Spouses receive funding to pursue degree

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Patrice Clarke
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Diane Rhinehart is ready to compete in the job market once her and her active-duty husband return to the United States next summer. During her stay here, the mother of four has completed her master's degree in education from the University of Phoenix with the help of the Air Force.

Mrs. Rhinehart is one of several military spouses who are utilizing the Air Force's Spouse Tuition Assistance Program for overseas families. Through the program, Rhinehart has received $1,500 a year in tuition for her master's degree.

"It's a great opportunity to get financial assistance for an education, especially for people who don't qualify for educational grants … which I didn't," said Mrs. Rhinehart, who completed her student teaching last month at Incirlik Elementary School.

The Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) is part of the Air Force Aid Society, which provides funding for Air Force personnel and families for education, emergency leave, child care for PCS, scholarship programs and much more. For the current fiscal year, Incirlik received $27,000 for STAP, according to Jim Kenney, an assistant for the Air Force Aid Society at Incirlik. Last year, STAP only used $22,232.

"We won't use that much this year. Enrollment is down a little bit. I think the largest term we had included about 20 spouses who were using the funds," said Mr. Kenney. "I wish more people would take advantage of it. If we used all the money we could probably get more. But, it is a financial obligation. We're only offering help, they still have to cover the cost of the rest of their tuition and books."

Under STAP, spouses are allotted up to 50 percent of tuition or a maximum of $300 per term — five terms are held a year at Incirlik — and must attend one of the five universities and colleges who are contracted with the program.

Three of the five schools — Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Maryland and Central Texas College — offer day, night and weekend classes on base. The University of Phoenix and the University of Oklahoma offer online courses.

"It's really easy to get the money," said Shay Tull-Cook, 39th Mission Support Squadron education technician. "You basically submit some paperwork to us and we send the money to the school you've been accepted to."

The paperwork includes the STAP form, a copy of the active-duty spouse's leave and earning statement, a copy of the applicant's leave and earning statement, and a copy of all financial aid documents an applicant may have qualified for from the government.
"The best advice I have is to check out the schools we work with and once you find one you like, apply, and then come to us once you've been accepted," said Ms. Tull-Cook, who is currently working on her master's degree from the University of Maryland. "It's free money."

However, students receiving funding are expected to pass the courses. An undergraduate student must receive a grade of C or better and a graduate student must receive a B or better. If not, the student must pay the Air Force back. Funding from the program is distributed to enlisted spouses first and officer spouses second. Also, applicants who are working on their associate's or bachelor's degrees get first priority.
Rhinehart also received STAP funding while working on her bachelor's degree while stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy.

"There are so few people here (Incirlik) using the program I had no problem getting approved to work on my master's. There were a lot of people working on degrees at Aviano. I doubt I would have received assistance for my master's there," she said.

Mr. Kenney and Ms. Tull-Cook would both like to see enrollment go up at Incirlik. Not only does STAP provide funding, but most of the credits offered through the five schools will transfer to other colleges or may be completed online in case of a move.

"We have a 100 percent approval rate for STAP applicants at this base. We have enlisted spouses taking courses and we have officer spouses taking courses, both undergraduate and graduate. It's simply a good base to work on your education — the money is here and there is no commute," said Ms. Tull-Cook.

Registration for the next term will begin in August, but all three schools on campus and the Incirlik Education Center, located next to the Incirlik High School, are available for more information until then.

"It's a question of if you would rather earn $8 an hour or $19 an hour," said Mr. Kenney. "Earning that college degree is going to put you a step ahead and open up more and better jobs for you."