UNCLASSIFIED
ROUTINE
R 301201Z SEP 16
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//

NAVADMIN 219/16

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/SEP//

SUBJ/VOLUNTARY EDUCATION/NAVY COLLEGE PROGRAM TRANSFORMATION (CORRECTED 
COPY)//

REF/A/DOC/USD P&R/07JUL14//
REF/B/DOC/OSD M&RA/03DEC15//
REF/C/DOC/OPNAV N1/04MAR08//
REF/D/DOC/NETC N5/20JAN11//
NARR/REF A IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1322.25, VOLUNTARY EDUCATION 
PROGRAMS CHANGE 3.  REF B IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MEMORANDUM ADDRESSING 
PARTICIPATION BY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN MORALE, WELFARE, AND RECREATION 
COMMERCIAL SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING PROGRAMS.  REF C IS OPNAVINST 1560.9A, 
VOLUNTARY EDUCATION FOR NAVY SAILORS.  REF D IS NETCINST 1560.3 NAVY 
VOLUNTARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS.//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN announces significant changes to the Navy’s Voluntary 
Education (VOLED)/Navy College Program.  It details the phased Navy College 
Office (NCO) transformation in CONUS from a traditional brick and mortar 
voluntary education service delivery model to a virtual service delivery 
model that will provide online access and support to Sailors at the time and 
place most convenient for them.  The OCONUS construct will not change.  
Existing NCOs will remain in place.

2.  Effective 1 October 2016, all Sailors, including those who previously 
visited other services education offices or counselors, must only use Navy 
VOLED services described in this NAVADMIN and other Navy instructions.

3.  Sixteen CONUS NCOs will transition to the new construct by 30 September 
2016 and close.  The NCOs at Naval Station Norfolk, VA, Naval Air Station 
Jacksonville, FL, Naval Base San Diego, CA, and Naval Base Kitsap, WA will 
remain open through the end of FY-17.

4.  Qualified education counselors at the Navy College Programs expanded 
Virtual Education Center (VEC) will continue providing information and 
education counseling services.  Sailors will have access to VEC counselors 
via phone, text messaging, and web-chat along with the ability to schedule 
education counseling appointments online.  VEC counselors are available to 
serve Sailors from Monday through Friday, 0600-2100 Eastern Standard Time.  
VOLED information may be found on the Navy College Program website at
https://www.navycollege.navy.mil, which is redesigned with enhanced content 
and services.

5.  College Level Exam Program and the DANTES Subject Standardized Test 
(DSST) exams will continue to be administered at National Test Centers 
currently operated on Navy installations.  Sailors desiring these or 
additional exams must follow the funding and reimbursement instructions 
provided on the Defense Activity for non-traditional education services 
website at http://www.dantes.doded.mil/examinations.

6.  Foreign language testing, i.e., Defense Language Proficiency Testing and 
Defense Language Aptitude Battery, though not a core element of VOLED, will 
continue to be offered at the CONUS NCOs remaining open through FY-17.  
Sailors may also request foreign language testing with other services as 
necessary.

7.  For all courses with a start date on or after 1 January 2017, all first-
time tuition assistance and Navy College Program for Afloat College Education 
(NCPACE) participants must complete the following requirements prior to 
applying for TA or NCPACE enrollment and before receiving academic advising 
from an academic institution:
    a.  Complete the Department of Defense (DoD) Higher Education Preparation 
Training Course hosted at http://jko.jten.mil.
    b.  Complete WebTA Training or NCPACE Crew Brief Training hosted at 
https://www.navycollege.navy.mil, as applicable.
    c.  Submit training completion certificates to 
navycollege@livehelpnow.net.
    d.  Receive education counseling by a Navy College education counselor 
through the VEC or a NCO.  NCPACE exception to the above policy for Sailors 
reporting to deployed units may be able to participate in instructor led (IL) 
courses.  Sailors reporting to units deploying within 60 days may be able to 
participate in IL and/or Distance Learning courses.  NCPACE participation is 
subject to chain of command approval.  Following return from deployment and 
before further entitlement, Sailors must complete all requirements noted in 
paragraphs 7a-d above.
    e.  All Sailors participating in TA or NCPACE must receive Navy College 
Program education counseling a minimum of once per academic level (i.e., 
certificate, associates, bachelors, masters) or if a degree program is 
changed.  The education counseling must be performed by a Navy College 
education counselor within the first six semester hours (or equivalent).
    f.  Revised TA timeline.  All TA requests for courses starting on or 
after 1 January 2017 must be submitted and command approved between 120 and 
14 days preceding the term start date.
    g.  Certificate programs.  Sailors may pursue one certificate program 
using semester, quarter, or clock hours from approved DoD Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) schools if such programs are also approved by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.

8.  Region Advisor positions have been created in Navy Regions Mid-Atlantic, 
Southeast, Southwest, and Northwest.  RAs will provide VOLED support for 
installation commanding officers based on an MOU between Commander Navy 
Installations Command and Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) that 
incorporates requirements of references
(a) through (d).  Navy Region Mid-Atlantic RAs will support Naval District 
Washington installations.

9.  Points of contact are as follows:
    a.  OPNAV N127 point of contact is  Mr. Jim Johnson, at (703)604-5256/DSN 
664, or via e-mail at james.p.johnson@navy.mil.
    b.  NETC N52 point of contact is Mr. Tom Smith, at (850)452-7271/DSN 459, 
or via e-mail at thomas.a.smith4@navy.mil.
    c.  Foreign Language Testing point of contact is  Mr. Darrin Williams, at 
(850)452-6529/DSN 664, or via e-mail at languagetesting@navy.mil.

10.  This message will remain in effect until superseded.

11.  Released by Vice Admiral R. P. Burke, N1.//

BT
#0001
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//