RICHMOND, Va. – The voice of more than 10,000 current and former Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen is applauding Governor Ralph Northam’s plans to invest an additional $1 million to support tuition assistance for Soldiers and Airmen of the Virginia National Guard.
Announced Monday, the proposed increase also changes the process which eligible Soldiers and Airmen receive their tuition assistance. Currently, students submit projected class schedules and enrollments. Schools then receive payments upfront based on the proposed schedule. If the student changes class times, drops a course, or fails to achieve the required scores, the Service Member must repay the tuition assistance.
The new process uses a reimbursement model to limit the number of transactions and is issued after the student completes the class.
“The women and men of the Virginia National Guard greatly appreciate this investment,” said Andrew J. Czaplicki, the VNGA President. “We tackle some of the world’s most challenging issues and having the best trained, best educated and best led people is key to our success.”
The Virginia National Guard Tuition Assistance Program has remained stagnant at its current funding levels since 2008, despite the increased costs in achieving higher education.
This long overdue increase is expected to provide nearly $4 million to roughly 500 Soldiers and Airmen. A similar budget amendment was introduced during last year’s Special Session of the General Assembly, but failed to be included in the final budget bill.
“Our Virginia [National] Guard troops drop everything to answer the call of our communities and Nation,” Czaplicki said. “The past two years has shown the world that when disaster, chaos and terror strikes, the National Guard strikes back.”
“We look forward to working with the General Assembly to get this plan enacted,” Czaplicki said.
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About VNGA: Established in 1960, the Virginia National Guard Association is a recognized non-profit 501(c)(19) veterans’ service organization representing over 10,000 Service Members of all ranks and status; enlisted, warrant and officer; traditional, active duty and retired.