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Show Hilltop HILLTOP TIMES MAJCOM From page 7 elevation. Rangel described the race as excellent, well organized and well executed. "The course was beautiful; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a great place to run," he said. "Everyone seemed excited and enthusiastic about the race and we got some great support from the local community," he said after the race. Rangel was really enthusiastic about the experience and felt his constant attention to pace really paid off. "I've put in extra effort to run at a more consistent pace and believe I achieved that on this run," he said. "Being part of the MAJCOM challenge really motivated me to try for a good time. It wasn't about finishing or getting a cool T-shirt this time; it was about not letting my teammates down and putting in my best effort to win the challenge and claim that trophy." "The fact that this was an Air Force sponsored event really gave it an extra quality, and being able to run with fellow active duty members was especial- American Forces Press Service W ASHINGTON — To increase stewardship and optimize service members' educational experiences, Defense Department officials have developed a multifaceted quality assurance program to improve tuition assistance, the assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management said on Capitol Hill June 12. In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee, Frederick E. Vollrath said new policies will mandate that all participating institutions sign a memorandum of understanding requiring them to adhere to specific principles of excellence. "This will help end fraudulent recruitment on our military installations ... address other predatory practices by bad academic actors and provide students with personalized, standardized forms outlining costs, financial aid and outcome measures," Vollrath said. The memorandum also requires that military students have access to a streamlined tool to compare educational institutions using key measures of affordability and value through the Veterans Affairs Department's E-benefits portal. Vollrath told the panel that 3,100 institutions and more than 1,050 subcampuses have signed the memorandum of understanding. He also reported that DoD is part of an interagency team that is finalizing the development and implementation of a centralized complaint system to resolve concerns raised by students receiving tuition assistance. The departments of Veterans Af- YARDS 9 Sept. 26, 2013 ly rewarding," added Rangel. Team MAJCOM narrowly beat Team Air Force Global Strike Command, with its average time of 1:39:30. At third, was Team Air Combat Command at 1:39:40). Only the first four places contribute to the average time for a team. Results for the AFMC Team are as follows: 1st, Airman 1st Class Danny Rangel, 2nd CBTS, Hill AFB, 1:29:44 2nd, Garrett Martin, 564th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla., 1:29:46 3rd, Capt. Morgan Hall, 416th SCMS, Hill AFB, 1:31:51 4th, 1st Lt. Ivando Arroyo, 772nd Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif., 1:36:35 5th, Capt. Katharine Hunter, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M. 1:39:44 6th, 2nd Lt. Carlin Lucente, Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold AFB, Tenn., 1:41:58 7th, Capt. Joseph Czabaranek, 96th Seek Eagle Office, Eglin AFB, Fla., 2:41:56 8th, Capt. Philip Blong, AFRL, Kirtland, AFB, N.M., 3:03:18 9th, 1st Lt. Rebecca Gleason, 461st Aircraft Control Network Squadron, Robins, AFB, Ga., 3:27:43 10th, Capt. Scott Griffith, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, N.M., 3:57:20 Courtesy photo Airman 1st Class Danny Rangel celebrates the completion of fairs, Education, Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will have access to all complaints as they work to resolve issues, he added. "Underpinning this effort is the requirement that all post-secondary education participating in the Tiiition Assistance Program must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education," Vollrath said. Meanwhile, he said, the Defense Department will continue to provide lifelong learning opportunities through off-duty, voluntary education programs, noting that each year a third of service members enroll in post-secondary education courses leading to associate, bachelor's and advanced degrees. In fiscal year 2012, more than 286,000 service members enrolled in nearly 875,000 courses, and more than 50,000 service members earned degrees or certifications, Vollrath reported. "All service members enrolled in the voluntary education programs are nontraditional students, in that they attend school part-time while they are off duty, taking, on average, only three courses per year," Vollrath said. But military missions, deployments and transfers frequently impinge on the troops' ability to continue their education, he noted, adding that this often results in breaks of months, or in some cases years between service members taking courses and completing their degrees. With that in mind, colleges and universities are delivering more classroom instruction online as well as on military installations around the world. "There are no geographical confines," he said. "Courses are offered aboard ships, submarines and at de- the Air Force Half Marathon with General Janet C. Wolfenbarger, commander of Air Force Material Command. Rangel ran as part of the Air Force's MAJCOM Challenge, an Air Force wide competition between each major command half marathon team. The AFMC command team took home the trophy for 1st place. Official explains TA quality assurance program BY AMAANI LYLE TIMES ployed locations such as Afghanistan — this is the kind of instruction our service members want." Vollrath also said more than 76 percent of the courses taken last year were delivered through distance learning. Still, he stressed, the rigors of military service will not relax strict requirements in place for participating service members. "Prior to enrolling in courses using tuition assistance, service members must establish an educational goal and a degree plan," he said. An educational counselor must review tuition assistance requests outlined in the approved degree plan. Service members who either fail or do not complete the course must reimburse the DoD for tuition assistance received for that course. "Service members failing to maintain a 2.0 undergraduate grade-point average or a 3.0 graduate GPA must pay for all courses until they raise their GPA sufficiently," Vollrath explained. "Our voluntary education program is a key component of the recruitment, readiness and retention of the total force — an all-volunteer force." Vollrath cited an example of retired Senior Master Sgt. Eric Combs, who entered the military with a general education development certificate before earning his Community College of the Air Force and bachelor's degrees with tuition assistance while on active duty. After retirement, he went on to earn his master's degree in education in 2005. Upon his retirement, he participated in the Troops to Teachers program and earned acclaim with his selection as the Ohio Teacher of the Year in 2006. He now serves as a principal in the public school system. Transitioning from service? TAP helps T he Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) new VA Benefits I and II Briefings are now available at Hill AFB as part of the revamped Transition Assistance Program (TAP). The goal of the redesigned TAP, now known as Transition GPS (Goals, Plans, Success), is to provide transitioning service members with a set of value-added, individually tailored training programs and services to equip them with the tools they need to pursue their post-military goals. Service members participating in the new VA Benefits I and II Briefings will experience interactive activities teaching them how to review, apply for, and receive the benefits and services they have earned. The VA's Benefits I Briefing provides detailed information on education, health care, compensation, life insurance, home loans and other VA benefits and services. During VA Benefits II, service members are provided supplementary information to expand and reinforce what is covered in VA Benefits I, an overview of the disability compensation process, and an introduction to the eBenefits portal (VA's web-based benefits application system). Both briefings include practical exercises, videos of personal experiences, and a Q&A session. Briefings are offered twice monthly on Fridays. For more information on attending Transition GPS, please contact your TAP managers. VA Benefits I and II Briefings staff are available for appointments outside the classroom to assist all service members, veterans and family members with questions about VA benefits and services. To schedule an appointment, please call 801777-4881 or 801-586-5007. Walk-ins are also welcome. VA Benefit Briefers' offices are located in the Airman And Family Readiness Center, Building 150. Office hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. or THE MOW` LINDA MOONEY/U.S. Air Force Yard of the Month Winner for Area E for the month of August is Naomi Wiley, 3374A Saratoga St. LINDA MOONEY/U.S. Air Force Yard of the Month Winner for Area F for the month of August is Dwight Engle, 4089B Charlestown Loop. |