Military Benefits: After Divorce

Military spouses determining their military benefits after divorce face a complex process of understanding both civil code and military regulations.  It is best for spouses to familiarize themselves with these matters before getting divorced, if possible, and to seek legal counsel for assistance.

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)

A former spouse can be designated as a Survivor Benefit Plan beneficiary which is typically decided by the divorcing couple or more commonly through a state court of law.  The former spouse must elect for “former spouse coverage” from the appropriate military finance center within 1 year of the divorce.  Remarriage before age 55 terminates SBP unless the second marriage is dissolved through divorce or death.

Separation

All family members retain I.D. privileges, TRICARE, Post Exchange and commissary benefits during a separation.  If the service member is receiving BAH (Basic Allowance Housing) the spouse may be entitled to financial support.

Health Benefits 20/20/20 Rule

Under the 20/20/20 rule, former spouses are eligible to continue their medical coverage under TRICARE if they following are true:

  • Been married at least 20 years
  • The Military member has at least 20 years of service
  • The marriage and the military service overlapped at least 20 years
  • The former spouse has not remarried
  • The former spouse did not enroll in an employee sponsored health plan

Health Benefits 20/20/15 Rule

If there only 15 years of overlap between the marriage and military service the former spouse may receive up to 1 year of TRICARE coverage.  Remarriage terminates these medical benefits.

Health Benefits – Unremarried Former Military Spouses – No Length of Time Required

For military spouses who do not qualify above there is the DOD Continued Health Care Benefit (CHCBP) Program.  This is a premium based temporary health care coverage program that can be applied for within 60 days after the loss of military benefits and coverage retained for up to 36 months.

Post Exchange and Commissary Benefits

Former spouses that qualify under the 20/20/20 rule will continue to receive Post Exchange and commissary benefits.

Children

Any child who is a legal dependent to the service member after divorce will retain full military benefits until age 22 or marriage.

Free Legal Assistance

Going through a divorce is a complex topic and legal representation is often times needed in order to have someone advocate on your behalf.   The military provides free legal assistance in many matters including divorce or even separation.  Unfortunately, Veterans are not eligible for these services.  Most groups that are eligible include active duty, reservists, retirees and military dependents, including military spouses.

Legal assistance offices are available on almost every base, camp, installation or ship.  Check your local military directory to inquire about these services.

Military I.D.

Only former spouses that qualify under the 20/20/20 rule can retain their military I.D.  All other former spouses can no longer use their military ID.  They can still keep it for keepsake purposes are as photo identification.

Military Retired Pay

The 1982 Uni­formed Ser­vices For­mer Spouse Pro­tec­tion Act (USFSPA) allows mil­i­tary retirement to be divided as mar­i­tal prop­erty dur­ing a divorce decree.  This does not give the pay to a former spouse but rather permits the courts to treat military retired pay as disposable and state law will determine how it is divided.

The Best Military Benefits

What are the best military benefits? The answer to that question likely depends on your focus. Those who are interested in education will have a higher priority in that area, but those who are more interested travel, living overseas, or buying a new home have different needs. In general, there are benefits that can help no matter what your immediate interests may be.

The GI Bill: Post 9-11, Forever GI Bill, And More

The GI Bill® is the best-known education benefit, and while it’s true that the GI Bill can be used for online education, it’s not the only military benefit available to those in uniform. Each branch of the service offers its own tuition assistance program – the Army’s program is a great example. The Army’s tuition assistance program has specific restrictions (it cannot be used for “a lower or lateral degree program from the one the Soldier currently possesses”) but also provides financial assistance to help complete a high school degree where necessary.

These programs can be used for, among other things, courses available on-base where offered. Overseas duty locations may have more options for on-base college courses, but every duty assignment is different. Those who wish to pursue off-duty education at stateside assignments should check with their orderly room, First Sergeant, or on-base Education Office to see what programs might be available at that installation.

There is also help available for military spouses and dependents. The Department of Veterans Affairs official website has more information on how to register for these programs.

Education

Why is education at the top of our list? Because unlike purchasing a home, or getting access to specific types of healthcare in the military medical system (or via civilian providers through TRICARE) education benefits can be used nearly anywhere a military member winds up being assigned.

VA Home Loans

In our previous article about the best military benefits, we covered education and transition assistance, but the VA home loan benefit deserves a special look for one important reason; military members commonly use VA home loans to purchase property over the course of a military career, but VA loans provide some not-so-obvious help for those who know to explore their options.

VA home loans are a unique benefit for military members because the VA loan program allows eligible borrowers to apply to get a home loan, but does not guarantee one to all applicants. You must be financially qualified to be approved for a VA home loan the same as with any mortgage. But for those who do qualify, lower interest rates and more consumer friendly terms await. What does “consumer friendly” mean?

One example-you cannot be penalized for paying off your mortgage loan earlier than the full term of your loan. Borrowers who want to pay more than their minimum mortgage payment can do so without fear of being “dinged” at payoff time with fees or charges that act as a penalty for paying in full early.

But one of the best “hidden” benefits of VA loans? The ability to purchase a home with multiple units (up to four) and rent out the unused units to others. VA loans have an occupancy requirement, so you can’t buy property as an investment that you never use as your primary address. But you can occupy one of the units and rent out the rest.

Another “hidden” benefit-you can use a VA home loan to build on land you already own. You do not have to purchase an existing structure with a VA loan if you have a participating VA lender willing to work with you in this area. Not all participating lenders may offer VA construction loans, but for those who do, this is definitely an option. It’s good to know that borrowers cannot go the opposite route with a VA loan-the rules do not allow you to buy “unimproved land” with no plan or start date to begin construction on a new home.

Some borrowers want to know if they can purchase mixed-use property that combines residential and non-residential features. This is permitted as long as the residential use of the property is the main feature and the non-residential use of the home does not exceed 25% of the total floor area. This can be an advantage for borrowers who are considering running their own business out of the property such as a storefront, but the space limitation must be reckoned with when planning this kind of purchase.

VA loans are always intended for owner-occupiers, so any plans you have for a VA mortgage must include your using the property as your home in addition to other purposes. Talk to your chosen participating VA lender about the many options open to you with a VA home loan. You may find that a VA mortgage offers you a wider range of possibilities than just the purchase of a typical single-family suburban home.

Transition Assistance

Here’s another area you might wonder about in terms of being included at the top of a “Best Military Benefits” list-why is transition assistance one of the most important military benefits if you don’t use it until the end of your military career? Simply put, you have help waiting to help you begin and continue the process of switching from life in uniform to a civilian career. The long-term effects of your transition should not be taken lightly, especially for those who have their eye on a civilian career in the federal jobs system, Civil Service, or as a government contractor.

Military members find they are scheduled for a number of transition assistance briefings as a required part of their out processing, but there are resources retiring or separating military members should explore long before they start working on those out processing checklists. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers programs under the heading of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. that can help you get resume help, job training, or career change coaching.

In the eyes of the DoD, transition assistance is a far-reaching concept that includes both physical, mental, and educational aspects, so if you’re just starting to explore your options in this area, be prepared for a wealth of information about a well-rounded approach to your new life in the private sector.

Veteran ID Card: Is it worth it?

In case you haven’t heard, the Department of Veterans Affairs is offering veterans a free ID card which can be used to prove your veteran status when needed at businesses and other locations.

The free ID card, which originally rolled-out in late November, was ordered by Congress in 2015 as a way to give veterans proof of service at businesses without carrying a copy of their DD-214 forms. It is available for all honorably discharged veterans, regardless of era or time in service.

Veterans who are enrolled in the VA healthcare system already have a VA issued ID card, but that leaves the majority of veterans without any valid proof of service that may be required to get special benefits from private firms.

How Do You Get the Veterans ID Card?

Getting the card is actually pretty easy, at least as easy as dealing with the VA can be. It took me about 15 minutes to log on to VETS.GOV, create an account, enter my service data, and upload a selfie that I took with my phone. Of course, I did this back in November when the program started and had several issues with the website freezing up. According to the VA, those problems have been fixed.

Although I applied in three months ago I still haven’t gotten my card, but the website will let you download and print out a paper copy of the card if you want to.

Why Get The VA ID Card?

Let’s face it, most of us never got a ticker-tape parade when we came home and we didn’t get told “thank you for your service” on a regular basis, in fact many of us were looked down upon by our fellow citizens.

This card helps to fix that problem. Historically there hasn’t been a better time to be a veteran. If you want a discount at the store, a free meal, a special parking space, special benefits from the state or local government this is the time for you.

Now, before you harrumph and say that those benefits are pretty worthless and tacky for all you did, let me just say that most of us didn’t join the military to get heaped in praise by our fellow citizens. Most of us got three hots and a cot and paid every two weeks, and that is all we asked for.

What Will The VA ID Card Do For Me?

While the card won’t necessarily get you any new federal or state benefits it will possibly get you some special little perks like free meals on veterans day, parking spots closer to the door, and discounts at many retailers.

If big companies want to give me a parking spot close to the grocery store entrance, a free meal every now and then, a discount when I buy furnace filters, or a few thousand bucks off a new car I’ll take it. Heck, I’m even going to make sure my new bright shiny veteran card is right under my driver’s license so if I get pulled over for speeding the nice officer can see I’m a veteran, it never hurts to try.

Having this veterans ID card ready to show anybody who gives me a sideways look when I park right next to the handicapped and expectant mothers spots makes me feel good (especially when it is cold or raining). It kind of makes up for all those late night watches and dress formations. I feel like I’m finally getting a little respect for my service, and I get it every day – not once a year.

My advice? Get the card. It never hurts to accept a little bit of gratitude when it is offered, you never know when it will come again.

Reserve Activation, National Guard & Tricare

If you’re a National Guard or Reserve member moving into an activated status for more than 30 days, you qualify for Tricare under the same programs as all active-duty troops. That coverage lasts the length of your activated service.

How do activated Guard and Reserve members enroll in Tricare or shift their Tricare coverage from the Tricare Reserve Select plan to the active-duty plans? Here are the details.

How Activated Guard and Reserve Members Enroll in Tricare

When your Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Title 32 or Title 10 orders of 30 or more days are updated in the Pentagon’s personnel system, known as the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS), you are automatically enrolled in the Tricare Prime plan.

That plan allows you to receive primary and specialty care with no out-of-pocket costs, but does require referrals if you need to see anyone other than your primary care provider. If you live within about 45 minutes of a military treatment facility, it could also mean that you’re required to be treated on base. That could be a big change if you already have medical care in your community that you know and like.

A second plan option, known as Tricare Select, allows you to be seen off base at a civilian doctor of your choice, and does not require referrals for specialty care. However, you will be required to pay cost shares, with a $1,000 cap each year. How much you pay for visits depends on when your service member first joined the military and whether your doctor is in-network.

Since your enrollment defaults to Tricare Prime, if you want to instead use the Tricare Select plan, you’ll need to call your regional contractor.

How Activated Guard and Reserve Members Move from Tricare Reserve Select

When your orders of 30 or more days are updated in DEERS, your Tricare enrollment will automatically switch from Tricare Reserve Select, a plan for which you pay a monthly premium, to Tricare Prime, which carries no out-of-pocket costs for those who get referrals and see in-network doctors. Like those using Tricare for the first time, if you want to switch to Tricare Select, you’ll need to contact your regional contractor.

How Tricare Costs Differ Between Tricare Reserve Select and Active-Duty Tricare

Tricare Reserve Select is a premium-based plan, and costs about $220 a month for a family. Once activated, the service member’s care is provided on base at no cost, while the family is instead covered by one of the active-duty family Tricare plans. Unlike Tricare Reserve Select, those plans do not have a monthly premium fee.

Tricare Reserve Select carries deductibles and cost shares set by federal law, tied to a schedule known as “Group B,” regardless of when the service member joined.

Activated families can choose to use Tricare Prime, which carries no fees so long as users follow referral rules, or Tricare Select, which comes with out-of-pocket fees at many visits, just like Tricare Reserve Select.

How much activated families on Tricare Select pay, however, depends on when the service member originally joined. If that date was before Jan. 1, 2018, the fees are tied to a schedule known as “Group A.” If they joined after that date, the fees are tied to the same schedule as Tricare Reserve Select, “Group B.” That means that, depending on original join-up date, your out-of-pocket fees on Tricare Select may be the same as they were on Tricare Reserve Select.

Out-of-Pocket Costs Don’t Reset When You Switch

When you switch plans due to activation or any change in status, such as retirement, your out-of-pocket fees don’t reset. That means if you already paid $600 toward your annual out-of-pocket max, known as the catastrophic cap, while on Tricare Reserve Select, you won’t reset to $0 paid when you’re switched to an active-duty family plan.

Your Premium Will Be Refunded

If you already paid your Tricare Reserve Select monthly premium, the money will be repaid by check at a prorated amount from the date of your active-duty orders. You can call your regional contractor to confirm that the reimbursement check has been processed.

Changing Back to Tricare Reserve Select

If you were active for 30 or more days for a contingency operation, typically an overseas deployment in support of the wars, you will receive 180 days of active-duty family Tricare through Tricare Select or Prime after your orders end.

If you are moving back to regular drilling Guard or Reserve status, you can shift back to Tricare Reserve Select as your activation time ends. You’ll owe the typical Tricare Reserve Select premium payment, and it must be turned in by mail with a Reserve Component Health Coverage Request Form (DD Form 2896-1) postmarked no later than 60 days after the loss of your active-duty coverage.

Dual Military Couples: What Benefits Are There?

When one military member marries another, the couple becomes a “dual military” couple, also known as mil-to-mil marriages. Different branches of service may use other terms.

Dual military couples are common, and the number of same-service couples may be larger than those who marry someone from a different branch of service. Army spouses, Air Force husbands and wives, Navy couples, Marine Corps families, and Coast Guard couples know there are more pay and higher allowances offered to married couples.

Here are some ways dual-military couples can benefit:

Double Retirement Pay For Dual Military Couples

This does NOT refer to a special program offering to double military retirement pay for mil-to-mil couples; at the time of this writing, such a program does not exist.

However, assuming both military members choose to remain in uniform until retirement-eligible, it’s easy to see that when both spouses draw military retirement pay, that effectively doubles the amount assuming the time-in-service, time-in-grade, and other variables match up.

Mil-to-mil couples who do not retire at the same rank and time-in-service (among other variables) may not draw the exact same amount of retirement pay.

Child Care Issues For Mil-To-Mil Couples

The military does not have a specific policy that offers childcare benefits to married couples.

All families are required by their branch of service to provide documentation outlining a childcare plan for contingencies such as deployments, TDY, etc.

One of the biggest advantages of being a military parent is the ability to use on-base childcare options such as Child Development Centers, Family Child Care offered in regulated private on-base homes, etc.

Childcare expenses are huge challenges for families, and CDC costs are based on rank among other factors. Lower-ranking (and lower-paid) enlisted service members won’t carry the same financial burden their more experienced and higher-ranking co-workers will.

In this area, the dual military couple has a distinct advantage. DoD school centers may prioritize dual-military family enrollment. There may be other resources DoD might offer as well. Check with your Family Readiness Group or Work Life Program for information to support you and your children’s transition.

When You Cannot Be Assigned Together As A Mil-To-Mil Couple

Plenty of military blogs discuss the benefits of the Join Spouse assignment option, but not everyone gets to take advantage. The mission comes first and the needs of the military may not include letting a mil-to-mil couple be reassigned to the same base.

In such cases, there is a Family Separation Allowance you may qualify for as a married service member (even if you are not a dual military couple). However, there are specific rules for claiming this allowance as a dual military couple:

  • You must be sent away from your family for more than 30 days due to receiving military orders.
  • The couple must be living together as a couple before the duty begins.
  • Only one person in the dual military couple can receive the allowance.
  • A dual military family that receives orders for each spouse is paid only once, to the highest-ranking service member of the couple.

Better Housing For Married Troops

The housing situation for Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, and Marines can be much improved over life in the barracks; married couples are not subject to the same kinds of living quarters inspections and communal living considerations that single service members have to deal with.

And the higher your rank, the better options you may have open to you depending on location and other factors.

Consider a typical military assignment to a new base where there is plenty of on-and off-post housing to choose from. An enlisted service member in the ranks of E1 through E3 (and in some cases E4s with less than four years of service or some similar standard) is not permitted to live in the local community. These troops are usually required to live in the barracks.

Married couples in the same rank/time-in-service situations are not subject to these requirements unless they are sent to an unaccompanied assignment where the family will not live.

Married troops (dual military or not) have choices that include privatized, on-base housing, as well as housing in the local community. Dual military couples don’t get any additional consideration in this area, but as it stands the housing situation is greatly improved for the married couple.

It should be pointed out here that the “better housing for couples” is not an intentional effort or policy by Defense Department leaders to offer married service members a better lifestyle, but in many areas, married couples do reap the benefit of their situation and the military’s willingness to provide higher allowances, better housing, etc.

A “Hidden” Mil-To-Mil Couples Benefit

Assuming both halves of a dual-military spouse situation have put in the required time-in-service requirements to qualify to apply for a VA home loan, a dual military couple has some unique alternatives that a single service member does not have quite the same access to. What does this mean?

VA loans require you to have full VA loan entitlement for the loan. Generally, if you have never used your VA loan benefits before, you have 100% of your entitlement remaining once you have your VA Certificate of Eligibility.

Dual military couples have a choice to make when it comes time to apply for a VA mortgage. They can both use their entitlement for the loan, and the borrower’s financial commitment to the loan is matched by the amount of entitlement. If two members apply and both use their VA loan entitlement, they are both charged half of that entitlement.

But a dual military couple has the option to use only one person’s VA loan entitlement, which means the other spouse has the ability to apply for another VA mortgage later on (assuming the borrower is financially qualified to do so).

The option of two VA home loans is a definite advantage.

Join-Spouse Or Joint Spouse Assignments

Military members often get reassigned to a new military base, installation, or even a deployment without the option to bring families along (i.e., military duty in parts of South Korea are “no dependents” tours, and all deployment situations are strictly “no dependents”.)

When a dual military couple faces the next round of PCS orders, they have the option to apply for a Join Spouse or Joint Spouse (the preferred term of the Air Force) assignment so that both can be given PCS orders to the new gaining base.

This is not always possible, and some reassignments involving mil-to-mil couples have them assigned to different bases roughly within a 100-mile radius or less. There are instances of mil-to-mil couples who have been deployed to war zones together or those who wind up in the same country at the same time but have to commute to be together.

Military couples must keep in mind that they are subject to the needs and whims of the military assignment system and it is best to have a detailed conversation with your detailer, Senior Chief, Chief of Personnel, or any other position that may have a direct effect on where you are assigned next as a couple or as an individual.

Ask the advice of your current assignments person to learn how to apply for joint assignments, but also talk to your unit orderly room to discuss how to claim the higher rates or added allowances if you are soon to be married, or recently married and in need of an update to your military records.

Food Allowances: Basic Allowance For Subsistence

Depending on where you are assigned, the cost of living in the area, and other factors, you and your dual military spouse may qualify to draw an allowance known as BAS, the Basic Allowance for Subsistence. BAS is intended to aid meal costs for service members. Both halves of the mil-to-mil couple can draw this allowance, effectively doubling it.

BAH Benefits For Married Troops

Consider the “with dependents rate” for BAH (the military housing allowance–a higher amount of housing money paid to the service member with one or more dependents. For this purpose, a spouse is considered a “dependent”, technically speaking). The single service member does not get this elevated rate, only married couples (dual military or not).

When a mil-to-mil couple draws BAH, a table is required to determine the couple’s BAH rates (per individual). Federal regulations governing BAH are found in the government publication Joint Travel Regulations, Chapters 8 through 10, which includes guidance on how BAH is paid to dual-military couples.

In mil-to-mil couples without dependent children, both spouses are paid without the dependents rate. If the couple has children, one spouse receives the with-dependent BAH rate, the other gets the single-rate BAH.

Other Factors You Should Know

The benefits of being a dual military couple can include being assigned together, drawing higher allowances (the “with-dependents” rate), getting better housing options, and better retirement pay numbers (assuming both spouses retire from military service).

But being a dual military couple has downsides, too–it’s important to anticipate these as much as it is to know your benefits and making sure you take everything you are entitled to.

Some military-related blogs have encouraged dual-military couples to do things like apply for reassignment to the highest-cost-of-living areas possible to maximize BAH payments and other benefits.

Military Family: How to Deal With Deployment

Preparing for military family deployment can seem like an uphill battle.

For one, your Family Readiness team (be it an officer, group or other) has probably handed you a to-do list that is several pages long.

Add in the fact that there’s the inevitable family you’re going to have to find time to see , preparations made around the house and normal family life to lead.

Forget normal life. Deployment changes everything. And it’ll start happening well before that deployment even starts. The Military Powers That Be divide deployment into three phases: pre-deployment, deployment and re-integration. This is called the Deployment Cycle and, while stress and exhaustion may be true for the cycle in full, you’ll find particular stressors in play for each cycle.

Pre-Deployment Logistics

During this phase, you’ll be doing everything you can to get your family ready for the realities of deployment and the potentialities. Here’s a checklist that will help. At the top of your list will be legal, financial and emotional preparation.

Legally, you’ll want to get everything that may be necessary taken care of: powers of attorney and wills, particularly, and anything else your unit recommends.

While wills can feel morbid, powers of attorney might not seem necessary — and both may entail discussion that you or your spouse may not be eager to have. Talk to your service member about what kinds of powers of attorney you should have while he is gone. Should anything go wrong, including you losing your military ID or needing to break a lease, you won’t be able to take care of the issue without one.

You will need to make financial preparations too. Between hazard pay, combat pay, flight pay, or any of the other additional pays that come with deployment, plus the non-taxable income, your bank account will look drastically different for a while — and it’s important you don’t blow it all on a fancy new Mustang.

Prepare the Family

Helping your family get ready for a deployment is easier when you take the advice of other spouses who have done it.

Children going through a deployment experience many of the same emotions as their grown counterparts, but have at their fingertips fewer of the resources to combat those problems. Learn how you can help them prepare for the separation as easily as possible and, while you’re at it, learn how you can expect the rest of your family to take deployment too.

Prepare Yourself

This one could also be called “steel yourself,” because two things are universal about deployments: (1) No deployment experience is the same; but (2) It’s going to require a lot from you, no matter what.

Combat deployments come with an unshakable shadow and stress every infantry spouse can explain with a single look. But non-combat deployments can also be very stressful. The gist: Stress, no matter what.

Before your partner deploys, make sure you find several healthy stress-relievers to help get you through. They will likely be your go-to when times get rough.

Deployment

To state the obvious: Deployment changes everything. The problem is you really don’t understand how until you’re in it, and even after you’ve done one, you can’t count on the next deployment being the same.

Learn how you can prepare for the impact it will have on your marriage and your family and prepare for the effect an unexpected extension might have.

Take the time to prepare some family rituals in advance that you can do during deployment.

Get involved with your Family Readiness Group.

You may even want to consider moving home while your spouse is gone. If that’s something you’re thinking about, make sure you weigh all the options in advance.

If you’re new to the military, you’re probably shaking your head in confusion. Who’s Uncle Murphy? If you’re not new, you already know: Murphy’s Law goes into effect the minute your spouse leaves. The car will break. The newly replaced air conditioner will suddenly need to be completely replaced again. The roof will collapse. And you will lose your keys.

Maybe none of those things will happen to you (we hope), but Murphy’s Law is there all the same — and it’s something you at least get to laugh about. The good news is this: Deployment may be a heavier time in your life, but it will definitely add in some hilarity. We promise.

In fact, even though none of us likes deployment, we all cherish the feeling of how wonderful it is to have your spouse return after such a long time away. Take the hard moments in stride. And celebrate the return with all you’ve got.

Reintegration

Your spouse is back! Hooray! The world is wonderful, your family is whole, and you are breathing for the first time in months. Congratulations! Now, welcome to (another) hard part.

Reintegration is great, but it brings with it its own challenges.

When you’ve been apart for months at a time, both of you inevitably grow and change — and reintegration is all about growing back to each other. While it happens, you can expect some ups and down. Somefights, some passion, and the road back to shared household duties.

No matter how much we wish it did, reintegration doesn’t happen immediately. But the more you prepare for it and the rest of deployment, the easier it will all be.

What is TAP? – The Transition Assistance Program Explained

The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is a partnership with the Departments of Defense (DoD), Veterans Affairs (VA), Transportation and the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS).  It was established to meet the needs of separating service members during their period of transition into civilian life by offering job-search assistance and related services.

TAP helps service members and their spouses in the following ways:

    • Provides comprehensive workshops at select military installations with professionally-trained workshop facilitators from the State Employment Services, military family support services, Department of Labor contractors, or VETS’ staff present the workshops.
    • Training and employment information to armed forces members within 180 days of separation or retirement.
    • Attendees learn about:
      • Job searches
      • Pre-separation counseling
      • Relocation assistance
      • Career decision-making
      • Resume and cover letter writing
      • Interviewing techniques
      • Evaluation of employability relative to the job market
      • Information on veterans benefits including education and training, health and life insurance
      • Services members separating from the military with a service-connected disability are offered the Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP).
      • Current occupational and labor market conditions
      • Attendees at DTAP learn about:
        • Address any special needs of disabled veterans
        • Everything included in TAP
        • Additional instruction to help determine job readiness

(Spouses are also encouraged to attend benefits briefings and meet with Benefits Advisors.)

Transition Assistance Program Updates

The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act made changes to the TAP program and are effective for all service branches on October 1, 2019.

TAP Changes:

  • Service members will need to complete their initial counseling with a TAP adviser and fill out their personal self-assessment, also known as an individual transition plan, no later than 365 days before retirement or the end of their enlistment.
  • Service members can choose on two-days of instruction called tracks; these include: DOL Employment Track, DOL Vocational Track, DoD Higher Education Track, and SBA Entrepreneurship Track.

Transition Assistance Program Steps

  • The Capstone event – Commanders verify achievement of career readiness standards and a viable ITP, must happen no later than 90 days before separation. Capstone remains the culminating event for TAP.
  • Transition from the military to civilian life must begin no later than 365 days prior to transition for those who are separating or retiring.
  • Pre-separation counseling commences which covers benefits, entitlements and resources for eligible transitioning service members.
  • DoD Pre-Separation Training Day – An eight-hour day which includes curriculum modules on building resiliency by managing your own transition (MyTransition), a Military Occupational Code Crosswalk.
  • Individualized initial counseling (IC) between the service member and a TAP counselor begins and includes a personal self-assessment/Individual Transition Plan (ITP).
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides VA Benefits and Services Brief, formerly known as VA Benefits I and II.
  • The Department of Labor (DOL) will provide a required DOL One-Day Brief on employment.
  • The transitioning service member may elect one or more of these tracks; DOL Employment Track, DOL Vocational Track, DoD Higher Education Track, and SBA Entrepreneurship Track.

Military Spouses: Can They Get Veterans Disability Compensation?

Surviving military spouses can sometimes receive veterans disability compensation. This benefit is called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and it is paid on a monthly basis. DIC is available to a surviving military spouse (a widow or widower) and his or her dependent children. In some cases, a dependent parent may also be eligible for DIC.

You are eligible for DIC if VA considers you a surviving spouse (see below), and your military spouse died either:

  • while receiving VA disability compensation for at least:
    • 10 or more years, right up until he or she died.
    • from the time of discharge for at least five years up until she or he died, or
    • for at least one year, if your spouse had been a prisoner of war.
  • while on active duty
  • as a result of a service-connected injury or illness, or
  • while on active duty for training or inactive duty training

How Does VA Define “Surviving Spouse”?

The VA will recognize you as a surviving spouse if one of the following is true.

  • You were married to the veteran before January 1, 1957.
  • You were married to the veteran for at least a year.
  • You were married for any length of time and your spouse died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.
  • You had a child with the veteran, and
    • you were living with the veteran until his or her death, or
    • you were separated, and the separation was not your fault.
  • You married the veteran within 15 years of his or her discharge from service, and the injury or illness that caused the veteran’s death started in military service, or was made worse by service.

How Much Money Will I Receive?  

 Currently DIC pays $1,154 per month. If you have any children under age 18, your monthly benefit will be increased by $286 for each child. If you are housebound or need help to perform basic tasks of daily living, you will receive additional monthly benefits. To determine how much your monthly benefit might be, see the  VA benefit amounts for DIC.

If you receive benefits for your children under age 18, you will generally only receive this additional benefit for two years. Or the additional benefit for your children may stop earlier if your children reach age 18 before two years have passed.

However, if you have a disabled child, the child will remain eligible for DIC even after they reach age 18 or two years have passed.

What if I Have Remarried?

It depends on when you got remarried.

If you remarried before reaching age 57 or before December 16, 2003, the VA will not consider you a surviving spouse, even if you meet the above requirements.

If you remarried after you were age 57, and after December 16, 2003, the VA will consider you a surviving spouse.

Other Benefits

There are other survivor benefits that you and your children may be eligible for in addition to DIC, such as educational assistance, health care,and assistance with certain burial costs.

VA Pension

If you are not eligible for Disability and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), the VA may find that you are eligible for a  VA Pension. VA Pensions do pay less than DIC and are needs-based, but if your spouse’s death wasn’t service connected and your spouse wasn’t receiving disability compensation at the time of death, it’s your only alternative. If you are on a limited income and your military spouse served during wartime, you may be eligible to receive a VA Pension.

Being a Military Spouse: Going Back to School

As a military spouse, furthering your education can benefit your family in many ways.  Financially, it can certainly boost your earning power and help widen your career opportunities.  On a personal level, acquiring a higher education can translate to a feeling of accomplishment that allows you to feel confident about investing in yourself, your career, and your future.  The following tips provide a great starting point for military spouses who wish to go back to college.

1.   Choose the right College for You

There are variety of factors to consider based on individual circumstances and career goals.  Research and speak to at least a few colleges in order to compare.  By speaking to several colleges, they will often times present valuable points you might not have already considered.  Create a pros and cons list of each and then decide.

2.    Think about your overall career and personal goals.

Choose to focus on something that interests you both personally and professionally. Aim for a career that puts you at a desirable pay level, offers a decent work-life balance, and gives you overall satisfaction in your endeavors.

3.    Be flexible.

You may need to adjust your career goals based on cost, job availability, deployment or relocation of your spouse, and an overall ability of your family to function if you choose to pursue any form of college.  Make sure that you are realistic with your goals and adapt them to ensure the health and stability of your finances and your family.

4.    Consider hidden costs.

In addition to tuition costs, going back to school necessitates transportation, book, and childcare expenses.  If you currently have a job, you will also need to factor in the lost income when you make your decision to go back to school. Basically, you need to make sure that going back to school is financially feasible.

5.   Contemplate different courses of study.

Depending on your chosen field, you need to explore the various means for acquiring the necessary skills to enter into your desired profession.  You may need professional license, certification, associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree.  These vary greatly in both time and cost, so it’s necessary to weigh these considerations with what is recommended to acquire the best jobs in your field.

6.  Make sure the timing is right

Juggling a family and work while taking on the additional responsibility of going back to school can be overwhelming.  Consider how much bandwidth you have to attend class and study.

7.    Look into distance learning programs.

Military families face frequent re-locations, often making it difficult to complete local education programs.  Distance learning programs provide flexibility that can be hugely beneficial to the unpredictable nature of being a military spouse.

8.   Appeal Transfer Credits

If you have college credits from a previous school and get denied credit at your current school, be sure to challenge.  Most schools have a process for a challenge and your advisor or counselor should be able to assist.  Typically, more information is requested such as a course description or syllabus.  Challenges are often successful upon offering additional information for those hard-earned grades you earned in previous classes.  If most of your credits are not accepted another option is to look at other schools that are more closely aligned in curriculum or accreditation and possibly have transfer agreements in place e.g., junior colleges with local universities.

9.    Utilize resources for financial assistance.
There are a variety of programs that can help to offset the cost of going back to school for military spouses.  Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) is a program for military spouses that can cover up to $4000 worth of costs for military spouses seeking an associate degree, license, or credential.  Many state colleges and universities offer non-resident active-duty service members and their families in-state tuition rates regardless of the duration of residence. There are also many scholarship programs that provide various methods of financial aid, as well as low-interest federal loans.  Each branch of the military also offers financial assistance to spouses who reside in the United States while their service members are stationed overseas.

10.    Research the job market in your chosen field.

Are there readily available opportunities in this particular field?  Furthermore, are there specific areas of the country where this profession is not as lucrative? If there are limited job opportunities, it might not be worth the time and money to obtain a degree or certification if there is the possibility that it will not result in a successful career.  If this is the case, you may want to consider opportunities in related fields and use your original goal to navigate a new, more promising career path.

A Guide to Veterans’s Success

The Department Of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs have long affirmed their commitment to military education for active duty, Guard, Reserve, and military dependents whether spouses or children. But the DoD and VA efforts are not without support from other government agencies such as the Department of Education (DoE). Did you know the U.S. Department of Education has its own compact with well over two thousand colleges nationwide?
The Eight Keys To Veterans’ Success program is a voluntary partnership between schools and the DoE; this partnership involves providing veterans, currently serving military, military spouses and military college-age children a welcoming and consistent learning environment.
The Eight Keys To Veterans’ Success
The official list created by the federal government includes the following eight precepts that member institutions volunteer to abide by. It should be noted that agreeing to these principles is not considered compliance with the Department of Defense Memorandum Of Understanding all colleges must agree to in order to receive federal education funds such as GI Bill payments.
The eight keys are as follows, as presented by the DoE official site:
  • Utilize a uniform set of data tools to collect and track information on veterans, including demographics, retention, and degree completion.
  • Provide comprehensive professional development for faculty and staff on issues and challenges unique to veterans.
  • Ensure consistent and sustained support from campus leadership.
  • Implement an early alert system to ensure all veterans receive academic, career, and financial advice before challenges become overwhelming.
  • Collaborate with local communities and organizations, including government agencies, to align and coordinate various services for veterans.
  • Develop systems that ensure sustainability of effective practices for veterans.
  • Create a culture of trust and connectedness across the campus community to promote well-being and success for veterans.
  • Coordinate and centralize campus efforts for all veterans, together with the creation of a designated space for them (even if limited in size)

But Wait, There’s More

Schools who sign up to agree to implement the Eight Keys To Veterans’ Success are also encouraged by the VA and the DoE to agree to a second agreement called the Principles Of Excellence Program. This is another collaborative effort between the Department of Education and the DoD/VA.

According to the official site, the Principles of Excellence are guidelines “for educational institutions receiving funding from the VA.”

The Principles of Excellence guidelines include the following:

  • Align institutional refund policies with those under Title IV, which governs the administration of federal student financial aid programs.
  • End fraudulent and aggressive recruiting techniques and misrepresentations.
  • Provide students with a personalized form covering the total cost of an education program.
  • Accommodate Service members and Reservists absent due to service requirements.
  • Designate a point of contact to provide academic and financial advice.
  • Ensure accreditation of all new programs prior to enrolling students.
  • Provide educational plans for all military and Veteran education beneficiaries.