Air Force Voluntary Education Update

1. Air Force Voluntary Education Update CCME SymposiumFebruary 2013 SMSgt David W. Umlang for Kimberly A Yates HQ US Air Force Learning Division

2. Overview Proud History Today’s Airman Enlisted Learning Continuum Air Force Institutional Competencies Statistical Snapshot Today and Beyond 2

3. Voluntary Education Builds a Professional Corps Post Civil War • Officers teaching members how to read • Kept them busy while stationed at remote frontier sites After WWII AF had a great need for rated officers • Accession sources for officers with or without bachelor’s • Aviation Cadet Program , Officer Candidate School • AFROTC, USAFA, OTS • Post accession degrees - assisted officers in degree completion • Bootstrap - rated officers to complete degree in 1-2 terms • “Space Race” - AF set goal that all officers have a bachelor’s degree 3

4. Voluntary Education Builds a Professional Corps 1960’s • Vol Ed Program began • 75% Military Tuition Assistance (Mil TA) program • counseling services and DoD funded testing • A few on-base college programs • Officer accession policy only available to those with degree • Bootstrap expanded to include enlisted interested in commissioning • Vol Ed took on counseling for commissioning programs 1970s • Push to bring schools on-base • Vol Ed took on “Transition Program” • Community College of the AF created for credentialing 4

5. Voluntary Education Builds a Professional Corps 1980’s • More programs created for enlisted to be commissioned • Bootstrap changed to allow completion of bachelor’s or master’s • CCAF received regional accreditation 1990’s • CCAF’s reputation grew - extensive outreach to counsel Airmen • Enlisted began using Mil TA for CCAF • Burst of on-line schools created as the Internet grew 2000’s • 80% of Mil TA budget is spent on enlisted • 20% of Mil TA budget is spent on officer AADs 5

6. Voluntary Education Builds a Professional Corps Today • Vol Ed Program has become the “go to” option for professional education • Mil TA builds professional corps • Entices the best to make AF a career • Education - among the top reasons individuals join the AF • After patriotism & job opportunities • Education THE TOP benefit named for influencing Airman to re-enlist 6

7. Today’s Airmen Defining Characteristics: Tech Savvy: Rely on technology; cut on their own computer technology and internet Multi Tasking: Can listen to music and work on a computer while watching TV Diverse: Most diverse generation in history; parents include Baby Boomers to Gen X’ers 7

8. Today’s Airmen Age Demographics Education Level - Enlisted Generation Demographics Education Level - Officer 8

9. Enlisted Force Development Continuum FORCE DEVELOPMENT = TRAINING + EDUCATION + EXPERIENCE TACTICALEXPERTISE STRATEGICVISION EDUCATION OPERATIONALCOMPETENCE AF Sponsored Degree Programs Voluntary Education/Degree Programs NCO PEC SNCO PEC ALS NCOA SNCOA CCAF TRAINING Increased Institutional Competencies 7-level Upgrade 9-level Upgrade CEM OJT, Ancillary and Formal Training FTAC BMT Tech Trng 5-level Upgrade AB Amn A1C SrA SSgt TSgt MSgt SMSgt CMSgt 9 9

10. AF Institutional Competencies Leadership Levels Strategic Vision Organizational Operational Competence People/Team Tactical Expertise Personal Embodies Airman Culture, Communicating Personal Leading People, Fostering Collaborative Relationships People/Team Employing Military Capabilities , Enterprise Perspective, Managing Organizations and Resources , Strategic Thinking Organizational 10 10

11. Statistical and Historical Snapshot (FY12) Air Force Vol Ed Programs are very active ! 104K Airmen enrolled in college courses • ~30% of all active duty Airmen enrolled • FY02 participation was 18% 277.3K enrollments $194.5M expended for Mil TA only for FY12 • $6M increase from FY11 • Does not include operational costs Historical Total Vol Ed Budget break out (Mil TA, salary, infrastructure) • 81% - Mil TA • 14% - Salaries • 5% - Infrastructure 11

12. FY10-FY12 Distance LearningVs. Instructor-Led Courses

13. Today and Beyond Concerns in the AF Voluntary Education Community • Rising cost • Sustainability • Pressure to reduce Defense spending • Increased collaboration between OSD and Services Initiate efficiencies across functional communities Centralization of MilTA financial transactions • In response to RMD703 cuts and needed efficiencies

14. Update on MilTA Centralization Efficiencies • Single Use/ Payment Plus card • eliminates need for receipts • Allows interface between AFAEMS and USBank • Case Management System (CMS) - Reaches out to base-level finance offices for student reimbursements • Working with SAF/FM and DFAS to obtain digital signatures on DD139 • Instituted on-line annual MilTA training Increased standardization - Single POC for MilTA transactional issues Consolidation of IT changes/updates for quick start up Volume drives understanding of policy impact and procedures • Allows for quick changes to accommodate business practices • Multi-million dollar invoice payment process changed to reduce time for validation --from 3-4 weeks to just a few days---institutions get paid faster 14

15. Education is for ANY place ANY time ANY Airman

16. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING “YOUR” AIRMEN! 16

17. Questions Question: Do we have any numbers that reflect the effect of the drawdown between now and 2015 on MilTA? Answer: No our projections are still showing an increase. In times of drawdown we have always experienced increased interest/use of MilTA as members prep for life after the military. Question: MilTA online training; where is that training available? Answer: It is on the AF Virtual Education Center (AFVEC) and AFAEMS.