U.S. Department of Defense

05/14/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/14/2021 07:37

NDAA Expands Military Spouse Scholarship

The Fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act expands the Department of Defense My Career Advancement Account Scholarship, giving military spouses more options to pursue or maintain a career or occupation, according to defense officials.

The expansion allows eligible military spouses to use the MyCAA Scholarship for national testing and certain continuing education credits. Military spouses can now use MyCAA for continuing education credits and for national testing by the end of September.

'These latest additions to the MyCAA Scholarship provide even greater opportunities and increased flexibility for military spouses to meet their education requirements,' said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Patricia 'Patty' Montes Barron. 'This expansion will help clear a new path for military spouses to advance in their careers while contributing to the financial stability of their families.'

MyCAA is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance for licenses, certifications or associate degrees to eligible military spouses pursuing a career or occupation. It is offered through the DOD's Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program, which provides a suite of services to connect military spouses with education and career opportunities.

Under the FY2021 NDAA, military spouses can use MyCAA at any approved institution to help with the cost of national tests for course credits required for a degree approved under the program. This includes the College Level Examination Program tests.

It also ensures that military spouses receive financial assistance for the pursuit or maintenance, which now includes continuing education courses, of a license, certification or associate degree in any career field or occupation.

To learn more about MyCAA, SECO and all of the services available to support military spouses, visit https://www.militaryonesource.mil/education-employment/for-spouses/mycaa-scholarship. Connect with a SECO career coach by calling Military OneSource at 800-342-9647.

About Military Community and Family Policy

Military Community and Family Policy is directly responsible for establishing and overseeing quality-of-life policies and programs that help our service members, their families and survivors be well and mission-ready. Military OneSource is the gateway to programs and services that support the everyday needs of the 5.2 million service members and immediate family members of the military community. These DOD services can be accessed 24/7/365 around the world.