Plan would shutter most Navy College offices in U.S.

The Navy plans to will shutter nearly all of it's Navy College offices in the continental U.S. by October 2016 in a huge reorganization that officials say will save money and still preserve customer service. the end of next fiscal year if a current budget proposal, details of which were obtained by Navy Times and confirmed as authentic — gets final approval and is included in the Navy's fiscal 2017 budget.

The total impact of any possible closures of Navy College Offices obviously has yet to be seen, but here's a look at What you need to know: now.

The Navy's training establishment is in the middle of a reorganization in the wake of the announcement by the Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Adm. Bill Moran that the service would revamp it's training to focus more on the fleet and reduce initial training pipelines and build more robust, career long training hat will mostly happen in fleet concentration areas.

This costs money and Officials are looking for what every possible place to consolidate and save money to fund the new training. However, Navy officials are denyingthe these cuts are a done deal and as such say the proposals are in the early stages of discussion.

"All [Program Objective Memorandum 2017] POM17 proposals are pre-decisional at this point and no final decisions have been made," said Lt. Cmdr. Kate Meadows, spokewoman for the Naval Education and Training CommandETC.

The Navy also plans to close Cuts have already happened with the Navy closing the Center for Personal and Professional Development in Dam Neck, Virginia, by which will happen Sept. 30, and officials say they are seeking savings across the training domain and more things could see elimination or consolidation in the next few years to pave the way for the future education system.

According to sources, Capt. Janet Lomax, the head of the Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center, Capt. Janet Lomax, commanding officer of the Pensalola-based Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology CenterLomax told staff in a June phone conference that funding cuts would eliminate result in 54 of the Navy's 80 Navy College positions being eliminated. This means, sources say, that all but two or three of the service's 33 Navy College offices in CONUS would close. would continental United States would close. Most likely, those sources say, the remaining offices would be in the largest fleet areas, like areas of largest sailor concentration such as Norfolk and San Diego.

In 2010, the service shutteredNavy cut 15 Navy College offices at bases worldwide. The cuts, called a consolidation at the time, were necessary to fund the service's Virtual Education Center, which that helps sailors over the phone. with much

Support may be getting cut, but officials say tuition assistance and Navy College Afloat education benefits are safe. The bottom line up front is the fact Navy officials say the budget cut don't include any cuts to the tuition assistance or the Navy College Afloat educational benefits. "The Navy remains totally committed to funding tuition assistance at the current levels," Meadows told Navy Times on June 19. The funding is expected to rise from $80 million this year to $89 million next. to are expected to increase slightly next year as the Navy spent $80 million in both fiscal year 2014 and expects to spend the same amount this year as well. In fiscal 2016, the budget request includes $88.84 million for TA.

And budgets are also rising for the Navy Program for Afloat College Education, known in the fleet as NCPACE, which puts instructors and college classes on Navy ships, with nearly $9 million set aside for fiscal 2016. Fiscal 2014, saw the Navy spend $7.75 million and this year, they'll spend $8.36 million. The fiscal '16 requested level is $8.71 million.

Since the Navy closed the 15 college offices in 2009 and and established the Virtual Education Center, customer traffic in the remaining offices has dropped 47 percent, according to NETC data released by NETC. Overall, there were 130,000 visits to Navy College offices in fiscal 2014.

There will be no effect on any of the 10 overseas offices: Navy College Offices. Currently there are 10 overseas offices that are located at Atsugi, Misawa, Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan; Guam; Bahrain; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Rota, Spain; and Sigonella and Naples, Italy.

If the Navy does pulls the trigger on the closings, sailors will be forced at most U.S. bases in the United States to go online for most of their off-duty educationalservices needs.

The Navy College website offers at www.navycollege.navy.mil, officials say has many resources, including how to contact the Virtual Education Center, which is open Monday through Friday, 15 hours a each day from 6am to 9pm, Eastern time.

If the service closes most offices, all of their U.S. Navy College Offices, officials say it will most likely result in some increase in hours and services through the Virtual Education Center. And the Navy develops a sailor portal, access to these educational benefits and services will also come through that access, too.