ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE ROUTINE R 041955Z FEB 00 ZYBW MIN PSN 766661J32 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N7// TO NAVADMIN UNCLAS//01500// NAVADMIN 015/00 MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO N7// SUBJ/GRADUATE EDUCATION VOUCHER PROGRAM, FORMERLY THE TUITION ASSURANCE PROGRAM// REF/A/10 USC 2005/US CODE// REF/B/DODDIR 1322.10/DOD/31AUG90// REF/C/OPNAV INST 1520.23B/OP-114/01OCT91// NARR/REF A IS STATUTE THAT SPECIFIES EDUCATION RELATED ACTIVE DUTY AGREEMENTS AND REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS. REF B SETS ACTIVE DUTY OBLIGATION OF OFFICERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED FULLY- FUNDED OR PARTIALLY FUNDED EDUCATION. REF C PROVIDES PROCEDURAL GUIDANCE FOR THE NAVY'S GRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAM. POC/R. GRIMM/CDR/N73H/TEL: 703-614-1321/TEL:DSN 224-1321// RMKS/1. THIS NAVADMIN PROVIDES DETAILS ON THE GRADUATE EDUCATION VOUCHER (GEV) PROGRAM (FORMERLY THE TUITION ASSURANCE -- TASS -- PROGRAM) AND GUIDANCE FOR FY00-01 PROGRAM APPLICATION. THE PROGRAM TITLE "GRADUATE EDUCATION VOUCHER" HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO REPLACE "TASS" TO AVOID POSSIBLE CONFUSION WITH THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 2. THE GEV PROGRAM PROVIDES UP TO $40,000 FOR TWO YEARS OF OFF- DUTY GRADUATE EDUCATION FOR UNRESTRICTED LINE OFFICERS (URL) WHOSE CAREER PATHS PROVIDE LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL TIME GRADUATE EDUCATION. ELIGIBILITY IS OPEN TO O-3 THROUGH O-6 ACTIVE-DUTY LIST URL OFFICERS FROM THE 1110, 1120, 1130, 1140 AND 13X0 COMMUNITIES WITH DEMONSTRATED SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AND UPWARD CAREER MOBILITY. APPLICANTS SHOULD BE TRANSFERRING TO, OR CURRENTLY ON, SHORE DUTY WITH SUFFICIENT TIME ASHORE TO COMPLETE A MASTERS' DEGREE PROGRAM. OFFICERS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN A QUALIFYING MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM USING TUITION ASSISTANCE, ANY OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, OR PAYING PRIVATELY ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE GEV PROGRAM, HOWEVER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY PREVIOUSLY PAID EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES. OFFICERS WHO ALREADY HAVE A GRADUATE DEGREE FUNDED USING ANY DOD ASSISTANCE OR VETERAN'S EDUCATION BENEFITS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE. 3. GEV WILL COVER 100 PERCENT OF A SELECTED OFFICER'S GRADUATE EDUCATION COST (TUITION, BOOKS AND REGISTRATION/APPLICATION FEES) UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 20,000 DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR UP TO 24 MONTHS FROM THE TIME OF ENROLLMENT, NOT TO EXCEED 40,000 DOLLARS FOR THE ENTIRE PROGRAM. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS APPLY ON BOOKS AND FEES COVERED. FOR FY-01, THERE ARE 90 PLANNED QUOTAS, APPORTIONED AS FOLLOWS: SURFACE WARFARE OFFICERS - 23, SUBMARINE OFFICERS - 30, AVIATION OFFICERS - 33 AND SPECWAR/SPECOPS OFFICERS - 4. ADDITIONALLY, SOME FY-00 QUOTAS ARE AVAILABLE. CNO N7 WILL ADVISE NPC THE NUMBER OF FY-00 QUOTAS AVAILABLE BY 15 MARCH. 4. GEV FUNDING IS AUTHORIZED FOR NAVY RELEVANT MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMS WHICH MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF AT LEAST ONE APPROVED NAVY SUBSPECIALTY AS VERIFIED BY NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL (NPS). APPROVED SUBSPECIALTIES MAY BE GRANTED FOR DEGREES EARNED AT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ACCREDITED BY A REGIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING COURSES OF STUDY BY DISTANCE LEARNING OR OTHER "NON-TRADITIONAL" MEANS MUST MEET THESE SAME REQUIREMENTS. FURTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING QUALIFYING PROGRAMS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE NPS CIVILIAN INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM OFFICE (CODE 031A) AT (831)656-4654/3605, DSN 878-4654/3605 OR E-MAIL: 031A@NPS.NAVY.MIL. 5. THE NAVAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER (NETPDTC) ADMINISTERS PAYMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GEV PROGRAM THROUGH ITS NAVY COLLEGE OFFICES USING PROCEDURES SIMILAR TO THOSE CURRENTLY USED FOR THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. FUNDING GUIDANCE WILL BE PROVIDED TO THOSE OFFICERS SELECTED FOR THE GEV PROGRAM. 6. OFFICERS USING GEV BENEFITS SHALL AGREE TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM (OF AFTER DISENROLLING FROM THE PROGRAM IF BENEFITS WERE USED) FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF MONTHS OF EDUCATION COMPLETED UP TO A MAXIMUM OBLIGATION OF THIRTY-SIX MONTHS. THIS OBLIGATION IS DISCHARGED CONCURRENTLY WITH ANY OTHER SERVICE OBLIGATION ALREADY INCURRED. THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE NAVY TO RETAIN THE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY. IF AN OFFICER FAILS TO COMPLETE THE PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY SPECIFIED IN THE AGREEMENT, SUCH OFFICER WILL REIMBURSE THE UNITED STATES FOR COST OF THE ADVANCED EDUCATION RECEIVED, PRORATED FOR THE OBLIGATED TIME SERVED. REFS A AND B APPLY. OFFICERS COMPLETING A DEGREE USING GEV BENEFITS SHOULD EXPECT TO SERVE ONE TOUR IN A SUBSPECIALTY BILLET NOT LATER THAN THE SECOND TOUR FOLLOWING GRADUATION PER REF C. 7. OFFICERS INTERESTED IN THE GEV PROGRAM FOR FY 00-01 SHOULD SUBMIT A WRITTEN REQUEST TO THEIR DETAILER USING THE FORMAT BELOW. THE APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT GEV SELECTION IS 15 MARCH 00. FOR SHIPS AT SEA, APPLICATIONS VIA NAVAL MESSAGE CONTAINING THE REQUISITE INFORMATION WILL BE ACCEPTED. NPC PERS 41/42/43 WILL COLLATE REQUESTS FOR GEV, REVIEW APPLICANT PERFORMANCE RECORDS CONSIDERING EACH APPLICANT'S SPECIFIC CAREER REQUIREMENTS AND PROPOSE SLATES OF NOMINEES TO THE CORRESPONDING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP (CNO N86/87/88) FOR FINAL SELECTION. SELECTEES WILL BE NOTIFIED BY THEIR DETAILERS NLT FOUR WEEKS AFTER APPLICATION DEADLINE. NPC (PERS 4) WILL PROVIDE APPROVED SLATES WHICH INCLUDE: NAME, RANK, DESIG, SSN, COMMAND, COMMAND ADDRESS, PRD, MAILING ADDRESS, WORK PHONE, HOME PHONE AND E-MAIL TO: DIRECTOR OF CIVILIAN INSTITUTIONS PROGRAMS, NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, CODE 031A, 1588 CUNNINGHAM ROAD, HERRMANN HALL, ROOM 220E, MONTEREY, CA 93943-5143 AND TO COMMANDING OFFICER NETPDTC, CODE N2, 6490 SAUFLEY FIELD ROAD, PENSACOLA FL 32509-5204. NPS WILL PROVIDE SELECTED OFFICERS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE ON NECESSARY ACTION/PROCEDURES BY SEPARATE CORRESPONDENCE, INCLUDING HOW TO APPLY FOR GEV FUNDS EACH TERM. NPS MUST PROVIDE TENTATIVE APPROVAL FOR EACH SELECTEE'S SPECIFIC DEGREE PLAN BEFORE HE/SHE CAN USE GEV BENEFITS. 8. APPLICATIONS WILL BE TAKEN AGAIN IN OCT 00. 9. REQUEST SHOULD BE SUBMITTED USING THE FOLLOWING FORMAT: FROM: (GRADE, FULL NAME, SSN/DESIGNATOR) TO: COMMANDER, NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND (PERS 41/42/43 AS APPROPRIATE) VIA: COMMANDING OFFICER SUBJ: REQUEST FOR GRADUATE EDUCATION VOUCHER REF: (A) NAVADMIN XXX/XX (THIS NAVADMIN) 1. I REQUEST SELECTION FOR THE GRADUATE EDUCATION VOUCHER PROGRAM. I MEET ALL THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS SPECIFIED IN REFERENCE A. MY PRD IS (DATE) AND I AM INTERESTED IN PURSUING GRADUATE STUDIES AT (SCHOOL) IN (SUBJECT)(IF KNOWN) WHILE I AM SERVING AS THE (BILLET) FOR (COMMAND)(IF KNOWN). I CURRENTLY DO NOT HOLD A GRADUATE DEGREE FUNDED WITH ANY DOD ASSISTANCE OR VETERAN'S EDUCATION BENEFITS. 2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/JUSTIFICATION. 3. I UNDERSTAND THAT IF SELECTED FOR THIS PROGRAM I SHALL REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM (OR AFTER DEENROLLING FROM THE PROGRAM IF BENEFITS WERE USED), FOR A PERIOD EQUAL TO THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF MONTHS OF EDUCATION COMPLETED UP TO A MAXIMUM OBLIGATION OF THIRTY-SIX MONTHS. THIS OBLIGATION IS DISCHARGED CONCURRENTLY WITH ANY OTHER SERVICE OBLIGATION THAT I MAY ALREADY HAVE INCURRED. THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE NAVY TO RETAIN ME ON ACTIVE DUTY. 4. I CAN BE CONTACTED AT (HOME/WORK MAILING ADDRESS, HOME/WORK PHONE NUMBER, E-MAIL). 10. QUESTIONS REGARDING THE GEV PROGRAM SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO DETAILERS OR POC LISTED IN THIS MESSAGE. 11. RELEASED BY VADM J. W. CRAINE, JR, N7.// BT