Group Seeks Expansion of Spousal Benefit

The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is decrying a July 20 decision by the Pentagon to limit eligibility for the My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) program to spouses of junior service members. “We believe this decision flies in the face of the program’s original intent – which was to assist longer-serving spouses in their pursuit of educational, licensing, and credentialing programs to help offset employment disruptions caused by multiple military-oriented moves,” MOAA said in a statement on its Web site. Under new Defense Department guidelines, MyCAA is open to spouses of service members in pay grades E-1 through E-5, W-1 and W-2, and O-1 and O-2. Participants can receive as much as $2,000 per year, which they can use to obtain professional licenses or credentials or take courses toward earning an associate’s degree.