Cuts Made to MyCAA (Spouse) Education Program

[unhappycamper]

Cuts Made to MyCAA Education Program
July 21, 2010
Virginian-Pilot

The Defense Department announced Tuesday that it is placing limits on a popular career education program for military spouses in order to contain costs.

The program, called Military Spouse Career Advancement Account or MyCAA, will now be limited to spouses of lower-ranking servicemembers, in the paygrades E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2.

The maximum amount of aid will drop from $6,000 to $4,000, with an annual cap of $2,000. And the program can no longer be used for bachelor's or graduate degrees -- only for associate's degrees and professional licensing or certification.

The changes, which take effect Oct. 25, will mean that many fewer spouses are eligible -- 136,000, down from 743,000, according to Maj. April Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense.

Earlier this year, the Defense Department abruptly halted the program because it was costing much more than anticipated. After an outcry from military spouses, benefits were restored to those already enrolled.

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R