Watertown — The 10th Mountain Division is one of the Army’s most deployed divisions. Deployments are not only difficult for soldiers, but also challenging for their families that are left to care for the home alone and support deployed soldiers from afar.
New programs are available to help Army spouses through the challenges of deployments or the numerous PCS (permanent change of station) moves. One great resource that military spouses can take advantage of is a Military spouse scholarship known as MYCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts), a program that was re-opened in October of 2010. Spouses can receive up to $4,000 towards their education in approved programs. The approved programs are designed to be trades and professions that are portable and most likely to assist unemployed military spouses in finding work. Some of the requirements taken directly from Military.com MYCAA info page are listed below.
• Be available to spouses of active duty service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2. Including the spouses of activated Guard and Reserve members within those ranks. Spouses of Guard and Reserve members must be able to start and complete their courses while their sponsor is on Title 10 orders.
• Offer a maximum financial benefit of $4,000 with a fiscal year cap of $2,000. Waivers will be available for spouses pursuing licensure or certification up to the total maximum assistance of $4,000
• Require military spouses to finish their program of study within three years from the start date of the first course
• Be limited to associate degrees, certification and licensures
For more information on finding approved careers, schools and programs Military spouses can go directly to MYCAA. Another helpful tool is this MYCAA frequently asked questions PDF. Military Wives living in the Watertown, New York area can attend Jefferson Community College, one nearby college that accepts MYCAA scholarships. ABC50 interviewed Eric Constance, Director of the Small Business Development Center for details.
