3 Important Questions About Army CA Benefits
The Department of Defense began the Army Credential Assistance Program (Army CA) in 2019 to help service members transition into civilian life. The program helps cover tuition and miscellaneous expenses for students interested in career changes, and helps enhance the skills and qualifications necessary to pursue a new career.
To learn more about the Army CA benefits and your eligibility, review the information below.
What Does Army CA Offer?
Army military members can receive up to $4,000 through the Army Credentialing Assistance Program that can be put towards an online career training diploma. This benefit covers the full cost of tuition for courses offered through Blackstone such as Paralegal Assistant, Dental Office Assistant, Childcare Provider, Medical Office Assistant, and more.
These online career training programs are designed to help soldiers prepare for life after the military by providing opportunities for service members to earn professional and technical credits, increasing their employment opportunities after being discharged.
As part of the program there are a few aspects that the Army will provide compensation for including fund training, books, mandatory fees, exams, and recertification. It is important to note that the Army will be paying for the costs associated with this program so soldiers should not submit any form of payment.
Providing these additional benefits is a way for career schools, like Blackstone, to provide quality training at no cost to service members as they embark on their journey of pursuing a fulfilling career.
Who is Eligible?
Any Army personnel interested in taking one of Blackstone’s accredited programs is eligible to apply for the CA program when they meet the basic Federal TA eligibility requirements, are not flagged under provisions of AR 600-8-2, are not contracted under the ROTC cadet scholarship where they are receiving tuition and fees or room and board, or are part of the Green to Gold ROTC program cadet.
In addition, soldiers must be active members who have enough time remaining in their service with the army to complete the required coursework to receive their diploma before leaving the military.
How Do I Start?
Students are directed to explore their options on the Army Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) website, where their credentials can then be aligned to Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) or an Additional Skill Identifier (ASI).
From there, you select your desired credential, and apply for the Credentialing Assistance Funding. Once your request is submitted and approved, you can earn your credential, which would be covered through the Army CA benefits. It is important to note that requests are to be submitted 45 days before the desired enrollment date to accommodate for this timeframe.
The new CA path, which was reworked in 2020, has over 500 credentials completed, with 8,500-plus degrees completed, proving that it is an invaluable resource to service members.
Once you receive confirmation that your benefits have been processed, you can then navigate to our Online Enrollment Form and complete your personal information. Once you reach the payment plan portion of the form, you will then select “Army CA,” meaning that no down payment or additional tuition payments will be collected.
Blackstone’s Army CA History
Blackstone is proud to be a military friendly school for the past ten years. BCI courses are ideal for military men, women and their spouses. Our core philosophy Education…Anytime, Anywhere supports a balance of work, life, and education.
Our effective, technology-driven programs and services focus on course quality and student satisfaction. And our daily rolling admission gives you the flexibility and freedom to get started, prepare for your new career, and graduate debt-free.
Blackstone is proud to be included in the list of regionally accredited online schools. In addition to this philosophy, Blackstone accepts Army CA, MyCAA, DEA Program, Selected Reserve, Vocational Rehabilitation, and GI Bill benefits.
We look forward to serving your educational needs through the continually advancing options we provide for military service members and their families.
