Free Money

[barney]

I tried to find this on here already so get pissed if I ask this question twice. Someone told me that there was a way to get up to $5,000 for a one time certification. Basically, it is covered by the air force and includes things like getting a PPL, if you have a PPL then getting a commercial cert, getting a CDL, becoming a CPR instructor, whatever. The idea is for you to improve yourself and the AF covers it. It is not TA or the MGIB. Is this too good to be true or has someone done this?

Thanks,

Barney

[biggie17]

Barney,

This is somewhat true. The AF will pay for a one-time certification program with a $9,000 cap (still up to a max of $4,500 per FY). It is part of AF Tuition Assitance, with a similar approval process. It's only good once for your AF career (so if you used in on your $50 CPR cert, that's it).

However, this will not cover "Tuition for in-flight training, even when it is part of a degree program." Ground school is not included in this restriction, so I asked the question in the past about an ATP school with simulators only (not in-flight instruction) but I never recieved an answer.

Here's the AFI section 5.3.1. (The dollar amounts have increased since this AFI was published)

Here is the only story I could find that referred to it.

Biggie

Edited May 28, 2010 by biggie17

[Butters]

DAMIT! I thought with was going to be another good Obama thread!

[TMFan]

Note 5.3.1.4: "TA will only be approved for programs at post secondary institutions accredited by a national, regional, or specialized accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education."

My local education office cited this when I wanted to take sailing lessons and tried to sign up for some grand-master circumnavigator sailing certification for all of the included practice sails that I would get. Basically, the courses you take all have to be standard courses offered by an accredited university. This excludes a lot of stuff out there.

If someone finds a loophole, please publish.

[biggie17]

Note 5.3.1.4: "TA will only be approved for programs at post secondary institutions accredited by a national, regional, or specialized accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education."

My local education office cited this when I wanted to take sailing lessons and tried to sign up for some grand-master circumnavigator sailing certification for all of the included practice sails that I would get. Basically, the courses you take all have to be standard courses offered by an accredited university. This excludes a lot of stuff out there.

If someone finds a loophole, please publish.

TMFan,

Good point with the note, I did not mention that. However, if you see the list from the Dept of Education, it is quite extensive (think of all the things they normally offer at a community college). There are several aviation schools on it, but I did not see a sailing school.

I did find Dog Obedience Instructor, Gunsmith,and Kick Boxing , so I bet a sailing cert may be found somewhere.

Biggie

[SocialD]

[USMCAirWinger]

Has anyone in the reserves used this before?