Air Force suspends tuition assistance program
By: Stephanie Claytor
Updated: March 12, 2013
The Air Force has suspended its tuition assistance program,
leaving thousands of airmen across the country without money for college.
The suspension won't affect airmen already approved for tuition assistance.
They will be allowed to remain enrolled in their current class but the Air
Force will reject new applications for assistance.
The Barksdale Air Force Base received more than 1,000 applications for tuition assistance in early 2013, according to Darlene Linton, an officer with Barksdale Air Force Base Education Center.
Linton said most airmen were able to use the aid to pay for six college courses a year. Airmen pursuing degrees were given $250 per credit hour and as much as $4,500 every fiscal year. She said she doesn't believe the cuts will affect the colleges offering classes on base at this time.
We're told 47 students attending BPCC and 2 students attending LSUS will also be affected by the cuts.
It's expected the federal budget cuts won't affect the GI Bill. Airmen will have the option to use alternate funding such as grants and scholarships to pay for their education.