People are always saying the military pays for college, my son is in the Navy and has NO college paid for!?

Question

How does one go about getting a college education paid for by the military! He took an online college class he had to pay for by himself!

To the recruiter who says my son doesn't know what he is talking about, that is because he got a bunch of bull from two different recruiters who were competing to enlist him, they both lied to get him in! NEVER TRUST A RECRUITER!!!!

Answer 1

As John stated, when your son enlisted he was given the choice to contribute to the Montgomery GI Bill and get a large return in tuition assistance. However, if he is still relatively new in the Navy then he may not have completed his initial requirements to receive this benefit. The Navy also offers something called Tuition Assistance which will cover 100% of the tuition cost for courses taken while on active duty. There are specific requirements to be met prior to the class and the course must be offered by a qualifying institution.

Here is a link with information on TA
https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/ta1.html

Here is a link with information on the MGIB
http://www.gibill.va.gov/pamphlets/CH30/CH30_Pamphlet_General.htm

If your son has been in the service for quite awhile (about 20 years) then he may fall under a different educational program called VEAP. VEAP was a VERY bad plan and was discontinued by the military in 1985. All members covered by the VEAP plan were given the opportunity to convert to the MGIB however it usually involved a large upfront cost and few took the opportunity; leaving them with no educational benefit upon separation.

Answer 2

If your son is in the Navy then he should have gone to see his Educational Service Officer (ESO) in order to get Tuition Assistance (TA) before taking the class. Tuition Assistance will pay for most of the class if not all of it depending on the cost of the class, the level of the class, and the college or university. The Military will not pay for books although there are grants available and TA won't cover most of the fees either. Your son's ESO should be able to send him in the right direction. I am currently working on a Masters degree and only a portion of my classes are covered under Tuition Assistance because of the cost of the program that I am in and because I have "computer" fees stemming from taking an on line course (this would be from the University). I pay for all of my own books and am constantly seeking out grants. Also, there are some classes that may or may not be paid for such as some vocational courses. Ask your son if he has spoken to his Educational Service Officer and what information he has received from said individual. If your son is truly looking for a college that will use his Tuition Assistance money and will give him a book grant as well then tell him to look into American Military University on line. I know of plenty of people who are paying next to nothing out of pocket and are getting a great education. The below web sites should help your son arm himself with some more information before he talks to his ESO. Also tell him good luck and that it's great that he's working on his education.

Answer 3

In addition to checking with the Navy College counselors, looking into Tuition Assistance and PACE courses he needs to be aware that the Navy only pays for "qualifying" courses. Usually that means courses that would move him along a track that would lead to a diploma. So most remedial studies courses don't count. Or busy work/adult interest courses like Underwater Basket Weaving 101 or History of Superman. But DH had had a couple of American History classes and a couple of writing courses covered.

Answer 4

Believe it or not, this can happen. It happened to me. I enlisted in the U.S. navy in May of 1981. At that time, the only educational benefits being offered were The Vietnam era GI Bill (which I didn't qualify for) and a program called VEAP (Veterans Educational Assistance Program) where I had to contribute a certain dollar amount every month and the government would match it. However, being a young dumb kid at the time, I opted not to participate. Then, I believe it was in 1984, the government offered the Montgomery Era GI bill, and to participate all I had to do was make a lump sum contribution to it (all others enrolled in VEAP were rolled over into the Montgomery GI Bill), but again, I was stupid and decided not to participate. Then, when I decided late in my career to pursue a degree (knowing the end of my Navy career was at hand and that a degree meant everything in the civilian sector), I got a very rude awakening as far as educational benefits were concerned. The only remaining educational benefit left open to me was Active Duty Tuition Assistance (government pays for your tuition, you pay for books). For nearly 6 years of the twilight of my career in the Navy, this is how I pursued and eventually earned my Bachelor's degree.

Have your son check with his educational advisers to see if he can qualify for Tuition Assistance. It's better than nothing.

Answer 5

Use Tuition Assistance and the PACE program while still enlisted. Every base should have a Navy College office that can explain these.

Save the GI Bill for when he gets out.

He has to do a little legwork to get the Navy to pay. They are not going to hunt him down and say, "Here's your college money, please take it." But they will pay and it's not that hard. It's how I got my Bachelor's degree.

Answer 6

First of all your son doesn't know how to get his education paid for or is choosing to just skip the system. The Navy will pay for up to 12 units of school a year which is plenty when you have a full time job to do as well. It is called TA or tutition Assistance. He needs to go talk to the ESO, Education Services Officer on his ship located inside the Personnel Department. IF he is on shore duty he needs to go to the Navy College Office on base. HE is the one that is lacking the information needed to get free education. AND he has been educated on the subject and what to do to get a free education since boot camp. He is just yanking your chain to get some attention. Every command he checks into includes a brief from the education specialist telling him how to use all his educational benefits. Just because he is choosing to ignore what he is being told is his issue not the entire Navy. If he never applied for the class he took for approval or he took a class that could not be approved that is why he got to pay himself. His lose for not planning ahead. I don't feel sorry for kids like yours that don't listen or take notes when people take the time to try to help and educate them. He needs to grow up and take reponsibility for himself. If he forgot what has been told to him about taking classes in the Navy he has tons of people more senior to him in his chain of command that would love to re-educate him on the process. Don't buy into your grown son calling home crying about how the Navy won't pay for his education. It is people like you guys that make us all look stupid. I told you what he needs to do, maybe he will listen to you and actually act on something so he doesn't have to pay out of pocket nest time.

Answer 7

Your son can go to college while he is in the service. Only if it is does not interfere w/ the needs of the Navy. If he didn't go through if chain of command before taking classes then he is on his own.

Answer 8

Has he bothered to see his Educational NCO?

I know many Soldiers who attend college courses paid for completely by the Military.

Answer 9

When I enlisted umpteen years ago, you either got a sign up bonus or college tuition money. So if he got a sign up bonus maybe he`s ineligible for the tuition. Have him ask questions going up his chain of command until he finds an answer.

Answer 10

I will assume he signed up for the class himself instead of going through the education center representative.
He will have to go through them and have approval from the Commander for the military to pay.