Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Program (MyCAA)

Develop Your Pathway to a Portable (Go-Anywhere) Career

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Program (MyCAA) is a career development and employment assistance program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). MyCAA helps military spouses pursue licenses, certificates, certifications or associate degrees (excluding General Studies and Liberal Arts) necessary for gainful employment in high demand, high growth portable career fields and occupations.

MyCAA offers the following:

Training and Education Financial Assistance: MyCAA provides a maximum education benefit of $4,000 with an annual fiscal year cap of $2,000 to assist eligible military spouses who need professional credentials to meet their Portable Career goals. Annual cap waivers are available if there is an upfront tuition cost that exceeds $2,000 (up to the maximum education benefit of $4,000). Thomas Edison State College offers several associate degree programs eligible for MyCAA Financial Assistance, available entirely online.

Who is eligible for MyCAA Financial Assistance?
Spouses of service members on active duty in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2, and O-1 to O-2 who can start and complete their coursework while their military sponsor is on Title 10 military orders, including spouses married to members of the National Guard and Reserve Components in these same pay grades.

Those who are not eligible include:

• Spouses married to service members in pay grades: E-6 and above; W-3 and above; and O-3 and above
• Spouses who are a member of the armed forces themselves currently on Title 10 orders
• Spouses who are married but legally separated (or under court order or statute of any state or US territory) from a member of the armed forces on Title 10 orders
• Spouses whose National Guard/Reserve Component military sponsor is in a Warning Orders/Alert, Post Deployment/Demobilization or Transition Status
• Spouses married to a member of the Coast Guard

Employment Readiness Counseling: Counseling services are provided to all military spouses married to active duty service members of all ranks, regardless of their eligibility to receive MyCAA financial assistance and their desire to pursue higher levels of education. Counseling services help military spouses identify additional sources of federal, state and local financial assistance, expanded career choices and opportunities, and support resources (e.g. child care, transportation, books, computers, equipment, supplies, etc.).

Employment Assistance and Career Services: Referrals are made to networks of military friendly employers for MyCAA spouse participants who have completed their programs of study using MyCAA funding and who are ready to seek gainful employment.

Those who are not eligible include:

• Spouses married to service members in pay grades: E-6 and above; W-3 and above; and O-3 and above
• Spouses who are a member of the armed forces themselves currently on Title 10 orders
• Spouses who are married but legally separated (or under court order or statute of any state or US territory) from a member of the armed forces on Title 10 orders
• Spouses whose National Guard/Reserve Component military sponsor is in a Warning Orders/Alert, Post Deployment/Demobilization or Transition Status
• Spouses married to a member of the Coast Guard
• Spouses who are unable to start and complete their course(s) while their military sponsor is on Title 10 orders

To establish a MyCAA Account:

• Visit the MyCAA Spouse Portal online.
• Provide required Spouse Profile information. A real-time DEERS eligibility check will confirm if you meet MyCAA eligibility requirements.

For more information on how to apply and enroll using your MyCAA benefits, contact the Office of Military and Veteran Education at (866)446-1804 or by email.