1 Education Services Office CPT Zaire McRae Education Services Officer J1 Joint Force Headquarters - NC EDUCATION SERVICES OFFICE (ESO) EDUCATION GUIDANCE COUNSELOR NCOIC 1SG Merritt Latham

ESO PERSONNEL CW4 Millsaps (46501): Education Services Officer 1SG Latham (46488): NCOIC/Guidance Counselor CPT Lewis (DEPLOYED)(46935): Education Services Specialist Stacy Steinmetz (46649): NC Tuition Assistance Manager SGT Stahlhut (46272): Guidance Counselor SSG Parker (46677): Education Technician/GI Bill Manager ESO Contact Information: ,

Monetary Benefits – Montgomery Chapter 1606 GI Bill (plus Kicker) – Federal Tuition Assistance – NCNG Tuition Assistance Program (NCTAP) Examination Programs – Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support Examination Program (DANTES) – Army Personnel Testing Program Evaluation of Military Experience – Joint Service Transcript Civilian Education Transcripts ESO SERVICES

Legacy FTA Clean-up Update

Legacy FTA (LFTA) Update Legacy Federal Tuition Assistance: All FTA approved contracts prior to 1 October 2011 Legacy FTA Clean-up for NC took just over three and a half years Invoice process, disbursement and grade acquisition Over 1500 approved Requests resolved Over 3,400 grades collected Over $850,000 awarded, sometimes four years after the approved term date *Thanks to all schools. The ESO could not have accomplished this goal without your help and cooperation.

ME BEFORE LFTA

ME AFTER LFTA

Types of Service Members/Veterans in relation to the NC ESO Active Components: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard – Federal Standing Forces Reserve Components: Army Reserves, Air Force Reserves, Navy Reserves, Marine Reserves, and Coast Guard Reserves – Federal Strategic Reserves *Army National Guard and Air Guard – State Strategic Reserve * As required by Army and National Guard Regulations, this is the group of Service Members that the NC ESO is required to service/manage educational needs, benefits and entitlements. The NC ESO stands ready to assist and provide guidance to any service member or veteran. However, due to limitations in access to branch specific systems and databases, the NC ESO will only be able to provide advice and/or general counseling.

What Benefits Are Out There For NC Army Nat’l Guard and NC Air Nat’l Guard/Veterans? Tuition Assistance : Federal Tuition Assistance: North Carolina Tuition Assistance Program: Scholarships and Grants: ROTC Scholarships GI Bills: Montgomery Ch 1606 GI Bill: Montgomery Ch 30 Active Duty GI Bill: Reap Chapter 1607 GI Bill: Chapter 33 Post 9-11 GI Bill: *Is it possible for a Service Member/Veteran to be eligible for all of the above?

Federal Tuition Assistance Update DoD MOU: All Institutions of Higher Learning wishing to enroll Service Members using FTA, must have a current signed DoD MOU. LOI Schools: LOI Schools have Fully Developed Degree Plans within the Go Army Ed (GAE) software LOI Schools can approve FTA Requests LOI Schools can approve Degree Plans and Course Planners Non LOI Schools: Non LOI Schools do not have Fully Developed Degree Plans within the GAE software Required documents in eFile for each term: Class Schedule, Invoice, Current Approved Degree Plan/Course Planner

Federal Tuition Assistance Update Continued Basic Characteristics : -Can be used to fund towards tuition only, for first Associates, first Bachelors, first Masters and ONE certification at a DOD MOU Institution of Higher Learning -Can fund up to $250 per semester hour, with an annual cap of 16 semester hours per Federal Fiscal Year Basic Eligibility Requirements : -In pursuit of an Associates or Bachelors Degree: Must have one year time in service from the day after the graduation date of the Service Member’s Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) training; Advanced Individual Training for Enlisted and Basic Officer Leadership Course -In the pursuit of a Masters Degree: Must have ten years time in service from the day after the graduation date of the Service Member’s Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) training; Advanced Individual Training for Enlisted and Basic Officer Leadership Course for Commissioned or Warrant Officers -Exception: If a Service Member previously earned a Bachelors Degree prior to entering the Service, he/she will be eligible to use FTA funds towards a Masters Degree after they have one year time in service from the day after the graduation date of the Service Member’s Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) training -The request for FTA must be approved prior to the start Date of the course and the Soldier will not be approved if they separate from the Army prior to the End Date of the course -The Service Member MUST be in GOOD STANDING with their Unit, i.e. not Suspended for Favorable Personnel Actions

Federal Tuition Assistance Update Continued Other Interesting Facts : Service Member must have an approved DEGREE PLAN and COURSE PLANNER after completing 9 semester hours of FTA funded courses Upon completion of 15 semester hours of FTA funded courses, Go Army Ed (GAE) will begin calculating the FTA GPA. This is the GPA of all FTA funded courses. Service member must maintain a 2.0 or higher FTA GPA, or will be placed on hold in GAE A grade of C or better is required for FTA funded courses for soldiers pursuing an Undergraduate degree. A grade of B or better is required for FTA funded courses for soldiers pursuing Graduate Degree. Failure to meet this standard will result in a hold in GAE and recoupment of all awarded funds Recoupments : Recoupment of FTA funds will occur anytime a Service Member receives a grade of : Graduate: C, D, F, W, or Incomplete Undergraduate: D, F, W or Incomplete Settling FTA Recoupments: Recoupment resolution can be acquired as soon as the GAE system places a Soldier on hold for recoupment Soldier simply logs onto GAE, goes to Recoupment Information Page and selects a repayment plan If Soldier does nothing, Soldier will remain on hold for 45 days. After 45 days, GAE will select the lowest repayment plan for the Soldier and the hold on the GAE account will be lifted

Federal Tuition Assistance Restrictions Duplication of Federal Benefits: FTA and GI Bill Ch 1606 or 1607 MAY BE USED during the same semester/term, but CANNOT be used/certified for the same courses Service Members currently on Active Duty (for Select Reserved currently on Mobilized Status) may receive monthly Montgomery Ch 30 Benefits up to the cost of the course only. This provision is referred to as ‘TOP UP’. Under TOP UP, benefits under Ch 30 can be used to assist in payment of tuition when the cost exceeds their respective military component cap under their component’s respective FTA program. Once they are no longer serving on active duty, service member’s can receive their chapter 30 up to the full monthly amount while using FTA FTA may not be used if the requesting Soldier is currently receiving an ROTC Scholarship

NC TUITION ASSISTANCE The NCTAP is a grant program enacted into law by the North Carolina General Assembly in It is an educational grant offered to current members of the NC Army and Air National Guard. It is not offered to any other component. The NCTAP is a reimbursement program, not designed to meet any payment deadline set by schools NCTAP awards are granted per semester, not by year NC Army and Air National Guard members must meet certain eligibility requirements in order to be awarded, namely current standing with Unit and ETS compliance Subject to the availability of funds The NCTAP can be used in conjunction with all GI Bill benefits, not to exceed the overall cost of tuition and fees The NCTAP can be used in conjunction with other assistance they receive Students apply for NCTAP at Students must also submit coursework information PRIOR to the start of EACH term semester to be considered to receive the benefit

What can be used with what??

FTANCTAP YES, FTA PAYS FIRST AND NCTAP PAYS UP TO THE NCTAP ESTABLISHED CAP OR REMAINING TUITION AND FEES MGIB CH 1606 YES FOR THE SAME SEMESTER, BUT NOT TO BE CERTIFIED FOR THE SAME COURSES YES. QUITE SIMPLY, YES. WILL PAY UP TO THE COST OF TUITION AND FEES OR THE NCTAP ESTABLISHED CAP REAP CH 1607 YES FOR THE SAME SEMESTER, BUT NOT TO BE CERTIFIED FOR THE SAME COURSES YES. SI. DA. OUI. NAM. ES-YAY ABSOLUTELY. WILL PAY UP TO THE COST OF TUITION AND FEES OR THE NCTAP ESTABLISHED CAP MGIB CH 30 AD FOR ACTIVE DUTY, ONLY WITH THE TOP UP OPTION. FOR REGULAR DRILLING SOLDIERS YES YES. WILL PAY UP TO THE COST OF TUITION AND FEES OR THE NCTAP ESTABLISHED CAP CH 33 POST 9/11 YES. FTA WILL PAY TOWARDS TUITION (FIRST) AND THEN CH 33 WILL PAY TOWARDS THE REMAINING TUITION AND FEES TIMES THE PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBILITY YES. WILL PAY UP TO THE COST OF TUITION AND FEES OR THE NCTAP ESTABLISHED CAP ROTC SCHOLARSHIP ABSOLUTELY NOTYES. WILL PAY UP TO THE COST OF TUITION AND FEES OR THE NCTAP ESTABLISHED CAP

Not a feeling like it in the …

Helpful Resources North Carolina National Guard Education Services Office: , FY 15 ARNG Education Benefits Handbook Go Army Ed Education Policy Documents Peterman’s Scholarships, Grants and Prizes Future NC ESO Operations: The NC ESO is hoping to host future Webinars with schools based on school interest

Questions ?