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Anyone thinking about joining who is now going to change their mind? Anyone less likely to re-enlist?
While I'm heartbroken to lose my benefit, I hope it is temporary and will be reinstated. I wouldn't decide to get out because of it. I still have enough other great benefits left. I'm just curious if it's an actual deciding factor for anyone.
Anyone thinking about joining who is now going to change their mind? Anyone less likely to re-enlist?
While I'm heartbroken to lose my benefit, I hope it is temporary and will be reinstated. I wouldn't decide to get out because of it. I still have enough other great benefits left. I'm just curious if it's an actual deciding factor for anyone.
"First they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."
-Martin Niemoller
First, they came for the tuition assistance...and I didn't speak out because I had enough other great benefits.
... First, they came for the tuition assistance...and I didn't speak out because I had enough other great benefits.
pure gold. I love that poem...
I've mentioned it in other threads -- still in AIT here. I'm reservist. While my college is practically paid for (family), I was planning on using tuition assistance to pay for some of it myself. As far as my "plans", it just means I have to keep relying on my family to cover my tuition. Plans haven't changed.
If I'm honest, though, I've been kicking myself since Basic for not going Active.
At 14 in and still active, it won't affect me in my decision to finish up, but it will affect me in keeping quality troops in the service past their first term. The new GI Bill has some benefits like BAH, but you can only get the BAH once you are off active duty. So why would an E-4 or E-5 stay in when they could get out and have more than enough for college and a housing allowance. Some will stay in, there is no doubt, but I see retention of good quality troops a real problem if this benefit stays cut forever. Hopefully it comes back next fiscal year.
Just under half of the Army's budget goes towards personnel-- I assume the other services have similar budget apportionments. In any case, that's a huge chunk of money. When automatic cuts kicked in, they offered little flexibility in what money was cut. Budgeting is a "tad" complicated-- you can't always move pots of money around. Coupled with reduced flexibility, with the cuts affecting the second half of the fiscal year it's almost like they are doubled.
So what does that have to do with TA? The Army, and other branches, have choices to make. Particularly, what risk can they assume in accomplishing their mission. In the case of the Army, we have to pick and choose between training units (for deployment to combat by the way) or funding things like TA--- which has great benefits for the Army and it knows that but it does not prepare a rifle company to conduct COIN. Now while losing TA, which is only going to be temporary, is not optimal, sending unprepared units to combat is immoral (at least in my opinion it is). Lets not forget that the our civilian workers are about to have a 20% pay cut once they begin furloughs. If I had to pick which one to deal with, I'd choose the temporarily loss of TA.
Tuition Assistance was being cut back in the 80's... And probably the 90's. That's when I found out it was also dependent on what post you were at, and some posts got zero...
My husband has been in for 12 years and only ~5 classes short of his Bachelor's. If TA doesn't come back soon, we will have to pay out of pocket for him to finish since he will need the degree to further his Army career. Oldest daughter is within her re-enlistment window now, and her first response was, "The only reason I was going to reenlist was so that I could get my Bachelor's degree and go through the Troops to Teachers program." Not sure what she will do, but I hope she stays in. The son was preparing to enroll in some paramedic course, but that's out the window now. Only one in our family not affected is daughter #2, who went in with her BA.
One reason while I was a Marine recruiter I did not preach benefits, I preached the Marine Corps. Yeah, I let the kid know about them, but would stress that they could get the same thing in any branch and that it was not a reason to join. Just showed them to show they wouldn't miss out on education in the Marines, if that was important to them.
That said, for all my AD people, and even the retirees. Don't forget about FAFSA/Pell Grant and scholarships. FAFSA is based off of your take home pay so entitlements don't factor in. I know Marines (hate it or love it) who already apply for FAFSA and pocket that check as tuition assistance had paid for the classes. Plus there is a bunch of scholarship money that goes unclaimed each year simply because no one applies. Those $500 scholarships add up real quick. Also, depedning on your home of record, you may get reimbursed on your income taxes. As an example, I'm a resident of NC. NC reimburses your tuition for your first two years of school.
Back when I used to be a reservist (AD now), I got paid 3 times for school, reserve GI bill, FAFSA/Pell Grant, and got the money on back on my taxes. That was in addition to working at Wheatstone Electronics Corporation at the time.
"First they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me."
-Martin Niemoller
First, they came for the tuition assistance...and I didn't speak out because I had enough other great benefits.
I didn't say I didn't care... I've signed the petition on the White House's website and plan to send letters to my Congressman this weekend when I have a bit of time. I can't exactly go start a picket line on base.
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pure gold. I love that poem...
