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Military Voluntary Education Tuition Assistance The Military Tuition Assistance (TA) program provides financial assistance for voluntary off-duty education programs in support of a Service Member's professional and personal self-development goals. All Active Duty Service Members (officers, warrant officers, enlisted) are authorized to participate in the TA program (subject to qualifying criteria). This includes members of the Active Guard Reserve, as well as Reserve Component Service Members who are activated under U.S. Code Title 10 or Title 32. The Department of Defense (DoD) has directed a uniform TA fiscal policy across the military services. Currently, the established semester hour cap is $250 and each Servicemember has an annual ceiling of $4,500. Each Service has their TA Policy but it can not exceed the DoD uniform TA Policy. WHALE WATCHING – Cape Ann – Military Discount with ID - Military receive $5 off whale watching tours Monday through Friday at 10am and Saturday/Sunday at 8:30am and 1:30pm. Group rates are also available for 10 or more people: $25 for adults and $17 for children. For reservations, call 1-800-877-5110 and say you have a military ID. BOSTON RED SOX TICKETS – STANDING ROOM ONLY – Active military members and a friend can enjoy a RED SOX game for $10.00 per ticket. Two tickets per ACTIVE military ID allowed – sold on a first-come first-serve basis at Gate B before games. About 100 tickets are sold every home game, so go early! Demands are less for weekday games.
ANNUAL DISNEY SUMMER FUN MOVIE GIVE-AWAY – 2009 Dozens of New Titles just received at USO! - Disney has generously donated 2500 great movies on DVD to be distributed to our military members . Visit the USO Office or call to have the available title list emailed to you. Two DVDs per family. All DVDs must be picked up at the USO Office. USO also distributes the Disney movies at base locations during special events, so look for the USO booth! DISCOUNTED TOURS AND COMPLIMENTARY TOURS! The USO offers an array of free and discounted tickets on shows, museums, and tours, so take a look at what we have to offer – there is something for everyone! Check out our “What’s Hot” each week for one-time special offers and programs. FREE SHOWS THE SOPRANOS LAST SUPPER: A spoof of the EMMY winning series. Check on line for dates and locations www.comedywedding.com, and then call USO 617-720-4949 for reservations. Must call USO on Thursday for a Saturday show. MARIA’S BACHELORETTE PA RTY: Maria’s getting married and her friends are throwing the hottest party of the century for her – complete with male dancers! R rated evening out for the girls! Check on line for date and locations www.comedywedding.com, and then call USO 617-720-4949 for reservations. Must call USO on Thursday for a Saturday show. JOEY AND MARIA’S COMEDY ITALIAN WEDDING: Now in the twelfth year! Join the Cavatellis and the Gnocchis for a night of nutty nuptials. Check on line for dates and locations www.comedywedding.com and then call USO 617-720-4949 for reservations. Must call USO on Thursday for a Saturday show. SHEAR MADNESS: Charles Playhouse, 74 Warrenton St. Tues., Wed. and Thurs. at 8 PM. Sun.3PM and 7PM. Set in a hairstyling salon that is the scene of a wacky murder, Shear Madness is the uproarious whodunit where the audience gets to solve the crime. Complimentary same-day reservations can be made by 3:30PM through the USO pending availability. Limit of two guests per active service ID. Donations directly to the USO appreciated. LE GRAND DAVID MAGIC SHOW: Cabot Str eet Cinema Theatre: 286 Cabot St. Beverly, MA. A magic show for kids and adults at the beautiful, nostalgic Cabot Street Theatre in Beverly, MA. Shows are at 3:00 p.m. on Sundays. Please call the USO on Friday for Sunday’s performance. Tickets are complimentary. The theatre will typically accommodate all dependents as well. TURTLE LANE PLAYHOUSE: 283 Melrose St., Newton. Thurs, Fri. and Sat. 8PM. Sun. 2PM. Check the website for show schedules and information: www.turtlelane.org. Call USO at 617-720-4949 for reservations. BLUE MAN GROUP: Charles Playhouse, 74 Warrenton St. The USO periodically receives complimentary tickets, so if you would like to be on the USO Blue Man waitlist, please email us at tickets@uso-newengland.org. DICK DOHERTY’S COMEDY VAULT: Located at 124 Boylston St. at Remington’s Restaurant. The USO offers 2-for-1 tickets ($12 Sunday through Thursday, $20 Fridays & Saturdays). Note: These tickets are not complimentary! Please call the USO office or stop by to reserve your tickets! IMPROV ASYLUM THEATER: 216 Hanover St. (In the North End). Wed. & Thurs. 8PM, Fri. 8PM and 10PM. Recommended for those 17+. Call the USO for complimentary tickets, pending availability. NICK'S COMEDY STOP: Boston. 100 Warrenton St. Theatre District. Thurs. and Fri: 8:30 PM. All ages welcome! Complimentary same-day reservations by 3:30PM through the USO, pending availability. DISCOUNTED TOURS:USO offers the lowest prices available for military on these tours: SUPER DUCK EXCURSIONS – Great discounts through the USO. “Swim the streets of Boston” on the Super Duck Tours for just $20! You can also choose to take a trolley tour of Boston and Cambridge for $25 or combine both duck and trolley tour for just $37.50. Great educational fun for a reasonable price! Discount extends to=2 0military spouse and dependents. For specific details and more information, visit their website at: www.superduckexcursions.com. Contact the USO office to make reservations. OLD TOWN TROLLEY TOURS - Significant military discounts. Tickets can be purchased at the USO office. One day pass -$24.00. Second day a $16.00 charge for adults, Children 3-12 are $10/day. Children under 3 are free. Complete narrated tour of Boston from the North End to Back Bay and Kendall Square, Cambridge. You can get on and off the trolley at your leisure. Tickets include a free tour of the Old State House Museum and lots of coupons. Don’t forget to get your complimentary Souvenir Guidebook (an $8 value) from either your driver or at stop #1 or #4). *********************************************************************************** Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) The Department of Defense’s expanded Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program is now offering up to $6,000 to military spouses who are interested in pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to careers in high growth, high demand portable career fields. Spouses of active duty members and activated members of the National Guard and Reserve Components are eligible for MyCAA. MyCAA Financial Assistance pays for expenses such as post-secondary education and training, tuition, licensing, and credentialing fees. This includes degree programs (e.g. associates, bachelors, masters, doctoral and post doctoral), continuing education classes (including those offered through professional associations at conferences), Bar, CPA and other similar exams, state certifications for teachers, medical professionals and similar licensed professionals, and services required to become employed in portable career fields (e.g. finger printing, security checks, drug tests, etc.). MyCAA does not pay for computers, school application fees, graduation fees, student activity cards, child care, parking, transportation, medical services or testing fees. NOTE: If the cost of a course includes books, supplies or other necessary equipment, MyCAA will cover that cost. Schools use MyCAA’s AI Portal to bill DoD electronically. *********************************************************************************** Looking for “something” for your kids to do this summer? Check out these web sites for summer camp information: • http://www.masscamp.com/ • http://www.hanscomyouthprograms.com/main_sublinks.asp?sid=143&id=1 • http://www.mysummercamps.com/search/CampState/Massachusetts/ • http://www.mysummercamps.com/camps/massachusetts-ymca-camps.html • http://www.massachusettssportscamps.com/Directory.aspx • http://www.localsportscamps.com/masscounties.htm#Soccer • http://camps.addresses.com/yellow-pages/category:Summer+Camp+-+Camps/location:hanscom+afb,+MA/20643298/details TRICARE Increases Payments for Beneficiaries with Special Needs TRICARE has increased the amount it will pay for certain Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) benefits. The total TRICARE cost share for training, rehabilitation, special education, and assistive technology devices was increased to $36,000 per fiscal year. The cap also covers institutional care in private nonprofit, public and state institutions & facilities and, if appropriate, transportation to and from such institutions and facilities. To learn more, go to http:// www.myarmyonesource.com/news/2009/04/tricare. **************************************************************************************** The 99 Restaurant will honor our Soldiers and Airmen for their selfless service by giving them a 10% discount with a Military ID. Not just today, but every day….the 99! **************************************************************************************************** MILITARY DISCOUNTS it is a free service but you do have to create an account/log in to actually get into the offers. This is not a military official site it is run by Monster. ******************************************************************************************** Military OneSource In-Person Financial Counseling In-person financial counseling is now available in most locations through Military OneSource, in partnership with National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). NFCC provides financial education and counseling services at hundreds of local offices nationwide. Military OneSource arranges for you to meet face-to-face with a financial consultant in your community. This program is specially designed to provide short-term, solution-focused financial counseling for service members and families who may be experiencing a financial setback. Whether you need advice for a specific debt problem or basic assistance with money management, a financial expert can help you analyze your situation and develop a debt management plan. Six counseling sessions per issue, per calendar year are allowed for each eligible client. The sessions are available to active-duty, Guard, and Reserve members (regardless of activation status) and families located in the continental U.S. For those unable to attend in-person counseling or in locations where in-person counseling is not available, Military OneSource will provide telephone consultations. This additional in-person and specialized telephonic mode of service delivery is intended to augment the various financial services already available to Service Members and families through Military OneSource. Contact Military OneSource at 1-800-342-9647 to schedule an appointment with a financial consultant. Military OneSource Financial MOS Financial Counselors are members of the Accredited Financial Certification Program (AFC) which is the same as installation Personal Financial Managers Financial Counseling involves: Budgeting, Eviction or foreclosure, Credit/debt management issues, Military specific financial matters such as: Credit issues, Money management before, during and after deployment and Coaching on military benefits (SCRA, Thrift Saving Plans, etc.) All financial planning sessions are conducted by Certified Financial Planners and offer information and education, not advice. The Financial Planners have an average of 10 years experience. The consultations are telephonic and are 45 minutes in length. Financial Planning typically addresses issues such as: Investing, Retirement planning, 401K questions, IRAs and Roth IRAs, and information about selecting a Certified Financial Planner in the local community ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ Just a reminder for those that may need Dental insurance, all soldiers of the National Guard can sign up for the TriCare Dental Program, regardless if you are on active duty or just drilling. For more information go to: www.TricareDentalProgram.com. Also as a reminder, if you or a family member has returned within the last 6 months, your TAMP (additional 6 months of Tricare coverage)have or is about to run out. If you wish to continue your Tricare coverage, you can sign up for Tricare Reserve Select. The cost for a servicemember only is $47.51 per month and $180.17 for servicemember and family per month. For more information or to download the enrollment form you can go to: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/trs/. You will need either your CAC Card or your DFAS pin to log into the site. If you have any problems or questions please let me know and I will find a point of contact for you. Thanks! Nicole ************************************************************************************************* Servicemember Civil Relief Act Enhancements on Mortgages The Housing and Economic Recovery Act, Public Law 110-289, updated SCRA for service members in the following ways: • Requires that the 6% interest rate cap on mortgages be extended from 90 days after release from active duty to12 months. • Extends the time when foreclosure is prohibited on a service member’s home from 90 days after release from active duty to 9 months after release from active duty. • Extends the time before a court can hear a case of foreclosure on a service member’s home from 90 days after release from active duty to 9 months after release from active duty. These changes could be very valuable to our service members who are experiencing difficulty making mortgage payments upon their return from deployment. If you know of individuals facing foreclosure or financial difficulties, please see if these enhancements can benefit them. Please contact the FPO or CPT McCloughlin at 508-233-7642 or shannon.l.mclaughlin@us.army.mil. ************************************************************************************************************ Operation Love Reunited is a photography organization offering free photography sessions to deploying, deployed, and reuniting military families. Each family gets 2 free sessions, whether it be one before deployment with their military member, during deployment of homefront spouse and children, and a homecoming session or post-deployment session. The photographers have agreed to send albums to deployed military members at no cost. The photographers have to meet strict requirements to be accepted. Their website, www.Oplove.org, is designed to help families find photographers using the military member's zip code. If any of our National Guard family members are professional photographers, here is a wonderful opportunity to volunteer your services with this organization. ************************************************************************************************************** Harvard University Announcement—Offer for FREE Tuition if Eligible Harvard University announced over the weekend that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition. In making the announcement, Harvard's president Lawrence H. Summers said, "When only ten percent of the students in elite higher education come from families in the lower half of the income distribution, we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough in bringing elite higher education to the lower half of the income distribution." If you know of a family earning less than $60,000 a year with an honor 20 student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition. The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can go to Harvard for free, no tuition and no student loans! To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $60,000 a year, visit Harvard's financial aid website at: http://www.fao.fas.harvard.edu/ or call the school's financial aid office at (617)495-1581. Please note: A small work study program is required or a small portion (less than $5000) a year to be paid by student through a part time job or work study. *************************************************************************************************************** iCanAchieve is a 12-month program for teens ages 13 to 18 that will support their weight management efforts. It focuses on helping teens make behavioral changes that will allow them to set and achieve their goals. The program, based on scientifically proven methods, includes telephonic health coaching, a health assessment, online tools, and educational information. Your son or daughter will have access to a variety of online content to support weight management, including:• Food diary • Step tracker • Articles and personal success stories of teen weight management • Educational information • Recipes to promote healthy eating Message board that lets your teen post questions and comments to the coach and receive a private, personal response. Have your teen call 800-342-9647 to complete their registration. ************************************************************************************ My Military Kids Grants This is a great resource for deploying National Guard and Reserve families. My Military Kids offers grants up to $500.00 to each child for an extracurricular activity of their choice, to include sports, fine arts, or tutoring. Grants are also available to children of severely injured service members. You can visit their website at www.ourmilitarykids.org. *************************************************************************************************** Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense Outreach Initiative Family members of deployed Guard/Reserve that are or will be deployed for at least 6 months are able to obtain a family membership to a participating YMCA. A copy of deployment orders and a valid military ID must be presented in order to participate. Families will be authorized to use the YMCA facility in the 3 months pre-deployment, during deployment and 3 months post-deployment up to 18 months. Contact Military OneSource at www.militaryonesource.com or 800-342-9647 for more information, to confirm eligibility and receive an eligibility form. **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Military Child Care Programs You may be eligible to receive at least $100/month child care fee assistance under these programs (both full and part time): Operation Military Child Care: OMCC is for activated or deployed National Guard and Reserve service members. Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood: MCCIYN assists military families with child care costs outside of military installations in non-federal childcare centers and private day cares. For program information or help applying please contact National Guard Child Care Program at 1-888-NGCCP-99 (642-2799) or by emailing NGCCP@guardfamily.org ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Options for TRICARE Coverage for College Students When sending a son or daughter off to college, it is important for military Families to review their child's health care options, because some TRICARE options will work better than others. Choosing the best health care option depends mainly on where the school is located and the student's transportation options at the school. For example, TRICARE Prime is only offered in designated Prime Service Areas. Military Families should call their regional TRICARE contractor to find out if their child's college is in one of these designated areas. If the school is in a Prime Service Area, but not where the Family is registered, then a split enrollment under TRICARE Prime would be the best option-the student would be disenrolled from Prime at the home location and re-enrolled at the new location. Another avenue military Families may choose is the student health plan offered by many colleges and universities. Be aware these plans are considered other health insurance, so TRICARE acts as the secondary payer to any student health plan. If a Family decides to use the student health plan, TRICARE Standard or Extra is the best TRICARE option. It is important for Families to weigh all their options carefully and to keep in mind that children remain eligible for TRICARE benefits until they reach age 23 or graduate from college, whichever comes first. For more information about TRICARE and college students and contact information for the TRICARE contractors, go to http://www.tricare.mil/. DEERS and TRICARE Information TRICARE Beneficiaries Can Stay Up to Date with Email Alerts TRICARE beneficiaries can now receive alerts and updates via email by signing up for the new electronic delivery service. The email subscription will also include information from other Military Health System websites. To subscribe to the email service, go to http://www.tricare.mil and click on the "little red envelope" to complete the registration process. TRICARE Encourages Parents to Manage Their Children's Health TRICARE reminds Families that the most effective way to stay healthy is to focus on prevention. Immunizations and school physicals are important for children returning to school. Immunizations prevent the spread of disease and are required for student enrollment. School physicals, though not always required, allow your Family's primary care physician to build a complete medical history of your children. For more information on the Military Health System, go to http://www.health.mil. TRICARE Covers Reserve Component Family by Brian P. Smith TriWest Healthcare Alliance TRICARE provides healthcare coverage for families of a drilling Reserve Component sponsor before, during and after active duty. During activation and deployments, the family may use TRICARE Prime, Prime Remote or Standard and Extra. When National Guard or Reserve sponsors are not on active duty, they may be eligible to purchase and enroll in TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS). TRICARE Reserve Select TRS includes medical and behavioral health coverage and access to TRICARE pharmacy benefits. TRS allows enrollees to choose any TRICARE-authorized or network provider for health care. TriWest Healthcare Alliance, the Department of Defense contractor that administers TRICARE in 21 western states, offers a provider directory at www.triwest.com. Families may be able to see a doctor at a military treatment facility (MTF) when space is available. Sponsors who are eligible for or enrolled in a Federal Employees Health Benefits plan are not eligible for TRS coverage. More information about the TRS plan and eligibility is at TriWest’s Guard and Reserve Resource Center (www.triwest.com/ngr). Costs As part of the TRS enrollment, a premium payment is due to TriWest each month – $47.51 for individual coverage and $180.17 for family coverage. The amount of the annual deductible is based on the sponsor’s rank. Once the annual deductible is met, the patient will pay cost-shares. Cost-shares are a percentage of the TRICARE-allowed amount for covered services. A TRICARE network provider will have lower cost-shares than a non-network provider. TRS includes a $1,000 maximum out-of-pocket cap (the most your family will pay including the deductible and cost-shares, but not monthly premiums) for TRICARE-covered services each fiscal year, Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. TRICARE cost information can be found at www.tricare.mil/costs. Becoming Eligible The sponsor’s unit or service certifies TRICARE eligibility. Family members must be entered into the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) before they are eligible for any TRICARE benefits. Keep the family’s DEERS records up to date to help minimize issues with eligibility or claims. Visit www.tricare.mil/deers to learn how and where to update the DEERS record. Qualify and Enroll The TRS enrollment process begins at the National Guard and Reserve Web Portal (https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/trs/index.jsp). Fill out the application online and print a copy. Sign the completed form and send (mail to TriWest Healthcare Alliance, P.O. Box 42048, Phoenix, AZ 85080-2048 or fax to 1-866-441-8843) it with the first month’s premium payment to TriWest. TRS coverage can be purchased at any time. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Scholarships available for Military Spouses & their Dependents Please share these scholarship websites with your military family members and friends. They are not necessarily military-specific. Some are for spouses and some for high school and college age children. Armed Forces Related Scholarships and/or Aid Sources Army Emergency Relief www.aerhq.org/education.asp - scholarships Air Force Aid Society www.afas.org - Click on Education Programs Grant program for dependents – Mar deadline AND spouse tuition assistance program Navy Marine Corps Relief Society http://www.nmcrs.org/education.html - scholarships Coast Guard Mutual Assistance www.cgmahq.org - Click on “Programs” in left menu, then on “Education programs” Air Force Sergeants Association http://www.hqafsa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/About/Scholarships/default.htm Multiple scholarships. Enlisted military dependents March deadline Special Operations Warrior Foundation http://www.specialops.org/?page=Scholarships Children and spouses of fallen warriors from Special Operations ROTC Military Scholarships http://www.todaysmilitary.com/before-serving/rotc Paid college in exchange for post-college military service Marine Corps League www.mcleague.com - Click on “MCL Programs” from left menu and then click on “Scholarships” http://www.mclfoundation.org/scholarship_program.html National scholarship, but state Marine Corps League/Auxiliary units also offer scholarships. Google “Marine Corps League scholarship &” your state. Marine Corps Scholarships www.marine-scholars.org or www.mcsf.org Dover Officer’s Spouses Club www.doverosc.com - deadline early March National Military Family Association www.nmfa.org - Click on “Education” and “Spouse Education” - Spouse only Thanks USA www.thanksusa.org -for dependent children under 24 and military spouses of active duty ThanksUSA defines "Active-duty U.S. military personnel" as those who have served in active duty for at Commissary Scholarship Program www.commissaries.com - unmarried dependent children under age 23 of active and retired military. Minimum of one scholarship per commissary where qualified applications received. Military.com http://aid.military.com/scholarship/search-for-scholarships.do - Scholarship finder Searches over 1,000 scholarships. Military Officers Association of America http://www.moaa.org/serv/serv_education/serv_education_assistance/index.htm Scholarships available for children of active duty (officer and enlisted) OR children of active, reserve or guard who died on active service OR children of surviving spouse of a retired officer. Air Force Crossroads http://www.afcrossroads.com/education/coll_scholar.cfm Links to various scholarship opportunities Other Great Military Websites Military Spouse www.milspouse.org - resource library for military spouse employment, education and relocation information Military One Source www.militaryonesource.com - 24/7 general source of information for military members, spouses and families General Scholarships and Financial Aid Sources Delaware SEED Scholarship http://seedscholarship.delaware.gov/ - DE high school seniors to attend Delaware Technical & Comm College or Associate of Arts program at Univ of Delaware Coca-Cola www.coca-colascholars.org - Oct 31st deadline – high school seniors Best Buy Scholarship Program http://www.bestbuyinc.com/community_relations/scholarship.htm Applications available in Jan. McDonald’s Scholarships http://www.rmhc.org/what-we-do/rmhc-u-s-scholarships/ - Feb deadline – HS seniors Multiple scholarships Sports Scholarships and Internships http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=1088 Ayn Rand Essay Contests www.aynrand.org/contests - Essays contests for 8th grade through college Gates Millennium Scholarships (major) www.gmsp.org - for outstanding minority scholars with financial need AES Education Planner www.educationplanner.com - career and college planning site College Board - High School Juniors and Seniors www.collegeboard.com general information http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp - scholarship search FastWeb Scholarship Search Scholarships on the Net (approximately 1500 links) http://www.advocacy-net.com/scholarmks.htm International Students Scholarships Federal Scholarships and Aid Gateways FinAid! The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid www.finaid.org or www.findaid.org Adventures in Education http://www.aie.org/Scholarships/index.cfm - scholarship search AMERICORPS Program http://www.americorps.org/for_individuals/benefits/benefits_ed_award.asp Educational awards for community service College Net www.collegenet.com/about/index_html Scholarship search, scholarship election (win a scholarship), college search and resources Peterson’s Scholarship Undergrad, graduate and continuing education resources and scholarship searches Peterson’s College Quest www.collegequest.com - enter keywords. “Scholarship” gives thousands of links Financial Aid Wizard www.xap.com/getmoney/fin_aid_wizard Xap Student Center www.xap.com - Plan, explore, and apply to college. Search for scholarships. Brand Leadership www.instituteforbrandleadership.org - Essay contest links and scholarship links Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Federal deadline – June 30th; state and school deadlines likely to be earlier Federal Student Aid on the Web Students.Gov www.students.gov - general information on all aspects of college College is Possible www.collegeispossible.org - preparing, choosing and paying for college information Go College www.gocollege.com - Student’s reference to finding money and getting the most out of college Princeton Review FastAid Scholarship Search U.S. Dept of Education www.ed.gov - overview of student aid Montgomery GI Bill VA Benefits (1-800-827-1000) Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/PPI/HOPE/index.html - income tax savings ScienceNet Scholarship Listing http://www.cse.emory.edu/sciencenet/undergrad/scholarships.html Student Loan Corporation www.studentloan.com - student loan information and search Google “Scholarships” & any qualifier (state, minority, academic, etc.) Aid & Resources for Re-Entry Students Back to College www.back2college.com - information and scholarships for re-entry students ********************************************************************************************************** |
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