By Lt. j.g. Ellen Cutrer, Naval Education and Training Center Public Affairs
AEV is designed to give selected senior enlisted personnel (E7-E9) advanced education opportunities by providing financial assistance to complete post-secondary, Navy-relevant degrees.
Master Chief Electronics Technician (SW) Tom Smith, enlisted education coordinator at NETC, said the program is one of the most generous in the military because the Navy truly wants to invest in the future of enlisted leadership.
“We want those accepted to this program to lead our Navy in the future,” he said. “That’s why we’re giving people the opportunity to get a degree from a university they never thought they’d be able to attend.”
One of the changes from last year’s program extends the time in service cutoff eligibility requirement. Eligible applicants include chiefs with no more than 18 years of time in service, senior chiefs with no more than 20 years of time in service, and master chiefs with no more than 24 years of time in service. Time in service for all pay grades is computed to Oct. 1, 2008. Proven superior performers for continued upward mobility are encouraged to apply.
Another major change to this year’s baccalaureate and masters offering includes a Sailor's ability to select a Navy Relevant Degree. This change was facilitated due to the overwhelming response from the fleet to open up the degree options. In the past, a Sailor was limited to 15 degrees choices.
A few option offered include: strategic foreign languages; construction management; emergency and disaster management; human resources; human system integration; human performance improvement; paralegal; leadership and management; engineering; information technology; nursing, business administration; and electrical/electronic technology. Navy Relevant Degrees must be approved by Smith.
The last change included in this year’s program is the streamlining of the application. A Sailor is no longer required to submit their last five years of evaluation or Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) data. According to Smith, “evaluation and PFA information was already available to the selection board so why require our busy Sailors to perform a step that was not necessary?”
AEV will support baccalaureate degree completion in designated areas of study through off-duty education, capped at $6,700 per year for a maximum of 36 months from the date of enrollment and covers 100 percent of tuition, books, and related fees. Total program cost per student is limited to $20,000. Qualified candidates must have an associate’s degree from an accredited institution or the equivalent amount of college credit applicable to the degree being sought.
The AEV master’s degree program covers 100 percent of tuition, books, and related fees up to a maximum of $20,000 per year for up to 24 months of enrollment, with the total program cost per individual capped at $40,000. Candidates must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution recognized by the Department of Education.
Applicants should be transferring to (or currently on) shore duty with sufficient time ashore to complete a baccalaureate or masters degree program. Applicants on sea duty may apply provided they submit an education plan, with commanding officer endorsement, which demonstrates the ability to complete the degree program.
Senior enlisted members who have already invested in their professional development by pursuing college education and those who are currently enrolled in a qualifying post-secondary degree program using tuition assistance (TA) or other financial assistance programs are eligible to apply for the AEV program. Reimbursement for any education expenses incurred prior to participation in AEV is not authorized. AEV and TA benefits may not be combined.
Upon completion of, or withdrawal from education for which any authorized expenses were paid, participants shall agree to remain on active duty for a period equal to three times the number of months of education completed or three years, whichever is less. This obligation is discharged concurrently with any other service obligation program participants may have already incurred. This agreement does not obligate the Navy to retain the member on active duty.
If a program participant fails to complete the period of active duty specified in the agreement, the Sailor will reimburse the United States for the cost of the advanced education received, prorated for the obligated time served.
The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy will convene the AEV program selection board in March 2008 and program selectees will be expected to enroll in studies in the summer or fall 2008 terms.
Deadline for applying for FY08 programs is Feb. 22, 2008. Applications should be sent to Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) (N725), 250 Dallas Street, Pensacola, FL, 32508-5220.
See NAVADMIN 237/07 for specific requirements and application guidelines. Packages must be endorsed by the Sailor’s commanding officer and command master chief. For more information on the AEV or to seek approval for degree programs not listed above, call (850) 452-7271 (DSN 922) or email thomas.a.smith4@navy.mil.
Additional information about the AEV program can be viewed on the Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) Web site (www.nko.navy.mil). Click on the Learning Tab then go to the quick link on AEV located on the left hand side of the learning page.
