program will be back! Under the new program guidelines, military spouses will receive a lifetime benefit of $4,000 for tuition. While the new guidelines may appear to damper the opportunity of college degree seeking spouses, the New England College of Business and Finance is taking bold action and once again demonstrating their commitment to our military community.

For a limited time NECB will offer an Associate’s Degree in Business for a total tuition cost of only $4,000 –a savings of $11,500 off standard tuition. MyCAA will cover the tuition costs so military spouses can earn a degree from a regionally accredited college.

For over 100 years, NECB has served the needs of the business, financial, and banking market. With high retention rates and a commitment to quality and affordability, NECB is the growing choice for students across the globe.

Emily Knight, who directs NECB’s outreach and drove this program for military spouses told me; “As a child, I would watch my mother try to complete her degree as we moved every two years in the military. Online learning was virtually impossible and there were no programs to help military families pay for their education. I firmly believe that military spouses need our help and it’s our obligation to fully support them reach their education goal.”

Benefits of NECB’s Associate Degree in Business under MyCAA:

• ZERO out-of-pocket tuition costs with MyCAA
• 100% ONLINE degree – learn anytime, anywhere
• Highly portable BUSINESS DEGREE
• Become a part of a nationwide MILITARY SPOUSE COMMUNITY
• Students must enroll by January 3rd, 2011

With the significant discount comes the challenge of alerting the military spouse community to this exciting opportunity. Would you please help us get the word out to all military spouses that need to get started on their education.

They can start here: http://www.necb.edu/mycaa or call 800.997.1673. An Associate’s degree with the tuition fully paid by MyCAA is a great way to take the next step towards an exciting career in business. Even if they don’t qualify for MyCAA, ALL military spouses can still take advantage of this incredible program to receive the $4,000 tuition rate.

At NECB, we are committed to your success and we have been recognized as Military Friendly and are a Yellow Ribbon school.

Please stay safe and thank you for your service to our country. We know that being a military spouse is the toughest job in the military.

Dave Saba, Vice President Military Programs

American University System

Reallocate your Post 9-11 GI Bill

We have already covered how to Transfer of Education Benefits for Post 9/11 GI Bill in an earlier post noting that you must be on active duty in order to transfer. But can you re-allocate your benefits after you leave the military?

The answer is yes according to the Post 9/11 GI Bill Memorandum dates 22 JUN 09 from Sec Def on paragraph 3.g.(2)(b) page 17:

An individual transferring entitlement under this section may modify or revoke at any time the transfer of any unused portion of the entitlement so transferred

1. An individual may add new dependents, modify the number of months of the transferred entitlement for existing dependents or revoke the entitlement while serving the Armed Forces
2. An individual may not add dependents after retirement or separation from the Armed Forces, but may modify the number of months of the transferred benefit or revoke the transferred benefits after retirement or separation for those dependents who had received transferred benefits prior to separation or retirement.

The modification or revocation of the transfer of entitlement under this paragraph shall be made by submitting notice of the action to both the Secretary of the Military Department concerned and the Secretary of the Veterans Affairs. Addition, modifications, or revocations made while in the Armed Forces will be made through the TEB website. Modifications or revocations after separation from the Armed Forces will be accomplished through the DVA.”

Hope that helps for all those veterans who have had circumstances change!

32% of Homeschoolers are military

Great article over at Veteran's journal that states that 32% of homeschoolers are children of our Service members. Not surprising with all the moves our military families have to make. There are now over 2,000,000 home school students with 640,000 military children in there - so make sure you look for ways to help them succeed.

One way that American University System helps is providing Dual Credit programs that allow all high school students to earn college credit before they get to college.

NEW GI Bill Housing rates start now

The VA has announced new housing rates for veterans using the GI Bill. You can view a very informative FAQ at the VA GI Bill website. For those who are taking online classes, you can still qualify for the housing rates by taking at least one 'brick and mortar' class at your local community college or university. To learn more make sure you read about concurrent enrollment.

Stay informed with edumilitary and also don't forget to become a fan on Facebook!

MyCAA - get ready

Why should you be ready to pounce on the MyCAA program when it opens back up on October 25th? Because the money isn't budgeted for life. A direct quote from the Military OneSource FAQ on the changes to MyCAA:

• "Will the program be cut in the future? Not in FY 2011. However, in coming years, with a reduced defense budget a reality, every program will be closely scrutinized for its contribution to military family readiness."

So - use it or lose it. If you don't get in, it may be gone. Where should you spend your MyCAA dollars? On an education program at a regionally accredited school that will not load you up with debt. If your Associate in Business costs more than your MyCAA dollars - you will be paying college loans. New England College of Business and Finance is going to make sure you don't have to pay off your associates degree for the next 10 years.

More to come soon - but you should be ready to grab your MyCAA Benefits on October 25, 2010 - or risk being left out in the cold.

The Military

What does it mean to be a part of the military. Today my flight got cancelled in Tampa. To say I was pissed would be the understatement of then century. So I made my way to the Tampa Airport Marriott and found my way to the bar. I could have gone to my room but I needed to be outside. So I bought a cigar, a shot of Laphroiag and went to enjoy the evening. Within 2 minutes, an gentlemen of about 72 asked to join me with his cigar since I was the only one out there. About 2 minutes later, another guy joined me and we all started having a great discussion.

About 5 minutes into the discussion we realized we were all associated with the military. THAT is why the military camaraderie is so great. No matter where you are, or how long it has been, you miraculously find the other military guys to hang out with.

American Airlines absolutely sucks- they stranded me in Tampa tonight. But because of Marriott, and my military friends, it ended up being a fantastic night.

For those in the military, you have an incredible network that can always make life a LOT better.

MacDill AFB Education Fair

If you are stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, come to the Education Fair today at the O' Club. We would love to help you find the best online education degree - all regionally accredited - to help you move our career forward.

Since we are in Florida, looking for some serious excitement about Florida International University's Corporate MBA program with the $20,000 military scholarship!