We understand that your spouse’s deployments or frequent moves may prevent you from beginning or even finishing your degree. The life of a military spouse includes living on a flexible schedule, learning to quickly adapt to change, and providing for your family while your partner is on duty. Having a career means more than simply getting a job at your partner’s duty station. A flexible, stable career is possible for military spouses – one with career potential nationwide. With Chattahoochee Valley Community College, you can get the career training you need with military spouse benefits.

There are specific benefits available to military spouses – known as MyCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Account Program)– meaning that you have the opportunity to enroll in a career training program at virtually no charge to you. With little or no out-of-pocket costs, there’s nothing standing in the way of preparing for a new career. MyCAA is a Department of Defense (DoD) program that provides financial assistance to spouses of active duty military members and spouses of activated Guard and Reserve service members (deployed for a year or more) for certification, licensure, education or training in careers in high-growth, high-demand occupations.

With a focus on the original intent of the program – helping spouses of service members to achieve portable careers – the Defense Department’s financial assistance program is:

• Available to spouses of active duty service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2
• Offers 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
• Requires military spouses to finish their program of study within three years from the start date of the first course
• Limited to associate degrees, certification and licensures

You can get started right away by following these Step-By-Step instructions:

1. Apply to CVCC for MyCAA *eligible program
2. Open a MyCAA account at http://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/resources/spouse-faq
3. Complete and submit a spouse profile
4. MyCAA will verify spouse DEERS eligibility
5. Once you are approved as eligible for a MyCAA account, you will create a Career and Training Plan that will outline your training goals. You will also submit your request for financial assistance. Both your plan and FA request will be made within 30 days of your course start date.