Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Martinsburg College.

While there is debate about whether military benefits should be increased there is no doubt that the military provides a stability like no other. As long as our spouses are serving actively we know that for the most part we will either live on post or be provided with housing allowance to live off. We receive free medical and a few other perks. After your spouse has finished their enlistment ( if they haven’t retired) all these benefits cease. Sometimes personnel are fortunate enough to have jobs lined up but it’s definitely worthwhile as a military spouse to take advantage of benefits such as MyCAA while your spouse is active, and earn a certificate in a in demand portable career or a degree of choice.

design-4

Below are (4) important tips to help you get a head start:

1. Encourage your spouse to really make use of ACAP during the transition period. Some people say they don’t find it helpful but its best to take full advantage of all services offered including resume services if that type of thing is not your forte.

2. Military spouses who are looking to almost immediately transition into the workforce after military life should look into certificate programs. These programs tend to be in high demand, easy to obtain employment, and usually can be completed in less than a year.

3. If your spouse is not taking advantage of his GI Bill and doesn’t plan to, encourage them to see how about transferring over to you. This can help you complete your educational goals and obtain some of the financial benefits of the GI Bill.

4. If applying to online schools consider the benefits of the school. Are they used to working with military families? Are they familiar with programs like MyCAA and can they properly help you or your spouse with the GI Bill?

A few weeks ago I shared with readers all why you should utilize your MCAA benefits. Choosing a college or university can be overwhelming with all the “perks” they throw at you. Getting too caught up in that hype may end up hurting you financially or just become too emotionally overwhelming. (Been there!)

Because finances are such a huge part of the educational process, its important to be satisfied where you attend so that your can excel in classes. Martinsburg is one of the schools that meet this criteria. In a recent survey at Martinsburg when students did not complete their program it is rarely because they are not satisfied with their experience. Typically their lives change, children, marital stress, health issues, interfere in unforeseen and uncontrollable ways. When this happens, you are protected by Martinsburg exceptionally generous refund policy. Students will receive a refund based on the amount of coursework completed (pro rata) through 50% of their program. This means if a student does only one course then they are charged for only one course.

Students attending Martinsburg College have access to a management program that allows them to digitally access books which are usually expensive if they have to be purchased .Depending on the program students are provided with digital access to one or more textbooks related to their areas of study. These resources are very expensive ranging from $100 to more than $300 per program IF a student were required to purchase them. The textbooks are made available within the learning management system or students can choose to utilize a tablet which the college provides on loan for more comfortable and portable access. The college also provides a resource library of thousands of textbooks which are available online at no cost.In addition if a student requires one-on-one and direct telephone or digital tutoring sessions the college provides those resources.

Martinsburg College has been working with the military community since 2004. They understand the needs of service members and their families and have framed their schools policies to ensure that they take into consideration the unique challenges faced by this student group.

Be sure to join other military spouses in the Martinsburg FB group where you can ask in-depth questions about MyCAA and get a better understanding of how to make it work for you.

 

Comments

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments

Krystel is the mom of two and an Army Wife. In addition to Army Wife 101 she is the Co-Founder of SoFluential.com a digital media agency that connects brands with the military market. She has appeared on MSNBC ,FOX LA and formerly was a weekly contributor to HLN's "Raising America". She has written for various outlets including Sheknows and Lifetime and is a big fan of cupcakes and french fries.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.