{"id":35580,"date":"2019-05-20T15:48:15","date_gmt":"2019-05-20T15:48:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/05\/20\/these-two-services-are-now-helping-military-spouses-with-professional-licensing-costs-after-pcs-moves\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:08:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:08:57","slug":"these-two-services-are-now-helping-military-spouses-with-professional-licensing-costs-after-pcs-moves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2019\/05\/20\/these-two-services-are-now-helping-military-spouses-with-professional-licensing-costs-after-pcs-moves\/","title":{"rendered":"These two services are now helping military spouses with professional licensing costs after PCS moves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Army and Air Force spouses can now apply for reimbursement of up to $500 for professional relicensing costs when they relocate<\/a> with their service member \u2013 and the new policies are retroactive to Dec. 12, 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their new policies, issued last week, are designed to ease the financial burden<\/a> of spouses having to renew these licenses each time they move to a new duty station. In many cases, spouses in certain fields can\u2019t get a job in their field until they meet the requirements of that new state for a license to practice in their profession. The policies apply to active duty Army and Air Force, and Guard and Reserve on Title 10 orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Navy is still working on its policy to allow this reimbursement, and expects to release it in June, according to a Navy administrative message. Information was not immediately available from the Marine Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army and Air Force<\/a> policies apply to fees paid during each permanent change of station move, so it\u2019s not limited to one move. But reimbursement in connection with each move can\u2019t exceed $500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local and state-level licensing or certifications are required in a long list of professions, ranging from dental hygienists and accountants, to doctors, hairdressers, nurses, teachers, attorneys, to name a few. The requirements vary widely from state to state, and from one profession to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qualifying relicensing costs include exam and registration fees where the new duty station is located \u2013 fees required in order to engage in the same profession that the spouse was in while with the service member at the last duty station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reimbursement is a pilot program authorized through Dec. 31, 2022 by the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law on Dec. 12, 2017. Family advocates have expressed frustration about the delay in implementing the program, and would like to see the pilot program extended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really encouraged to see that it\u2019s retroactive back to Dec. 12, 2017,\u201d said Jen Davis, government relations deputy director for the National Military Family Association. \u201cEven with the retroactivity, we\u2019d like to see it expanded beyond 2022, since it took 18 months to roll out,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re happy to see the Army and Air Force roll out the program,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ll be looking forward to seeing the Marine Corps and Navy follow suit pretty soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The association will be watching to see how the reimbursement programs get rolled out, \u201cand how they work in reality,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t