Ramstein Education Center

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Building 2120, Lawn Avenue
Ramstein Air Base,  DE

DSN: 480.2032
COMM: 06371.47.2032

86fss.ramsteineducationcenter@us.af.mil

Ramstein Education Center

The Ramstein Education and Training Center is here to assist with your educational and vocational needs. We provide CCAF Counseling, Tuition Assistance for Active-Duty Military, Testing Services, SkillBridge program guidance, Formal Training, and the Commissioning Town Hall.

Connect with Us!
SharePoint: https://usaf.dps.mil/sites/86FSS/FSD/FSDE

What We Offer

A&P Information

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Civilian Tuition Assistance

Civilian Tuition Assistance Program (CTAP) (Jan 2023)

Base Education Offices do not maintain AFVEC accounts, approve goals, or issue funding for DAF Civilian employees. General questions concerning the Civilian Tuition Assistance Program (CTAP), Education Goals, or your actual TA application should be sent to the Career Field Team. Prior military members must contact the Career Field Team (CFT) to have their AFVEC profile changed to a Civilian record. Please click on the link to obtain more information on CTAP. 

https://mypers.af.mil/app/answers/detail/a_id/32991/p/2/c/549/p/2/c/549 The information is also copied below for your convenience. 

Civilian Tuition Assistance Program (CTAP) Request Process

Applicable to: Civilian Important: Civilian Tuition Assistance (CIV TA) is only available to Department of the Air Force (DAF) Career and Career Conditional full-time appropriated fund (APF) employees. CIV TA excludes both PAQ TA program eligible employees (i.e., PALACE Acquire (PAQ) and COPPER Cap (COP)) and Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP)-coded employees (i.e., ACQ TA). However, civilian employees assigned to APDP-coded positions seeking coursework at the doctorate level may apply under CIV TA. Nonappropriated fund (NAF) employees assigned to Child and Youth Programs and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) positions follow the Air Force Virtual Education Center (AFVEC) Education Goal and Funding Request Processes below. NAF Employees assigned to Lodging positions will apply for TA in myFSS. For additional information, contact the Force Support Career Field Team via email afpc.nafcareers@us.af.mil. · For additional information on PAQ/COP programs and APDP, reach out to your CFT Point of Contact · For additional information on PAQ TA, visit myPers Knowledge Article PALACE Acquire Tuition Assistance (PAQ TA) Program Request Process · For additional information on Acquisition Civilian Tuition Assistance (ACQ CIV TA), visit the Acquisition Civilian Portal for further guidance.

Note: Students who do not meet the three-year eligibility requirement are eligible for CIV TA and should contact their respective CFT as necessary · Civilians employed by the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve must contact their respective Education Office for assistance. · Resources and Frequently Asked Questions are available at the end of this article. The goal of CIV TA is to assist civilians in their continued self-development. It can be used toward coursework at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s (including Juris Doctorate), and doctorate levels at accredited institutions listed in the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding directory of Participating Institutions. TA is to be used for courses that contribute to occupational and institutional competencies, special interest needs and readiness by supporting the current and future DAF needs. The degree selected does not have to be related to the assigned career field, therefore, Civilian employees may pursue a degree major of their choice. To maximize the availability of funds, AF civilians may request funding for credit-by-exams that will assess college level knowledge via CLEP and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST).

CIV TA Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:
  • Be a current DAF employee
  • Currently have an acceptable performance appraisal rating (new federal civilian service employees who do not have appraisals on file are exempt from this requirement)
  • Regular full time NAF employee with 1 year of federal service combined (e.g., NAF, APF, AAFES, or DECA)
  • Regular Full-Time: Guaranteed workweek of 35-40 hours per week
  • Be in an active pay status
  • Cannot be in Leave Without Pay (LWOP) status for the duration of the course
  • Temporary employees are ineligible
  • Have an acceptable performance appraisal rating
NOTE: New APF civilian service employees who do not yet have appraisals on file are exempt from this requirement

CIV TA Rules and Restrictions

  • CIV TA is available for two (2) courses per semester / quarter and both courses should be entered under the same funding request. Term or semester dates cannot overlap the term or semester dates of another enrollment period. Please see the FAQs at the end of this article for an example.
  • CIV TA can be used for up to 75% of tuition cost but may not exceed $250.00 per semester hour or $166.00 per quarter hour. Max amount of CIV per fiscal year (FY) is $4,500. CIV TA cannot be used for separate fees associated with a course or other institutional fees. The student is responsible for remaining cost. 

    NOTE: Eligible Civilian employees who are also AF Reserve military members are limited to $4500 Civilian and Reserve TA combined per fiscal year. The fiscal year cap cannot be waived.

  • CIV TA can be used for 100% of credit-by-exam fees at an on-base and/or fully funded testing centers. There is no limitation on the number of credit-by-exam tests
  • CIV TA cannot be used to pay for college certificate programs, professional certification fees, charges related to accrediting work or life experiences or the following examination fees: Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), Graduate Records Examination (GRE), Law School Admission Test (LSAT), Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), Standard Achievement Test (SAT) or Admissions College Test (ACT)
  • CIV TA is not provided, in whole or in part, for courses for which the employee is receiving other federal or state tuition subsidies such as Veterans Administration educational benefits, scholarships or grants, etc., when the payment would constitute a duplication of benefits paid to the institution. However, TA can be used in conjunction with federal student aid loans and grants
  • CIV TA funded under CTAP is not an entitlement or condition of employment and past approved TA does not guarantee future funding
  • CIV TA funding does not apply to courses at a level lower or equal to a degree already attained by the applying member. Lower-level prerequisites should be completed before applying for an AFVEC Education Goal.
  • AFVEC refreshes and imports data from DCPDS daily to determine eligibility for funding. Employees will be prevented from creating AFVEC goals and funding requests when there is a DCPDS error message in all student records. The contractor is aware when these errors occur, but down times cannot be predicted

    Note: : Individual(s) with outstanding TA fund reimbursement obligations are denied future TA approval until either full reimbursement has been processed in AFVEC or a waiver has been approved. If there is an error, applicants should contact their servicing CFT.CIV

CIV TA Education Goal Process

Individuals must take the following steps to submit an education goal after they have been accepted to the institution. APDP Doctorate applicants must contact their CFT Point of Contact to initiate the application process.
NOTE: Applicants in APDP-coded positions pursuing doctorate courses must contact their CFT Point of Contact to initiate the application process.
NOTE: NAF employees assigned to Child and Youth Programs and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) positions who do not have CAC-enabled AFVEC access must contact the Force Support Career Field Team via email at afpc.nafcareers@us.af.mil.
  1. Register and log-in to AFVEC using Google Chrome at: https://afvec.us.af.mil/afvec
  2. At login, the Dashboard will be displayed. Eligible civilian employees will have the Civilian TA funding program tab, and below it, the remaining Fiscal Year Cap is displayed. AFVEC uses DCPDS information to determine eligibility, completed high school /college degrees for education levels, and the funding type displayed. This article does not apply to other TA funding programs that may be displayed on the Dashboard.
  3. Verify employee profile is current by entering data in all fields to include an official email address and a personal email address. Click the AFAEMS “Supervisor” link and enter the supervisor’s official email address and a personal email address if provided. Some automated emails are blocked by base networks. By adding the supervisor’s personal email address, this will allow the supervisor to forward the funding request approval email notification and link from the personal to the official email account.
  4. To ensure AFVEC automated email messages are received, student and supervisor must add admin@afaems.us.af.mil to the “Outlook Safe Senders” list located under the Outlook “Home” tab “Junk Email Options.”
  5. Select the AFVEC “Institutions” link. A school must have a MOU and be approved for TA. If so, “Civilian TA” or another program that applies to you will be listed under the institution’s “Eligible Funding Programs”. If a degree, course, term, or credit hour rate is not visible in AFVEC, the individual must contact the POC listed in the “Institutions” link and request the Academic Institution (AI) Portal be updated.
  6. Select “Virtual Benefits Training” from the left menu to complete the annual Virtual Benefits Training that applies to the funding type you are eligible for. Select CIV TA or NAF TA only.
  7. Verify a completed high school or college degree has been verified in DCPDS. AFVEC does not use partial degree completion to determine eligibility for a degree level. A manual Education Level update for the highest completed degree level can be requested by sending an AFVEC Message to the CFT. If high school is highest level held, annotate the graduation day, month and year in the message. If a college degree has been completed, attach a official or unofficial degree conferral transcript for the highest degree level completed. It is not necessary to submit multiple transcripts for the same degree level. Since AFVEC only recognizes completed degrees, partial credit transcripts won’t be accepted for Education Level updates. The AFVEC system will recognize verified degree updates made in DCPDS. For more information on the Education Record Updates process, review the myPers Self Service article 19331.
  8. Select “Education Goals” from the left menu and click “Create New Goal”. Attach an official degree plan. It must be signed by an academic advisor or downloaded from the student’s school account and contain student’s name, student ID, degree, required courses and credits, and completed courses and credits. If the institution doesn’t provide the official degree plan at the time of acceptance, attach the acceptance letter and a degree description from the institution’s catalog. Students may not request funding for a third course without an official degree plan. A goal should not be submitted in AFVEC without these documents.
    Download the official degree plan example before submitting a goal to review what is required:
    · Official Degree Plan Example
    NAF employees assigned to Child and Youth Programs and MWR positions must attach both an official degree plan and most recent AF Form 2545 prior to submitting the Goal for review.
  9. After a student submits the Goal for approval, they will no longer be able to upload supporting documents to the Goal without CFT assistance. The CFT will receive an automated notification and will then either approve the degree plan and goal or return it to the student for additional information that can be attached and returned using the AFVEC “Messages” link. After the degree plan is approved, the student may request TA by clicking on the “Apply for Funding” link.
  10. If a student changes goals before a degree is completed, the CFT will deduct from the new goal the number of non-transferable credits that were completed using TA under the original goal. The student is responsible for funding that number of non-transferable TA credits under the new goal.
    Direct general questions or concerns regarding CTAP Education Goal process to the appropriate CFT Point of Contact.

CIV TA Funding Request Process

The following steps must be taken to request Civilian TA, PALACE Acquire TA, and Acquisition TA, as applicable. Submit the funding request no earlier than 45 and no later than 7 days before the course start date.
  1. Log-in to AFVEC using Google Chrome.
  2. Select “Education Goals” from the left menu and click “Apply for Funding”.
  3. Create one funding request per term and add a maximum of two courses. The servicing Career Field Team (CFT) will receive an automated notification.
  4. The applicant’s supervisor will receive an AFVEC email notification of a CIV TA funding request; they must copy the approval link to Google Chrome and certify that all listed qualifying information is correct.
  5. The CFT will review and approve the TA funding request via AFAEMS after the supervisor concurs.
    · If deferred, the student will need to submit additional information.
    · If disapproved, TA funding request will be returned to AF civilian via AFVEC.
  6. The individual and academic institution are then notified of the approved CIV TA funding request via AFVEC and the AI Portal, respectively. Payment is made after the institution submits an invoice in the AI Portal. The AFPC Financial Management Office will process invoices in order of receipt. APF and NAF employees who have approved AFVEC TA Funding requests do not pay the Funding Request “Government Cost” to the institution. DAF does not reimburse employees for any portion of the approved “Government Cost” that the employee has inadvertently paid to the institution.
  7. The individual must verify that the institution has received the CIV TA funding approval via the AI Portal prior to the institution’s course “drop” suspense date. If the CIV TA approval has not been received, and the individual takes the course without approval, the individual is responsible for 100% of the tuition cost. For the most current status of the TA Funding Request, check AFVEC. The individual may download a copy of the Authority for Tuitional Assistance form – Education Services Program – Civilian, formally known as AF Form 4306 to send to the institution by selecting “Funding Requests” and “Print PDF.”
    If there are any changes to the CIV TA funding request after submission, it is the responsibility of the applicant to delete the request or notify the appropriate CFT of those changes as soon as they occur (i.e., course change, withdrawal, change in tuition cost). Failure to do so may result in an obligation to reimburse CIV TA to the DAF.
    Note: If course dates are entered incorrectly, the student must delete the funding request and reapply at least 7 days before the class start date. Once a class begins, class start dates cannot be changed. The student must contact the CFT to create a historical funding request.

    Successful Course Completion
    Grade standards for Air Force Tuition Assistance are different than institution credit awarding standards. Unacceptable grades and withdrawals at cost will result in an obligation to repay funds to the DAF. Respond to the automated messages as soon as possible and set up a reimbursement plan by the suspense date on the Funding Request. If not, the CFT is authorized to initiate a lump-sum payroll deduction for the TA awarded.

  • Undergraduate Courses: Successful completion requires a grade of “C” or better. If a grade is below a C, individual must reimburse the DAF
  • Graduate Courses: Successful completion requires a grade of B or better. If a grade is below a B, individual must reimburse the DAF
  • If the institution does not post grade in AFVEC within 30 days of the course end date, the student will create an AFVEC message and attach a PDF of the transcript or official letter grade report for manual update
  • Grades not reported within 60 days of the course end date are considered missing and the student will be blocked from creating any new TA funding requests For letter grade definitions, refer to the CTAP Frequently Asked Questions located in the Related Resources section of this article Reimbursements
  • If a grade goes unreported beyond 90 days, a reimbursement action will be initiated by the appropriate CFT
  • Grades of D, F, N, and U require reimbursement
  • Grades of W may require reimbursement and students who withdraw must submit documentation from the institution verifying the course name and number, term dates, withdrawal date, and tuition charged
  • Incomplete Grades (I, X, Y): An Incomplete must be changed to an acceptable grade within 60 days of the course end date. If not, a reimbursement action will be initiated. Any extension of course timelines is between the student and accredited academic institution and may not correspond with the DAF 60-day requirement
  • In exceptional circumstances (i.e., hospitalization of member/family member, or unforeseen emergency), reimbursement may be waived by AFPC in whole or in part, based on acceptable justification

    NOTE: After the CFT processes the reimbursement or waiver action in AFVEC, students may reapply for the same course(s). Students are not required to have paid the debt in full but must have the repayment plan set up. If not successfully completed on second attempt, CIV TA funds cannot be requested for a third attempt.

Related Resources

Commissioning Information

Commissioning programs are ever evolving with new guidelines and requirements. Education Centers no longer assist with developing or reviewing packages, IAW DAFMAN 36-2032, 9 Mar 2023, which is an invaluable resource for commissioning information.
Therefore, commissioning assistance offered by the Ramstein Education Center is limited. We are happy to help you with:
  1. links and informative resources so you can do your research 
  2. creating a commissioning prerequisite education goal
  3. understanding how to use MilTA to pay for program prerequisites
  4. scheduling and administering the AFOQT.
The AFOQT is given every first Thursday of the month in bldg. 2115 at 0745. If you have access to SharePoint you can schedule your own training at:
https://usaf.dps.mil/sites/86FSS/FSD/FSDE, otherwise email the Ramstein Testing Office at 86fss.ramstein@us.af.mil to reserve your seat. 
 
Please refer to the “Air Force Recruiting Service Active-Duty Officer Training School Program Announcement” document in the link below for commissioning guidance and information regarding who signs Block 25 on the AF Form 56.  It is imperative you fully read and comprehend all directions. Failure to do so may result in non-selection.
 
 
If interested in commissioning programs, we recommend that you collaborate with an officer who can mentor you. Mentors can be found on “My Vector,”
Be sure to stay up to date at commissioning program websites and through the Holm-Center:
For Eligibility guidelines for ROTC programs available to enlisted airmen:
Additionally, you can view the Commissioning Programs PPT for overall commissioning information.

Education Level Update

HOW TO OBTAIN AN EDUCATIONAL LEVEL UPDATE

An official transcript from the university may be mailed or e-mailed from the registrar’s office reflecting your degree progress or graduation. E-mails are preferred to be in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format and must be the official transcript.

NOTE: Most official transcripts do not include your SSN or date of birth. If you have a common name it is recommended that you contact the school to ensure that additional identifying information is on your transcript or this office will be unable to locate you in MILPDS. If you were married and you have had a last name change, please ensure the last name on your transcript matches your AF records or we will be unable to locate you in the system.

 Unacceptable Transcripts:

  • photocopies
  • student scans
  • screen shots
  • student unofficial copies
  • faxes

For Enlisted:
You can either have an official transcript emailed to our org box:
86fss.ramsteineducationcenter@us.af.mil

Or you can have your official transcript sent to:
86FSS/FSDE
Attn: Education Services Counselor
Unit 3221
APO, AE 09094-3221

For Officers:
All Officer Education is managed through the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).
https://www.afit.edu/coding/

AFIT Academic Coding Branch
2950 Hobson Way
Wright-Patterson AFB, Oh 45433-7765

Phone: (937) 255-6565, x4324
DSN: 785-6565, x4324
E-mail: afit.coding@afit.edu

FLPB Pay

Regulations and pertaining to applying for Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus Pay (FLPB) and Instructions on how to apply for FLPB Pay at Ramstein

FLPB Pay – Regulations & Information 

FLPB Pay – Sharepoint

Forms & Publications

GI Bill Information

The Base Education Centers do not manage the GI Bill and Post 9/11 benefits because they are both VA programs. You can contact our local Veteran’s Service Officers on Ramstein AB.

Javier Mendez: Javier.mendez@vatap.calibresys.com

Contact information: Ramstein VA Office: Bldg 2120, 2nd Floor Phone: 06371-47-2137 or DSN 480-2137 Email: TAP_EuropeRegion@BAH.com GI Bill Hotline: (001) 888-GI-BILL-1 Website: https://www.va.gov/education/ Below are additional links that you may find helpful: Total Force Service Center DSN: 665-0102

https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/ Also, please find some helpful links below: Transfer Benefits: https://milconnect-pki.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/protected/portlet/teb Apply to use transferred education benefits: https://www.va.gov/education/apply-for-education-benefits/application/1990E/introduction Switch from Montgomery to Post 9/11 GI Bill

Steps to Use VA/GI Bill Benefits:

  1. Apply for Admission to your academic institution
  2. Decide which GI Bill® best fits your needs.
  3. Visit https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/ to submit your application for benefits. 
    • The site will prompt you to complete the appropriate form 22-1990 (first time VA applicant)) or 22-1995 (returning VA applicant).
    • You will need your Institution’s mailing address for the form
  1. Keep an eye out for the VA certificate of eligibility (COE).
  2. Submit/Fax your COE and completed VA Benefits form to your Institution
  3. Register for classes. If you use the Montgomery GI Bill®, the VA will pay you directly meaning you will need to self-pay during registration.
  4. If prompted during the registration process, give your consent for the institution to submit your course registrations to the VA.
  5. Your academic institution will submit verification of your enrollment to the VA after the drop period for your course(s).
  6. You may need to re-verify your enrollment on the last day of each month you are enrolled in class.
  7. Check with your institution’s VA school certifying official (SCO) to view the VA Enrollment Status (Rate of Pursuit) table for course load requirements.

Please click on the document link below for the VA Flyer.

Skillbridge Ramstein (CAC)

Spouse Tuition Assistance

The Ramstein Education Center does not manage spouse tuition assistance or scholarship programs. However, the following information may offer helpful information.

MyCAA(MyCareerAdvancementAccount)
(https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/) is a program designed to provide financial aid for military spouses (who are eligible) pursuing portable career fields. Specifically, MyCAA will provide up to $4000 in tuition assistance for spouses seeking monetary assistance for licenses, certifications, certificates, or associate degree. However, not every military spouse will be eligible.
 
Some military spouses may be eligible to receive VA financial aid if their service member chooses to transfer their education benefits to them. Depending on the amount of time they have in service (at least 10 years) and the amount of time left on their current contract (among other criteria), service members can transfer some or all (up to 36 months’ worth) of their education benefits to their eligible dependents.
 
After 7/20/2019, your service member must have less than 16 years or less in order to transfer their benefits to you. Transferring VA education benefits can often be cumbersome, and in recent months, the VA has made several changes to this program. It’s important to stay abreast of these changes and make sure your family doesn’t fall through the cracks.
 
General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant
(https://afas.org/haparnoldgrant/)
 
The Hap Arnold Grant is supported by the Air force Aid Society. It is competitive in its need-based selection criteria and is uniquely tailored to recognize the proper weighing of family income and education costs. Grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 are awarded to eligible Air Force and Space Force dependents each year. The specific amount awarded correlates to a student’s particular level of financial need.
 
The grant is available to dependent sons and daughters of active duty, Title 10 Reservists on extended active duty, Title 32 Guard performing full-time active duty, retired, retired Reserve and deceased Air Force or Space Force members, as well as spouses of active duty and Title 10 Reservists, and widows/widowers.

Test By Exam (CLEP/DSST)

The Ramstein Education Center does not manage CLEP/DSST or Pearson Vue Exams. The University of Maryland Global Campus administers CLEP/DSST, Pearson Vue (CompTia, Cisco, GMAT, etc.) at the National Test Center (NTC) located in Bldg. 2104 at Ramstein AB (NOT THE EDUCATION CENTER – BLDG. 2120).
 
UMGC DSN Phone: 480-5611/4866 and Comm 06371-47-5611/4866
Location: National Test Center (NTC) is located in Bldg. 2104 at Ramstein AB (NOT THE EDUCATION CENTER – BLDG. 2120).
 
Pearson Vue, be sure to first register and prepare for exams: https://home.pearsonvue.com/isc2
 
 GRE: NTC does not offer the GRE. To register for the GRE, test site locations and study materials: https://mygre.ets.org/greweb/action/RegPortal. Closest GRE testing site is Frankfurt, Germany.
 

Testing Information

The Ramstein Education Center does not manage CLEP/DSST or Pearson Vue Exams. The University of Maryland Global Campus administers CLEP/DSST, Pearson Vue (CompTia, Cisco, GMAT, etc.) at the National Test Center (NTC) located in Bldg. 2104 at Ramstein AB (NOT THE EDUCATION CENTER – BLDG. 2120).
 
UMGC DSN Phone: 480-5611/4866 and Comm 06371-47-5611/4866
Location: National Test Center (NTC) is located in Bldg. 2104 at Ramstein AB (NOT THE EDUCATION CENTER – BLDG. 2120).
 
Pearson Vue, be sure to first register and prepare for exams: https://home.pearsonvue.com/isc2
 
 GRE: NTC does not offer the GRE. To register for the GRE, test site locations and study materials: https://mygre.ets.org/greweb/action/RegPortal. Closest GRE testing site is Frankfurt, Germany.
 

Tuition Assistance Briefing

HOW TO OBTAIN THE INITIAL or REFRESHER TA COUNSELING BRIEF

If you have never used Military Tuition Assistance (MilTA), the Initial Counseling Brief is required. If you have not used MilTA in over a year, Refresher counseling is required.  There are TWO ways to obtain the briefing:

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