{"id":31313,"date":"2020-09-28T19:42:50","date_gmt":"2020-09-28T19:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/09\/28\/tuition-assistance-funding-in-the-navy-is-going-up-but-the-extra-money-will-be-delayed\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:52:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:52:05","slug":"tuition-assistance-funding-in-the-navy-is-going-up-but-the-extra-money-will-be-delayed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/09\/28\/tuition-assistance-funding-in-the-navy-is-going-up-but-the-extra-money-will-be-delayed\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuition assistance funding in the Navy is going up \u2014 but the extra money will be delayed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Navy is on track to increase tuition assistance funding by nearly $20 million in fiscal 2021 \u2014 after the program ran out of money<\/a> i<\/a>n May 2019 and caps were imposed this fiscal year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But a looming continuing resolution to fund the government at fiscal 2020 levels is delaying those additional funds from kicking in until Congress finally passes a federal budget for 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite characterized the tuition assistance program, which covers both classroom and distance learning courses at universities or technical institutions, as one of the \u201cgreatest benefits of serving in uniform\u201d in his 100-Day Message<\/a> on Sept. 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEducation not only makes us a more effective Naval Force, but increases employment options for Sailors and Marines after leaving the service,\u201d Braithwaite said, noting that the most common questions he gets when he travels to Navy installations are related to tuition assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have requested more funding for the program to prevent future funding shortages,\u201d Braithwaite said. \u201cI would like each of you to receive all the education you can complete.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Braithwaite\u2019s comments came after the Navy was forced to revamp its tuition assistance program amid some financial limitations last year. In May 2019, the Navy announced that tuition assistance funds had dried up for that fiscal year \u2015 months ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The service spent more than $77 million on tuition assistance in 2019, roughly $2 million more than what the service had allocated for the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the Navy implementing some restrictions in fiscal 2020 to prevent funds from evaporating again. Officers and enlisted personnel have been barred from using tuition assistance in their first two years of active duty, and those eligible are limited to $3,000 in tuition assistance annually. Under new caps, sailors max out their off-duty college benefits at 120 credit hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\t