Spouse Career Advancement Accounts

The MyCAA Program has just announced new program features! Please visit the MyCAA home page for more information.

The Department of Defense is expanding the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts -- MyCAA -- for military spouses of active duty and activated Guard and Reserve service members worldwide. MyCAA officially opened its doors in May 2009 for eligible military spouses worldwide. Qualified individuals may now receive, up to $4,000, with a cap of $2,000 per fiscal year, of financial assistance to help pay for associate degrees, certifications and licenses in high growth, high demand portable career fields. Participants have 3 years from the start date of the first course to complete their program of study.

The following list of questions pertains to DoD’s MyCAA procedure and policy.

1. Who is eligible for a Military Spouse Career Advancement Account?
    
   • Spouses married to an active duty or activated Reserve Component (Guard or Reserve) Service member (e.g., your Military Sponsor) in pay grades E1 - E5, W1 - W2, and O1 - O2 are eligible to participate in MyCAA.
   • If you have questions concerning your new or continued eligibility for the MyCAA program, please contact a Military OneSource Career/Education Consultant at 1-800-342-9647.
      
2. How will my MyCAA eligibility be verified?
    
   • MyCAA will determine eligibility by pay grade within the DEERs system.
   • If your sponsor has not registered you in DEERS or your personal information in DEERS is out-of-date, please contact DEERS at Toll-free: 1-800-538-9552; TTY/TTD: 1-866-363-2883.
   • If you need assistance, contact your Military OneSource Career/Education Consultant (1-800-342-9647).
      
3. Will I still need to demonstrate my eligibility for the Coastline Military Spouses Program?
    
• Yes, you will still need to demonstrate your eligibility for the Coastline Military Spouses Program. Additional information about eligibility for Coastline's Spouses Program may be found at the eligibility webpage.
   
4. If my Spouse and I are both members of the armed forces, am I still eligible for funding through MyCAA?
    
• No, the MyCAA legislation specifically excludes spouses who are members of the armed forces. You are not eligible if you are active duty, Guard, Reserve or Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR).
   
5. Can I have MyCAA Financial Assistance if I already have a job?
    
• Yes, if you need a license, certification, credential, education, or training in order to seek or maintain employment or move up your career ladder, you are eligible for MyCAA Financial Assistance.
   
6. How do I apply for MyCAA Financial Assistance?
   
   Creating a MyCAA Account (For First-Time MyCAA Participants)
    
   • Set up a Profile on MyCAA.
   • Review and digitally sign (by entering your user name and password) the MyCAA online Statement of Understanding (SOU) Terms and Conditions.
   • MyCAA will verify your DEERS benefit eligibility to verify your eligibility for the MyCAA program.
   • Create a Career Training Plan in your MyCAA account.
     • Designate your intent to attend Coastline Community College.
     • You may use our major specific degree roadmaps to determine which classes to add into your Career and Training Plan. After successfully enrolling in a Coastline course and submitting official transcripts to us, you may request an official Coastline Academic Plan (required for graduation) by following the procedures here.
   • Send a message to MyCAA indicating that your Career and Training Plan is ready for review. Note: MyCCC will not be accepting new Career and Training Plans between September 1 and October 25.
   • Please go to the Steps to Register page for instructions on Coastline's application and registration process.
   • A Military One Source Educational Consultant will contact you to discuss your Career and Training Plan. After your plan is approved, you may apply for Financial Assistance for specific courses within 30 days of the course start date.
   
   Applying for Financial Assistance (For First-Time and Continuing MyCAA Participants)
   

• Each term, enroll in your selected block of study or course at Coastline through MyCCC.
• You will need to apply for Financial Assistance in your MyCAA account each session for the courses for which you register for that respective session. You will be unable to apply for Financial Assistance until 30 days prior to the start of your courses. Please note: The 30 day requirement will not be in effect for courses that begin between September 1 and January 15. Students enrolling in Fall Session B may request Financial Assistance for those courses as early as September 1.
• Obtain a copy of your Financial Assistance Approval by selecting the "Print FA" button next to the courses for which you have registered. Forward a copy of the Financial Assistance Approval to Coastline prior to the close of registration. It may be emailed to milspouses@coastline.edu or faxed to (714) 241-6270. It is the military spouses responsibility to forward the Financial Assistance Approval to us each term.
• Financial Assistance is paid directly to Coastline.
   
7. Does adding classes to MyCAA Career Plan also enroll me in the classes at my School?
    
• No, you still have to apply and register for the courses at Coastline.
   
8. If I submitted a Financial Assistance Approval for a prior term, do I need to submit a new approval for the upcoming term?
   • Yes, Financial Assistance Approvals are course-specific and time-specific. You will need to apply for Financial Assistance (FA) each term that you register for courses. The FA must be forwarded to Coastline by the registration/ payment deadlines.
      
9. If I finish my Career Plan and then relocate, can I use MyCAA again?
    
• Yes, as long as you have not used the entire $4,000 and have not exhausted your fiscal year cap, you may continue to use MyCAA Financial Assistance.
   
10. Are there costs which are not covered by MyCAA Financial Assistance? Will I still qualify for the textbook incentive with Coastline?
     

• Financial Assistance does NOT include the following: separate payments for books, supplies, or equipment (e.g., costs not directly incorporated into the billing for the block of study); computers; graduation fees; child care, student activity cards; application fees; transportation; parking; or medical services testing fees. The $50 textbook incentive is a feature of the Coastline Spouses Program. MyCAA participants must register and submit the Financial Assistance Approval to us by the published deadlines (see Academic Calendar) in order to obtain the book incentive.

Department of Defense.(2010). My Career Advancement Account. Retrieved on July 27, 2010, from AI Portal.Website: https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/default.aspx