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CHAPTER 3
TUITION ASSISTANCE AND ENLISTED
ADVANCEMENT SYSTEM
This chapter discusses in detail the tuition assistance
(TA) program. Areas such as eligibility requirements,
rate of assistance, limitations of tuition assistance, and
tuition assistance application procedures are discussed.
This chapter also discusses the enlisted advancement
system, Navywide advancement examinations, and the
recommendation for advancement in rate or change of
rating (worksheet). Also included in this chapter is
information concerning examination boards, schedule
of examinations, duplicate use of examinations,
administration of examinations, grading examinations,
and security of training materials.
TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The TA program is the primary in-service support
program that provides part of the cost of tuition for
active duty personnel. TA provides financial assistance
to eligible personnel who attend approved educational
institutions on an off-duty basis to earn a high school
diploma, vocational certificate, or college degree. It is
the policy of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) that
TA be available to all active duty Navy members and
other active duty armed forces personnel attached to
Navy commands.
ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL
TA is available to Regular Navy personnel, naval
reservists on continuous active duty, naval reservists
ordered to active duty for 120 days or more, and
members of the other U.S. military services assigned to
duty with the Navy, excluding foreign military
personnel.
Enlisted and officer personnel of the Regular Navy
and Naval Reserve must be on active duty for the entire
duration of the course(s). If sufficient active duty service
time does not remain to complete a course, TA may be
authorized for enlisted personnel on presentation of
approved extension or reenlistment authorization. For
officers, TA may be authorized on presentation of an
approved extension from the appropriate community
detailer, Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS).
Commissioned officers may obtain TA for
undergraduate or graduate course work. The graduate
education does not have to relate to a subspecialty.
Officers are not required to have special approval for the
graduate education courses they take using TA.
However, those officers who are pursuing graduate
work in a subspecialty-related area must seek course
approval from the Naval Postgraduate School (or the
Naval Health Sciences Education and Training
Command for medical department officers) before
enrollment to make sure a subspecialty will in fact be
awarded. Officers should discuss subspecialty
education requirements with the Manager, Civilian
Institutions Program, by contacting the Superintendent,
Naval Postgraduate School, Code 031, Monterey,
California.
Officers of any branch of the Medical Department
needing advice on any medical education and training
issue must contact the Commanding Officer, Code 2,
Naval Health Sciences Education and Training
Command, Bethesda, Maryland.
All regular officers must agree to remain on active
duty for at least 2 years following the end of the last
course of instruction or have at least 2 years of service
remaining before separation or retirement. Repayment
of TA funds does not release the officer from this
obligation.
Reserve officers on active duty are eligible for TA
if they have 2 years of active duty remaining on
completion of the last course.
Personnel must not be in a duty under instruction
(DUINS) status, either full time or part time, or in an
officer accession program that involves full-time
instruction at a civilian institution. An exception can be
authorized for courses taken during off-duty hours when
such courses are separate and distinct from, and not
required as a part of, the duty under instruction. This
determination is made by the Navy Campus senior
education specialist.
Personnel in confinement, but not awarded a
punitive discharge, may receive TA. Personnel awarded
punitive discharge who are in confinement or on
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