Hawai‘i Army National Guard

Important Announcements:

New changes for FTA:

• Command approval is required for all FTA requests (at least 5 days prior to course start date). Soldiers will have the option to input an alternate POC (i.e. First Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Unit Readiness NCO).
• Soldiers with TWO recoupment actions in the same fiscal year will be suspended from requesting FTA for 12 months

New changes for CA:

• Command approval is required for all CA requests (within 5 days after Soldier submission). Soldiers will have the option to input an alternate POC (i.e. First Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Unit Readiness NCO).
• Commissioned officers (O1 – O10) are no longer eligible for CA
• Soldiers with TWO recoupment actions in the same fiscal year will be suspended from requesting CA for 12 month

Overview: Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) is a program available to Soldiers in the Army National Guard, Active Army, and Army Reserve. It allows Soldiers to request tuition assistance for both classroom and distance learning courses from regionally or nationally accredited institutions. The process is managed through the ArmyIgnitED portal, which streamlines enrollment and application procedures.

• $4,500 available for FTA or Credentialing Assistance (CA) per fiscal year
• Up to $250 per credit hour
• Maximum of 18 credits per fiscal year
• Covers tuition only
• Up to 139 credits for an undergraduate degree, up to 39 credits for a graduate degree, and up to 21 credits for a certificate

Eligibility:

• Must be currently serving in the Army National Guard with a valid Common Access Card (CAC)
• Enlisted Soldiers must have an End of Term Service (ETS) date at least 15 days after the completion of FTA-funded courses.
• Officers and Commissioned Warrant Officers incur a four-year Reserve Duty Service Obligation (RDSO) or a two-year Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO).
• Soldiers must meet GPA requirements: 2.0 for undergraduate courses and 3.0 for graduate courses.
• Applications must be submitted at least eight business days before the course start date.

Application Process:

1. Complete ArmyIginitED 101 Training: Watch Video Here. Slides from video are available to download (ArmyIgnitED 101 Brief Slides)
2. Log into Account: Access ArmyIgnitED and sign in with your CAC. (CAC reader required)
3. Create Message in ArmyIgnitED: Input the following remarks in message “I reviewed the ArmyIgnitED 101 slide presentation and completed my required training on [day/month/year]”
4. Before creating education goal, Career Path Decide (CPD) at (https://careerpathdecide.org) assessment results must be uploaded into ArmyIgnitED. Save link for results!
5. Set Education Goal: Select the education level, school, and degree you wish to pursue. Upload official degree plan stating your name, school, degree plan, transferred credits, and what classes you need to take to graduate. Only classes in degree plan will be approve for funding.
6. Approval: Have your education goal approved by your Education Services Officer (ESO)/Education Services Specialist (ESS). Education goal will not be approved until training and official degree plan are reviewed.
7. Virtual Benefits Training: Complete the training module every fiscal year (October-September) under the education programs tab.
8. Register for Classes: Enroll in your selected courses with the school. Submit Tuition Assistance Requests (TARs). TARs must be submitted 60-8 days before the class start date. Create one TAR for each class. Do not bulk your classes into one TAR.
9. Review: Your assigned education counselor or system will review and approve or reject your TAR.
10. Contact your school’s finance office: Download DA Form 7792 for each TAR. Turn in your DA FORM 7792 to school’s finance to invoice Army for payment.

Quick Links

For questions regarding your incentive, please contact your Readiness NCO.