Guard and Reserve 2010: Education - Pay, pay raises, pay allowances, pay charts - Navy Times

Guard and Reserve 2010: Education

Education benefits offered to service members got a major upgrade as of Aug. 1, 2009, under the newly approved Post-9/11 GI Bill, which is far more generous than the current Montgomery GI Bill.

Most reservists who have been mobilized for active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, qualify for at least some benefits under the new program.

Military Education — Personal: Dantes

The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support provides service members with educational opportunities outside the classroom. Services are available at nearly all education centers on base. Most are free and available to active-duty and reserve personnel and adult family members. Services include:

• College credit for skills. Troops can earn credit for knowledge and skills they already have. The American Council on Education evaluates military training and job experience and publishes course descriptions and college credit recommendations.

• Distance learning courses. DANTES has agreements with about 150 institutions to support service member enrollment in distance learning programs. DANTES Independent Study and External Degree catalogs, available in base education offices, contain program descriptions.

• General Educational Development. The GED test leads to a high school equivalency certificate. All services pay the full cost to obtain a high school certificate for their active-duty members.

Contact: 850-452-1111 ext. 3150 or DSN 922-1111 ext. 3150; www.dantes.doded.mil.

Montgomery GI Bill — Selected Reserve

Selected Reserve members can qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill — Selected Reserve, available to reservists who have completed Initial Active Duty for Training, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and enlist or extend for six years.

Reservists who became eligible for the program on or after Oct. 1, 1992, have 14 years to use the benefits, during which they must remain in good standing in a Selected Reserve unit.

The only exception is for mobilized members of the National Guard and Reserve, who can use the MGIB-SR after they separate from service for the same number of months they were activated plus four more months. They also may add multiple periods of activation to further increase this extension, or portability.

Reservists may receive up to 36 months of payments. Monthly payments are $329 for full-time students; $246 for three-quarter-time, $163 for half-time and $82.25 for less than half-time.

The Montgomery GI Bill Kicker Program, managed by each service, is available to qualifying reservists who enlist in high-priority units or critical skill fields. The kicker is an additional $200 to $350 per month in GI Bill benefits for full-time students.

Mobilized Guard and reserve members who serve continuously on active duty for at least 24 months may pay the $1,200 enrollment fee and qualify for the more generous Montgomery GI Bill — Active Duty. For full-time study, this program is paying $1,321 per month in fiscal 2009.

Reservists who have accumulated significant active-duty time since Sept. 11, 2001, may see the Post-9/11 GI Bill as the clear choice over either version of the Montgomery GI Bill. However, some types of education and training are covered by one program but not the other. Check with VA or your local installation education counselor to discuss your particular education goals.

Contact: www.gibill.va.gov.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

Benefits provided through an overhauled GI Bill, enacted June 30, 2008, are available for education or training pursued on or after Aug. 1, 2009.

To be eligible for the new program, which is far more generous than even the active-duty Montgomery GI Bill, National Guard and reserve members must have at least 30 days of continuous active-duty service after Sept. 10, 2001, and be discharged for a service-connected disability, or have an aggregate of at least 90 days of active service after that date and, among other criteria, be discharged honorably or for reasons such as hardship.

Eligible service members typically receive up to 36 months of entitlement under the new bill.

Those who qualify for the current Montgomery GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve or the Reserve Educational Assistance Program can choose to receive benefits from the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Service members are entitled to a percentage, based on their time in service, of the following:

• The amount of tuition and fees charged, not to exceed the most expensive in-state public college.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill also features a “Yellow Ribbon” program under which out-of-state students and those attending private and graduate school may receive extra tuition above the normal cap for their states. Schools must enter into voluntary agreements with VA to take part in this program.

• A monthly living stipend equal to the basic allowance for housing payable to an E-5 with dependents in the same ZIP code as the school.

• An annual stipend for books and supplies of up to $1,000 a year.

• A one-time payment of $500 to certain individuals relocating from highly rural areas.

The housing and book allowances are not available to service members on active duty. The housing allowance is not available to those pursuing training at half-time or less or those taking distance learning.

Full benefits are available to those who have at least 36 months of active duty or at least 30 continuous days of active duty and were discharged due to a service-connected disability.

Those with less active-duty service receive a lesser percentage of the full benefits rate, down to a minimum of 40 percent for those with at least 90 days but less than six months of active duty.

Members are eligible for these benefits for 15 years from their last period of active duty of at least 90 consecutive days. Benefits also are available for tutorial assistance and to reimburse a licensing and certification test.

Contact: www.gibill.va.gov.

Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)

The Reserve Educational Assistance Program helps reserve component members ordered to active duty in response to war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the president or Congress.

The program makes certain reservists activated for at least 90 days after Sept. 11, 2001, eligible for education benefits or increased benefits. REAP benefits are a percentage of full-time payment rate for the active-duty Montgomery GI Bill.

Reservists who serve at least 90 days but less than one year of active duty may get 40 percent of the active-duty GI Bill rate, while those who serve at least one but less than two years of active duty may receive 60 percent of the active-duty GI Bill rate.

A major change in eligibility for maximum REAP payments was approved in 2008. Previously, the maximum payment was 80 percent of the active-duty GI Bill rate for reservists who served 24 months of continuous active duty. Now, they are eligible for the 80 percent rate if they have two years of continuous service or three years of cumulative service over multiple mobilizations.

Eligible reservists may receive up to 36 months of full-time REAP benefits. However, participants may not use more than 48 months of entitlement under any combination of VA education programs. For example, a reservist who uses 20 months of benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill — Selected Reserve would be eligible for only 28 months of REAP payments.

Retroactive payments. REAP payments are retroactive and cover all qualifying mobilization periods since Sept. 11, 2001. Retroactive payments under REAP are based on GI Bill rates in effect at the time. For example, the full-time monthly GI Bill payment in June 2002 was $800, so someone receiving the 40 percent rate for school enrollment in June 2002 would receive $320 in benefits for that month.

Accelerated payments. REAP offers advance payments of earned benefits to pay for technical schools and courses. Payments are available for high-cost or high-tech training leading directly to employment. VA maintains a list of eligible programs. Accelerated payments are available only when the up-front costs of a course exceed four months of GI Bill benefits.

Buy-up option. The 2008 Defense Authorization Act also extended a “buy-up” option that allows REAP participants to get up to an additional $150 per month in GI Bill benefits. Under this option, members contribute extra money, up to $600 total, to earn extra benefits on top of their basic benefits. The maximum $600 buy-up contribution is worth $5,400 in extra college money if the service member has 36 months of REAP eligibility.

Attendance verification. As of April 1, 2008, REAP participants must verify their school attendance each month. This can be done online at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/ or by calling toll-free 877-823-2378.

Contact: www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/benefits.htm; click on the REAP link under “Education Benefits.”

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges

State Assistance

Most states and territories offer National Guard members tuition assistance or waiver programs that go beyond the GI Bill. In most cases, these can be used in conjunction with active or reserve tuition assistance.

State benefits can vary from year to year in some states due to availability of funds. Consult your state’s education services officer. (See chart, Page 41.)

State tuition assistance programs may be used with GI Bill benefits, even exceeding 100 percent of tuition costs.

Contact: www.guardfamily.org.

Student Loan Repayment Program

Some of the services offer help with repayment of educational loans. Congress limits the maximum amount of payment by federal law to $65,000 per individual. However, within these limits, each service applies its own cap. Some services have additional eligibility requirements, and payment formulas also vary. Visit your local installation education office for details.

Air Force. Repays up to $10,000 for non-prior-service active-duty enlistments. The Air National Guard will repay loans of up to $20,000 to personnel in critical skills with manpower shortages. The Air Force Reserve currently does not repay loans.

Army. Repays the maximum allowed by law, $65,000, for non-prior-service active-duty enlistments, and up to $20,000 for Army National Guard and Army Reserve enlistments.

Coast Guard. Currently does not repay education loans.

Marine Corps. Currently does not repay any education loans.

Navy. Repays the maximum allowed by law, $65,000, for non-prior-service active-duty enlistments, and up to $10,000 for Navy Reserve enlistments.

The 2008 Defense Authorization Act expanded the types of education loans that the military may repay for Selected Reserve members and also makes both officers and enlisted members eligible. Additional education loans that now may be repaid include those made by any lender that is:

• A state institution.

• A financial or credit institution supervised by the state or federal government.

• An approved pension fund.

• A nonprofit entity designated and regulated by a state government.

See installation education offices for details.

Tuition Assistance

Service Programs — Air Force

Air Force Voluntary Education Branch. This branch oversees all Air Force education centers and counselors, administration of tuition assistance, testing and other voluntary education services.

Air Force Reserve

DANTES spouse testing program. Spouses of Air Force Reserve members may take DANTES-funded College Level Examination Program (CLEP) general and subject exams and DANTES subject standardized tests through an Air Force Reserve, Army and Air National Guard DANTES Test Center.

Contact: Call the Air Force Reserve Personnel Center Military Training Division at 800-525-0102 or visit www.arpc.afrc.af.mil.

Air National Guard

Air National Guard members are eligible for all DANTES credit-by-examination programs, Community College of the Air Force associate degree programs, federal and state tuition assistance, the Student Loan Repayment Program and the Montgomery GI Bill.

Many states and territories offer tuition assistance and other financial aid in addition to other federal benefits. Contact your state National Guard or Air National Guard office to ask about current available funding.

Service Programs — Army

Army Correspondence Courses. Available through the Army Institute for Professional Development, these are open to soldiers seeking to learn basic and professional skills at their own pace. Some courses can be taken online, others can be ordered and delivered by mail. Some count as college credit.

Federal tuition assistance for Army National Guard soldiers. The Federal Tuition Assistance ARNG Program provides financial assistance to part-time Guard soldiers in support of professional and personal self-development. It is not a guaranteed benefit; it is offered on a “first-come, first-served” basis. The program’s features include:

• 100 percent of tuition and fees, with tuition caps of $250 per semester hour and $167 per quarter hour.

• No more than one credential from the associate, bachelor’s, master’s or first professional degree.

• $4,500 maximum payment per soldier, per fiscal year.

Testing programs. The Army offers free college-level equivalency exams, though a registration fee may be required when not testing at a military testing facility. Some tests significantly decrease the number of traditional college courses required to complete a degree program.

Before taking a credit exam, check with your college or university to make sure it will accept the credit. Most Army Education Centers have study guides and aids to help prepare for these tests, including:

• General Educational Development.

• American College Testing Assessment Program.

• Scholastic Assessment Test.

• Graduate Management Admission Test.

• Graduate Record Examinations.

• The Praxis Series.

• College Level Examination Program and Excelsior College (formerly Regents College) Examinations; free for Army National Guard spouses and civilians.

• DANTES Subject Standardized Tests; free for spouses of both Army Reserve and Army National Guard members and civilian employees.

Army National Guard

In addition to the programs listed above, most states offer Army National Guard members state-funded tuition assistance to use in conjunction with federal education benefits. Check with your Army National Guard Education Services officer or unit commander to find out what’s available in your state.

Some of these programs include:

• Reserve Officer Training Corps simultaneous membership program. ROTC cadets who enlist as members of a National Guard unit and serve in both programs receive Guard pay, an ROTC stipend and tuition assistance and may qualify for GI Bill benefits and/or a GI Bill “kicker.” They are paid as E-5s unless they previously held a higher rank.

• Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, Guard. Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium colleges and universities help service members and their families get college degrees.

Military students can take courses in their off-duty hours at or near military installations in the U.S. and overseas.

Contact: www.soc.aascu.org.

• National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program. For those who already have student loans, the Guard will help repay loans up to $20,000. For each qualifying year of service, the Guard will pay a minimum of 15 percent of the loan amount or $500, and a maximum of $3,000 per year. Loans must be acquired prior to enlistment, extension and re-enlistment.

Nonprior-service individuals must enlist for six years, become qualified in their occupational specialty and enlist into a unit vacancy up to 125 percent of the assigned unit’s wartime strength. Prior-service members must enlist or re-enlist for six years, be skill-qualified, enlist in a critical unit or critical skill, and be a first-time user of the SLRP.

Current members may extend their contract at any time to qualify for the Student Loan Repayment Program.

Army Reserve

Army Reserve benefits are similar to the National Guard programs listed above, with the exception of state education benefits. Commissioning and ROTC programs detailed above also apply here. Through DANTES, members and their spouses can take free CLEP and DANTES equivalency tests.

Reserve Officer Training Corps simultaneous membership program. Cadets who enlist in a reserve unit get reserve duty pay, the ROTC stipend and tuition assistance, and may be eligible for Montgomery GI Bill and/or kicker bonus.

Concurrent Admissions Program. ConAP allows new soldiers to delay starting college, for financial or other reasons, by applying for college when they enlist in the Army Reserve.

When soldiers enlist, they select a Concurrent Admissions Program college. New reservists must send a College Referral and Intent to Enroll form, stating their intent to enroll during or after enlistment.

Colleges acknowledge the intent and provide guidelines about applying for admission not more than one year before the expected entry date, beginning the college academic experience, using distance learning, and staying in touch by e-mail and the college Web site. Those accepted for admission have their enrollments deferred for up to two years after completion of Advanced Individual Training.

ConAP is a joint program between the Army Recruiting Command and more than 1,800 community colleges, four-year colleges and universities.

Contact: For more information, see www.soc.aascu.org/conap.

Army Reserve College Loan Repayment Program. The Army Reserve helps soldiers pay approved Perkins, Stafford or other federally guaranteed student loans. The Army Reserve may pay up to $20,000 for a six-year enlistment.

The following loans qualify for the Army Reserve loan repayment program:

• Auxiliary Loan Assistance for Students.

• Stafford Student Loan or Guaranteed Student Loan.

• Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students.

• Federally Insured Student Loan.

• Perkins Loan or National Direct Student Loan.

• Supplemental Loan for Students.

Most soldiers can qualify for payment of 15 percent of the principal or $1,500 per year, whichever is greater, for each successfully completed year of enlisted active-duty service.

Service Programs — Coast Guard Reserve

Most Coast Guard reservists drill at active-duty sites and have access to nearly all educational programs available to active-duty members.

Contact: The Academic Development Division Institute, 405-954-2437, 405-954-1360 or 405-954-0072, or visit www.uscg.mil/hq/cgi.

Service Programs — Marine Corps Reserve

Voluntary education programs for reservists come under the Corps’ Lifelong Learning Programs.

The Montgomery GI Bill Kicker is available to Marine Reserve members who agree to a six-year enlistment in a high-priority unit or critical career field. Qualified reservists get this benefit once they have passed their mandatory drill stop date. The Marine Corps Reserve Kicker adds up to an additional $350 per month in GI Bill payments.

Contact: Marine Corps Mobilization Command, 5303 Andrews Road, Kansas City, MO 64147-1207; 800-255-5082; http://mcrsc.mfr.usmc.mil.

More information on the Lifelong Learning Program is available at www.usmc-mccs.org/education/lll.cfm.

Service Programs — Navy Reserve

Navy reservists can attend a variety of military schools and courses on their annual training, complete correspondence courses and enroll in a number of education programs such as:

• The Reserve Allied Medical Personnel program. This program is available to actively drilling enlisted hospital corpsmen and dental technicians who attend civilian training at a local college for certain critical Navy skills, such as physical therapy, respiratory therapy and biomedical repair.

Tuition, fees, books and required clothing and equipment are paid for. RAMP participants also are authorized to use GI Bill benefits, if eligible.

Contact: For more information, call 800-USA-USNR.

• Specialized Training Assistance Program for Health Professionals. This is open to commissioned critical health care professionals and registered nurses in certain critical skills in the Navy Reserve. Payments are monthly. For each year of financial assistance, participants incur a two-year drilling obligation in the Navy Reserve after finishing the training program. They get drill pay in addition to the monthly stipend, which is paid at the same rate as that of the Armed Forces Health Professionals Scholarship Program.

Contact: Naval Operational Medicine Institute, www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/nomi.

Navy College Program Distance Learning Partnership. The Navy College Program has partnerships with colleges and universities to offer sailors rate-related degrees via distance learning.

This partnership provides associate and bachelor’s degree programs for each rating, and it makes maximum use of military professional training and experience to fulfill degree requirements. Courses are offered in a variety of formats, such as CD, paper or Internet.

Contact: The Navy College Center at 877-253-7122; https://www.navycollege.navy.mil.

Smart Transcripts (Navy and Marine)

Marine and Navy reservists can get credit for their active and reserve schools and experience through the Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript. SMART is an official transcript, endorsing and recommending college credit for military education and training; it is recognized by the American Council on Education.

Contact: Transcripts can be viewed and printed online from the Navy College Program Web site at https://www.navycollege.navy.mil.

Troops To Teachers

This partnership between the Defense and Education departments helps eligible military personnel begin careers as teachers in public schools. The DANTES-managed program provides counseling and assistance with certification requirements and programs, as well as placement services.

Basic Eligibility

Service requirements. The program is open to applicants with a bachelor’s or advanced degree who has separated with six or more years of service on or after Oct. 1, 1990, or current Selected Reserve members with six or more years of creditable service toward retirement.

Educational requirements. Candidates must have a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited school at the time of registration, hold the equivalent of one year of college with six years of experience in a vocational or technical field, or meet state requirements for vocational/technical teacher referral.

Eligibility for financial assistance. Financial aid may be provided to qualified service members as a stipend or bonus for teacher certification expenses in exchange for a commitment to teach for three years.

Teachers receiving a $5,000 stipend must teach in a school in a district in which at least 20 percent of students are from families living below the poverty level, or in schools where at least 50 percent of its students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch programs or have a high percentage of students with disabilities, as long as that school’s district has between 10 percent and 20 percent of its students from poverty-level families.

In place of a stipend, participants may accept a $10,000 bonus if they are employed as a teacher in a school district that has at least 10 percent of students from families living below the poverty level and are teaching in a school where at least 50 percent of the student population is eligible to receive the free or reduced lunch program, or in schools with a high percentage of students with disabilities.

Reserve component personnel must meet one of the following criteria:

• Be a Selected Reserve retiree.

• Be currently serving in the Selected Reserve with 10 or more years of creditable service toward retirement and commit to serving an additional three years or until eligible for retirement.

• Be separated from the Selected Reserve due to a physical disability on or after Jan. 8, 2002. They must register within four years of separation.

• Have transitioned from active duty on or after Jan. 8, 2002, served six years on active duty immediately before separation and committed to three years with a Selected Reserve unit. They must register within four years of separation.

Contact: Call 800-231-6242 or visit www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes and click on “Troops to Teachers.”

Military Education — Professional: Graduate Schools

National Defense Intelligence College. This school awards a master of science degree in strategic intelligence and a certificate through its postgraduate and undergraduate intelligence programs.

Reservists have two options: a one-year, in-residence program where they study alongside their active-duty counterparts, or a two-year, part-time program designed to fit into drill schedules. Opportunities vary by service.

Contact: Joint Military Intelligence College, Admissions Office, 200 MacDill Blvd., Washington, DC, 20340-5100; 202-231-3319; www.ndic.edu.

Naval Postgraduate School. This school provides fully funded graduate study in more than 40 programs.

Contact: Director of Admissions, Naval Postgraduate School, 1 University Circle, Monterey, CA 93943-5100; 831-656-2023; www.nps.edu.

Senior NCO Academies

Air Force Senior NCO Academy. The academy is for senior master sergeants, senior master sergeant selectees and some master sergeants. Six times per year, it holds six-week classes that teach communication, leadership and management.

The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve each send 150 people per year. Applications are handled by unit training coordinators. The school has an extension program for those unable to attend a resident course.

Contact: Call the Air National Guard liaison at 334-416-1834; the Air Force Reserve liaison at 334-416-1529; or visit the Air Force Senior NCO Academy at www.au.af.mil/au/cepme/sncoa.

U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. This school operates the Sergeants Major Course for first sergeants and master sergeants selected for promotion. Army National Guard and Army Reserve senior NCOs attend a two-year nonresident version of the course, which culminates in a two-week resident phase.

Contact: U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, 11291 Sgt. E. Churchill St., Fort Bliss, TX 79918-8002; https://usasma.bliss.army.mil.

U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Academy. This school, located in Petaluma, Calif., is for newly promoted E-7s. It has a reserve class designed to be accomplished during a reservist’s annual active duty for training, so class duration is 14 days. Classes convene 16 times a year, with class size limited to 32 people.

Contact: Commandant (G-WTL-2), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second St. SW, Washington, DC, 20593-0001; www.uscg.mil/petaluma.

Marine Corps Staff Non-Commissioned Officers Academy. Formal professional military education is available for enlisted Marine reservists at this academy, which offers three reserve courses: Advanced, Career and the Sergeants’ Reserve.

Contact: Commanding Officer, Attn: Director, Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy, 3078 Upshur Ave., Quantico, VA 22134; 703-784-2875; DSN 278-2875; www.mcu.usmc.mil.

Navy Senior Enlisted Academy. The school has a six-week course focused on communication skills, leadership and management theories, national security affairs and Navy programs. A correspondence version is available for those unable to attend the residence course. The academy is open to active-duty and reserve E-8s and E-9s from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and foreign navies. Students are selected in November and May.

Contact: Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, 1269 Elliot St., Newport, RI 02841-1525; 401-841-4221; DSN 948-4221; https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cnl/sea.

Staff Colleges

Air Command and Staff College. This school provides intermediate development education for select midcareer officers, normally majors. The 10-month course admits about 600 students each year. Selection is competitive. The college has one resident and one nonresident school.

Contact: Air Command and Staff College, 225 Chennault Circle, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL 36112-6426; 334-953-2295; www.acsc.au.af.mil.

School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. This is the most advanced of all Air Force schools. Selected students attend a one-year residence program focused on airpower and warfare.

Contact: 334-953-7537; www.au.af.mil/au/saass.

Army Command and General Staff College. This is the Army’s senior tactical institution, which develops war-fighting skills at corps and division levels in a 10-month curriculum that includes the Command and General Staff Officer’s Course. Limited opportunities exist for reservists to attend in residence.

Contact: U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, 1 Reynolds Ave., Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-1352; 913-684-5700; http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc.

Army Management Staff College. With a main campus at Fort Belvoir, Va., this school offers the Civilian Education System, a sequential leader development program for Army civilians in four courses: Foundation, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced.

Contact: Registrar at 703-805-4757; e-mail: AMSCRegistrar@conus.army.mil; 5500 21st St., Suite 1206, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5934; www.amsc.belvoir.army.mil.

Marine Corps Command and Staff College. Located in Quantico, Va., the college offers a 10-month intermediate course and an advanced intermediate course of professional military education to field-grade officers. Its two resident schools are the Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting.

Contact: 703-784-6836; www.mcu.usmc.mil/Pages/CSC.aspx.

Marine Corps College of Continuing Education. This is the Corps’ primary institution for Advanced Distributed Learning. It designs, develops, delivers and manages distance learning products and programs via a global network of satellite campuses, learning resource centers and video tele-training centers.

Contact: Marine Corps College of Continuing Education, Daly Hall, 2079 Barnett Ave., Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA 22134-5118; 800-992-9210 or 703-784-2999; www.tecom.usmc.mil/cce.

MarineNet. This enterprise delivery network allows active and reserve Marines to access Professional Military Education classes, computer training and professional development and job aids from a computer.

All personnel entered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) database are authorized to use MarineNet for free. Family members can take online professional and personal development courses in addition to the Lifestyles Insights Networking and Skills Course for Marine Spouses. Many online courses are accepted for college credit.

Contact: Help desk, 888-435-8762; www.marinenet.usmc.mil.

Navy College of Naval Command and Staff. See Naval War College, below.

War Colleges

Air War College. The Air Force’s senior professional school divides studies into five core and four elective blocks of instruction, including a regional studies seminar and graduate-level research project. The nonresident program serves 6,000 students through seminar and correspondence courses.

Contact: Director of Student Affairs, Air War College, 325 Chennault Circle, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL 36112-6427; 334-953-2119; DSN 493-2119; www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awchome.htm.

Army War College. The Army’s senior service college for civilian leaders, lieutenant colonels and colonels offers graduate-level education in a 10-month resident program or two-year distance learning program, as well as a nonresident course open to reservists.

Contact: Registrar, U.S. Army War College, 122 Forbes Ave., Carlisle, PA 17013-5234; www.carlisle.army.mil.

Marine Corps War College. This 10-month, senior service school provides Phase I (Senior Level) Joint Professional Military Education.

Contact: Director, Marine Corps War College, C401, MCU, 2076 South St., Suite 2, Quantico, VA 22134-5067; 703-784-6836; www.mcu.usmc.mil/mcwar.

National Defense University. This school offers advanced national security studies, focusing on policymaking and strategy, with an emphasis on joint and interagency perspectives.

Contact: National Defense University, Building 62, 300 5th Ave. SW, Fort McNair, Washington, DC 20319; 202-685-2128; www.ndu.edu.

The Naval War College Fleet Seminar Program also is offered at 20 locations nationwide. It offers Navy and joint intermediate-level professional military education through three courses: strategy and policy, national security decision making, and joint maritime operations. It is available to Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard officers in paygrades O-3 and above and other service officers in grades O-4 select and above, as well as senior civilians. There is no tuition fee, and books are provided on loan. Seminars meet one night per week for 35 weeks.

Contact: College of Distance Education, Naval War College, 686 Cushing Road, Newport, RI 02841-1207; www.usnwc.edu/academics/colleges/cde/overview.aspx.

Navy College of Naval Command and Staff. The Navy’s intermediate school is part of the Naval War College. Between 240 and 260 midgrade officer and career civilian equivalents attend each class.

Contact: Naval War College, 686 Cushing Road, Newport, RI 02841-1207; www.nwc.navy.mil/academics/colleges/cncs.aspx.