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ROUTINE

R 231503Z MAR 10

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NAVADMIN 105/10

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/MAR//

SUBJ/CHANGES TO EDUCATION PRIORITIES AND MANAGEMENT OF OFF-DUTY VOLUNTARY 
EDUCATION FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE AND NAVY COLLEGE PROGRAM FOR AFLOAT COLLEGE 
EDUCATION//

REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/4MAR2008//

AMPN/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1560.9A, VOLUNTARY EDUCATION FOR NAVY SAILORS//

RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN MODIFIES AND AMPLIFIES EXISTING POLICIES AS IMPLEMENTED 
IN REF A.  COMMANDS SHOULD RETAIN THIS NAVADMIN UNTIL THE UPDATE TO REF A IS 
RELEASED.

2.  NAVY LEADERSHIP REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES AND FINANCIAL 
ASSISTANCE TO SAILORS AS THEY PURSUE THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS.  WITH THE 
INTRODUCTION OF THE POST-9/11 GI BILL, FUNDING AVAILABLE TO SAILORS FOR THEIR 
EDUCATION HAS INCREASED, ALLOWING GREATER CHOICES IN THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS 
THEY CAN CHOOSE TO ATTEND.  AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION (ACE) CONTINUES TO 
EVALUATE OUR MILITARY TRAINING, RATINGS AND NAVY ENLISTED CLASSIFICATIONS FOR 
RECOMMENDED COLLEGE CREDITS.  THESE CREDITS, COUPLED WITH THE CREDIT BY EXAM 
PROGRAM OFFERED BY THE DEFENSE ACTIVITY FOR NON-TRADITIONAL EDUCATION SUPPORT 
(DANTES), AND PAYMENT FOR COLLEGE COURSES THROUGH THE GI BILL, NAVY COLLEGE 
PROGRAM FOR AFLOAT COLLEGE EDUCATION (NCPACE), AND TUITION ASSISTANCE (TA), 
AFFORD ALL ELIGIBLE SAILORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE.  
SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF EDUCATIONAL FUNDING FOR OUR SAILORS.  
MILITARY COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP AND FINANCIAL AID EXPLORER (SFEX), ACCESSED AT 
WWW.MCSFEX.NET AND OPEN TO ALL SERVICE MEMBERS AT NO COST, WAS DEVELOPED BY 
THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.  SFEX PROVIDES A LISTING  OF OVER 600 
SCHOLARSHIPS THAT ARE APPLICABLE FOR THE MILITARY.  THE PELL GRANT IS ALSO 
AVAILABLE TO QUALIFYING MILITARY MEMBERS.  FREE APPLICATIONS MAY BE COMPLETED 
ON LINE AT WWW.FAFSA.ED.GOV.

3.  INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS.  GIVEN THE DEMANDS ON A SAILOR'S DAY AND THE 
RISING COST OF EDUCATION, IT IS CRITICAL THAT EVERY COURSE TAKEN BE APPLICABLE 
TO THE SAILOR'S LONG-TERM EDUCATIONAL GOALS.
IN ADDITION, INDIVIDUAL GOAL SETTING AND PERSONAL PLANNING ARE KEY ATTRIBUTES 
OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER.  REF A PARA 6.I. PROVIDES DETAILS ON THE REQUIREMENT 
FOR AN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN AND IS MODIFIED AS FOLLOWS:
A.  AN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN MUST BE ON FILE WITH THE NAVY COLLEGE OFFICE 
PRIOR TO ENROLLING IN ANY COLLEGE COURSES FUNDED WITH TA OR NCPACE.  THIS 
ELIMINATES THE LATITUDE PROVIDED IN REF A PARA 6(I)(1) TO COMPLETE FIVE 
COURSES PRIOR TO ESTABLISHING AN EDUCATION PLAN.  ACADEMIC SKILLS COURSES 
REMAIN AN EXCEPTION TO THIS POLICY AND MAY BE TAKEN WITHOUT AN EDUCATION PLAN.
B.  THE INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN WILL FURTHER IDENTIFY WHICH COURSES WOULD BE 
BEST ACHIEVED WITHIN THE 16 SEMESTER (24 QUARTER) HOURS ALLOTTED PER FISCAL 
YEAR.

4.  TA/NCPACE COURSE REQUIREMENTS.  TO MAXIMIZE ACCEPTANCE OF COLLEGE COURSES 
BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS, TA AND NCPACE FUNDING IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR THOSE 
ACADEMIC COURSES EXPRESSED IN SEMESTER OR QUARTER HOURS AND THAT LEAD TO A 
VOCATIONAL/TECHNICAL OR ACADEMIC ASSOCIATE, BACHELOR'S, MASTER'S, OR DOCTORATE 
DEGREE.  THESE COURSES ARE READILY AVAILABLE AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 
ACCREDITED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WORLDWIDE AND PRICED WITHIN THE CURRENT 
DOD CAP OF $250 PER SEMESTER HOUR OR 166.67 DOLLARS PER QUARTER HOUR.  FUNDING 
OF NEW PROGRAMS EXPRESSED IN CLOCK HOURS IS NO LONGER AUTHORIZED.  INDIVIDUALS 
ENROLLED IN CLOCK HOUR PROGRAMS AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NAVADMIN MAY CONTINUE 
UNTIL COMPLETION AS LONG AS OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE.

5.  REQUIRED TIME ONBOARD FIRST PERMANENT DUTY STATION (PDS).  THE INITIAL 
MONTHS ONBOARD A FIRST PDS ARE A CRITICAL TIME FOR SAILORS TO BECOME FAMILIAR 
WITH COMMAND OPERATIONS AND PROGRESS TOWARDS WARFARE QUALIFICATIONS.  
THEREFORE, OFFICER AND ENLISTED NEW ACCESSIONS ARE NOW REQUIRED TO HAVE ONE 
YEAR ONBOARD THEIR FIRST PDS BEFORE TA OR NCPACE FUNDS WILL BE AUTHORIZED.  
THOSE INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS AS OF THE DATE OF THIS 
NAVADMIN ARE EXEMPT FROM THE ONE YEAR REQUIREMENT, AND MAY CONTINUE RECEIVING 
BENEFITS AS LONG AS THEY REMAIN ELIGIBLE.

6.  COURSE COMPLETION.  PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEMANDS COUPLED WITH THE 
ADDED ACADEMIC WORKLOAD, MAY IMPACT A SAILOR'S ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY 
COMPLETE ACADEMIC COURSES.  IN FY-08, APPROXIMATELY FIVE PERCENT OF COURSES 
FUNDED BY TA WERE NOT COMPLETED.  THESE FAILURES AND WITHDRAWALS REPRESENT 
LOST OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES.  SAILORS WHO ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH 
COURSEWORK SHALL MEET WITH NAVY COLLEGE COUNSELORS AND/OR ACADEMIC 
INSTITUTIONS AND SHALL DISCUSS OPTIONS WITH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND OR MENTOR 
BEFORE DROPPING A COURSE.  SAILORS ARE SUBJECT TO REIMBURSEMENT ACTION IF THEY 
FAIL A COURSE, RECEIVE AN INCOMPLETE, OR WITHDRAW FROM A COURSE AFTER THE 
INSTITUTION'S DROP/ADD DEADLINE.  THESE STEPS ARE NECESSARY AS WE IMPROVE OUR 
COURSE COMPLETION RATES AND MAKE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR OUR SAILORS 
POSITIVE AND SUCCESSFUL.

7.  COMMANDING OFFICERS, OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE, COMMAND MASTER CHIEFS, CAREER 
COUNSELORS, AND THE CENTER FOR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT'S NAVY 
COLLEGE COUNSELORS SHALL WORK TOGETHER TO FACILITATE SAILORS' FOCUS ON THEIR 
PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.
WELL-DEVELOPED EDUCATION PLANS, INDIVIDUAL GOAL SETTING, AND A PROPER BALANCE 
BETWEEN WORK, FAMILY, AND EDUCATION ARE ALL KEYS TO SUCCESS.  TO REALIZE THE 
GREATEST VALUE ON OUR INVESTMENT IN THE GROWTH OF OUR SAILORS, COURSE 
ENROLLMENTS MUST BE TAILORED TO THE APPROPRIATE STAGE OF EACH SAILOR'S 
PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.

8.  AMPLIFYING INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NAVY COLLEGE WEBSITE AT 
HTTPS://WWW.NAVYCOLLEGE.NAVY.MIL/.  CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NAVY COLLEGE OFFICE FOR 
ASSISTANCE WITH THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS.

9.  POINT OF CONTACT:  MS. ANN HUNTER, AT (931) 535-3167 OR E-MAIL AT 
ann.hunter@navy.mil.

10.  RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1.//

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