Army suspends Tuition Assistance
Following in the footsteps of the Navy, the Army has decided to suspend their Tuition Assistance Program – you know out of all of the things the Army could do to save money, enlisted soldiers’ career progression is what they decide to cut. From the Washington Times;
The move will suspend financial assistance for soldiers who take classes in their off-duty time after work and on the weekends.
“This suspension is necessary given the significant budget execution challenges caused by the combined effects of a possible year-long continuing resolution and sequestration,” said an official Army statement Friday.
Yeah, it’s “necessary” to suspend career enhancement, because there too many idiot sergeant majors sucking up the oxygen at the top tiers. What sergeant major decided to keep quiet when asked he was asked his opinion about this? Where is SMA Ray Chandler, waving his arms and telling the ACoS to get his head out of his ass? Morrell and Gates wouldn’t have stood for this bullshit.
Category: Big Army
well, now we know why so many top-tiers have been retiring of late.
I’m probably in the minority, but I don’t know how taking questionable courses through questionable online or satellite universities strengthen the Arny or improves its Soldiers.
Just as soon as I can I will be joining the retiree roles. This army has broken faith and taken a huge turn for the worse. So sad.
You dont have to take questionable courses through questionable institutions. There are reputable education sources available through the tuition assistance program. You know that too. Feeling argumentative this morning?
A Pentagon office that I still work with had a program cancelled a few weeks ago by the sponsor thus freeing up a few million. The office offered that money to support the troops. Ha Ha…I’m sorry, I made that last part up. The office hurriedly dumped that money on another questionable obscure project so as to not lose it.
@2, Pffft, I would hardly call AMU a questionable online education institution. You have obviously either been burned by an online school ala SGM King style degree mills, or you haven’t taken any online college courses at all, you’re full of shit, and just want to talk out of your ass.
TTC:
There are scammers at every base but I took courses from the University of Hawaii when I was at Schofield Barracks and my brother took courses from the University of Texas at Ft. Hood.
More political grandstanding at the expense of the military. Make it appear that the sky is falling because government spending isn’t increasing as much as they’d like. I wonder what apocalyptic scenario would occur if government spending was truly reduced for this disgusting administration.
#2,
For what it’s worth, the Army approves schools prior to just handing them TA money. Letter-of-instruction schools are basically enroll and go, while non-LOI schools require that the student make a request (IIRC, it’s been awhile). Schools have to meet accreditation standards and other criteria, and students have to maintain a minimum GPA in order to continue using TA.
Having more highly educated Soldiers can benefit the Army, especially in some of the more technical fields. My BS in Criminal Justice (once I earn it) will not necessarily make me a better Infantryman. But I’ve known plenty of Soldiers in CMF 25, for example, who have taken various IT courses and become truly proficient at skills that make them better at their jobs. Some even make a little extra money on the side repairing their buddies computers.
My courses have all been online so far, and though others may question the value of online learning as opposed to traditional learning, I can vouch for the fact that it is anything but a sham way out of earning a degree. Before I took my hiatus, I was spending on average 4-10 hours during the week, and another 12-24 hours on weekends for two classes. This included discussion board, projects, homework, and papers. It was more flexible and convenient than taking on-campus classes, but it also ate into my free time much more than traditional classes would have.
SMA Chandler is out looking for troops without a reflective belt on or hands in their pocket. He is without a doubt, a major POS. This is supposed to be the enlisted soldiers advocate? Could you imagine the outcry if officers had their advanced degree programs cut off?
Navy hasn’t suspended yet, except for USMC. Still waiting to see what they and Air Force do.
And ditto all the other comments to #2. Used TA for in person and online courses that were a challenge, and were also sufficient to go post grad at AZ State. Many classes were leadership or otherwise related to my Army responsibilities. The suspension hurts recruiting, retention, and readiness.
Hell, DA’s new thinking is everyone knows that enlisted don’t need those degrees in the New Army – all they need is to be able to read a training schedule and look crap up in AR 670-1 and FM 3-21.5 (the D&C manual) :).
The SMA has an answer that sounds like bullshit on his facebook page…
From Chandler’s FB page;
All of us need to understand that this is a result of the continuing resolution the CSA and SecArmy have been talking about for weeks. The Continuing Resolution (CR) is a law that locks our budget and prevents us from shifting money between different accounts among other things. The CR is a percentage of our 2012 budget applied to 2013. We have used up that money as of today.
Yeah, they can’t shift money from accounts…unless it’s to raid the surplus from our Tricare premiums.
Can anyone imagine some other group of federal employees having benefits cut without warning and without hope of appeal?
Makes me think maybe the only way to keep our benefits intact is to start a union.
Actually, Dave Thul – I can. It’s called DoD civilian employees.
Most of them are looking at a significant involuntary change in employment (e.g., going from 40 hrs/week to 32 hrs/week) beginning some time in April through the end of September. And there ain’t a damn thing they (or the Federal employee unions) can do about it except complain. If Congress and the Administration don’t work something out, it WILL happen.
I also wouldn’t put too much faith in Federal employee unions. Ask some of the former Air Traffic Controllers who went on strike back in 1981 how that worked out for them.
When I deployed, the Army shifted me from Supply into Infantry. I was given a two-week class that was like some Call Of Duty familiarization course and then was called an 11B for Deployment (though my official MOS was still 92Y. I wasn’t the only one. Cooks, mechanics, admins, and non-Infantry in my Infantry BN was given the same class.
When we deployed, our cooks, mechanics, admins, and supply were all civilian contractors. I talked to the guy in the supply room and fount something quite interesting. He was being paid the equivalent of a Lieutenant Colonel.
Guess what, I just thought of a way to cut costs in the Army. Fire the frakking contractors and let the soldiers do the jobs they were trained to do.
I used TA when I was in the WTB at Ft. Lewis. I took a class at the neighboring Air Force base. It was through the local community college. Not some diploma mill, #2 is trying to imply.
@17 actually even with the large salary that they are paid the Army actually saves money by using contractors. The Army isn’t responsible or pay for a lot of things with contractors like they do Soldiers…therefore reducing overhead. Whether it’s the smart thing to do is another argument entirely.
Not sure about the ends and outs of the law regarding cutting TA. I do know there is mucho waste going on and many places where they could have saved money long ago if THEY were actually serious about it. For instance, why does the Army field a flight uniform that is different from the other services, costs twice as much, lasts half as long and is not as effective in protecting the wearer against the effects of fire? Because SOMEONE wants aviators to LOOK like everyone else. I saw some raw numbers and by going back to the legacy flight uniform million per year could be saved.
I know in this budget millions are a drop in the bucket, but I would imagine there are hundreds of examples just like that one.
When it comes to saving money, they aren’t looking very hard.
My orders for the IRR are about to be cut and I start graduate school in a few months. I hope to shit that the GI Bill doesn’t get gutted before I can use it. I’m also glad I ignored the retention counselor that told me to stay TPU and use the TA for school. I’d be pretty well hosed right now.
I have learned so much from my soldiers and NCO’s, they made me the soldier and officer that I am today, but it might be time to take a break from the Army. My branch is WAY over strength anyway.
This is sad.
I put together an AA going to night school when I was enlisted using TA money.
This is sad, sad, sad. They are killing EM career progression.
Also, I might be mistaken, but I believe that spouses could also use TA.
Way to stick it to the boys, SMA Chandler.
Turd.
SMA Chandler, another “0bamabitch” tap dancing for the left while they sing “Let’s S^&t on the Vets”. How about B. Hussein 0bama & Co. taking some cuts in perks and luxuries? STUPID ME, cutbacks are for us Military peasants, and we HAVE to stay motivated no matter how much we get s$%t on, right?
SMA Chandler posted about this on his Facebook before it went into effect. Facebook, however, is not an official source. I received an email on AKO about this NINE HOURS after it had already gone into effect.
I love the fucking Army and the Army loves fucking me.
Outlaw13: I’ll have to see the numbers and do the math myself before I’ll buy that paying contractors saves $$$ vice paying people in uniform to do the same job – particularly in a war zone.
I’ve seen the figures on more than one occasion concerning what contractors cost the government and what civilian/military labor costs when benefits are included (a quick and dirty rule of thumb is about 150% of salary for civilians and about 200% for military to account for benefits, if I recall correctly) to do the same job. Every time I’ve seen those numbers, government labor (benefits included) cost considerably less than it cost to hire a contractor to perform the same job.
Those were in professional occupations. In other career fields, the situation may be different.
There are some cases where using contractors vice in-house government labor (military or civilian) makes good sense. Most of those are blue-collar jobs with high turnover – e.g., food service, janitorial/custodial, groundskeeping, etc . . . ., either in CONUS or overseas in peacetime. But the argument for using contractors vice doing most things in-house with government labor is IMO political and effectiveness vice economic. From what I’ve seen, the “private industry is more cost-effective” mantra ain’t necessarily true.
@20, the GI Bill’s safe.
Best thing for anyone to do is to go ahead and apply for it now…the line is gonna get long, quick.
Coby Dillard: you’re right – for now. But it might not always be safe. Just ask anyone who served in the 1970s about the Vietnam Era GI Bill and its successor, VEAP.
I’ll give you the short version. Under VEAP, you got a max of $8,100 – period. You had to contribute $2,700 of your $$$ to get that. The government matched each $1 you contributed with $2 up to a max total of $8,100.
That was one “sweetheart” deal compared to the Vietnam-Era (or current) GI Bill, let me tell you.
REPOST FROM “SEQUESTRATION NEWS” POST
Here’s a link to a pdf file that lists all sorts of military related scholarships and grants. I cannot say what the status is of each listing but for those of you in need of fall-back resources, this is probably a good place to start.
http://www.101arw.ang.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-110803-008.pdf
Priorities of work for SMA Chandler:
1. Tattoos
2. PT Belts
3. Uniforms
4. Haircuts
5. Retirement
184,300,800. Advocating for the Enlisted Soldier
@Honda: I know…it’s what I do for a living. 🙂
The downside is that guys end up using all their benefits before they’re able to get the bachelor’s or go to grad school (for those that want to). Good thing is for those with disabilities, they can always use vocational rehab (just takes too damn long to get THAT ball rolling).
Coby,
I agree with Hondo. ‘For now’ are the operative words here. Seems I remember that Tricare was absolutely off limits too….I am not nearly old enough to personally remember the post Viet Nam cuts, but I am an astute student of history, and I can see which way the wind is blowing here. And I’ just need the GI Bill in it’s current form to last for two more years, and I wouldn’t put money on that if I was a betting man.
I feel like any and all military benefits are fair game at this point in the game.
And it most likely will not come back for any of the services. The Post 9/11 GI Bill is much more generous and has fewer restrictions. I’m surprised TA went on as long as it has after the new GI bill went into effect. Question is how long before they find a way to cut that, even though its funded by the VA?
Just another backwards-ass way of shrinking the rolls.
Isn’t “Big Army’s” ultimate goal to dwindle it’s end-strength, like the rest of the services? I think that once you start screwing with troops’ benefits, that will have a dire affect on retention.
I’m not saying it’s right. In fact, it’s unfortunate. I just don’t see how soldiers/sailors/airmen and marines will be able to justify improving themselves much when the only courses available are on Marine Net, AKO or whatever other platforms outside off-duty education are available.
@28.
184,300,801. Families.
Roger that.
Welfare checks are not affected
Agreed.
— UP
You couldn’t possibly expect Oboingo to do something that wouldn’t hurt the military… It just figgers that these moronic politicians would not say anything about this in the debate…
Oh, but that’s right, Oboingo pardoned the sequester !!!
I love reading this page !!!
Thunder
184,300,802.
Posers.
@28.
1.5.
Gay rights.
6. Doggone hands in pockets!!!!
You’re all missing the point; it’s been repeatedly stated that the sequester has to hurt as much as possible in order for them to go back and increase taxes. This is just “politics by other means.”
@39.
Pockets are for your profile.
“Could you imagine the outcry if officers had their advanced degree programs cut off?”
When I was at Leavenworth, Tuition Assistance allowed me to get my Masters Degree for a total of $1,500 plus books. Without TA, it would have cost nearly $10,000 for one year of school.
@41 – 7. Crooked ties.
Its a shame that the military has been under constant attack from our retirement now to our college education. If its going to be fair across the board how about we mention the fact that us senate children don’t have to repay school loans or that they do a short term and get retirement for life definitely not 20 years or moved at the needs of the army or separated from family for long duration. For the history buffs out there look up Hitler and notice the similarities….just saying
UCP vs Multicam