Ms. Beth Austin serves as DANTES’ Program Manager for the DoD MOU and TA DECIDE programs. She has focused her professional career on supporting service members and veterans, their family members, and DoD civilian service providers.
Ms. Austin served in the following positions before coming to DANTES in May 2023:
• Director, Veterans Resource Center, and
Associate Director, Career Advising, University of Kentucky
• Operations Supervisor and Career Advisor, DoD Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) Program
• Marine Corps Family Team Building Trainer, MATSG-21, Pensacola
• Education Services Specialist/Education and Career Advisor, Navy College Program, San Diego and Pensacola
• Marine Corps Key Volunteer Coordinator, HMH362 and VMFA-323
• Military Education Program Coordinator, Chaminade University
Ms. Austin is completing a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies & Evaluation (Higher Education Studies) from the University of Kentucky. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Research Methods in Education from the University of Kentucky, an M.Ed. in Counseling from Chaminade University, and a B.A. in Spanish, French, and Secondary Education from Murray State University. Ms. Austin is also an ICF Certified Professional Coach with the International Coaching Federation.
Please email Ms. Austin at dodhra-voledconcernsdantes@mail.mil if you have questions about this program.
My name is Katrena King! I spent 22 years in the Navy and retired from the Navy as a Chief. I have worked for DANTES for over 14 years. Talking to schools to help service members worldwide about their education is my passion!
“Where should I enroll?” “How much will it cost?” “What should I study?”
Whenselecting an academic institution, service members have many choices. Location, programs offered, cost, and method of instruction are just a few of the factors that service members may consider.
The TA DECIDE College Comparison Tool is specifically designed to help DoD Military Tuition Assistance program participants weigh their educational options.
TA DECIDE is a dynamic information and comparison tool designed to assist participants of the Department of Defense’s Tuition Assistance (TA) program in making well-informed choices regarding schools and education programs. The tool offers a unique and personalized experience tailored to the needs of TA participants.
This innovative tool combines various information sources that are conveniently presented in an easy-to-use format. TA DECIDE is fueled by data from the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum
of Understanding (DoD MOU), DoD Tuition Assistance data, Department of Education/College Navigator data, and details from the Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill Comparison Tool.
There are several reasons why service members should choose to use this tool. It is easily accessible online, allowing for self-paced exploration or guidance from education counselors. With a selection of nearly 2,500 approved MOU schools in more than 10,000 locations, users can compare and contrast different options to make the best decisions for their educational journey. Furthermore, TA DECIDE ensures that all schools have been vetted by the DoD to guarantee quality and eligibility for Military Tuition Assistance. TA DECIDE empowers service members with comprehensive information to make informed decisions about their education.
I’m Nancy Maley! With a 20-year tenure in the Navy behind me, I have been with DANTES for more than 18 years. My passion lies in communicating with educational institutions to support service members across the globe in their educational pursuits!
TA DECIDE is also a helpful resource for education counselors to help service members select the right school that suits their requirements. The tool allows users to research and compare schools that have signed a DoD VolEd Partnership MOU. Only schools that have successfully completed a rigorous screening process and have been accepted into this program are eligible to receive Military Tuition Assistance benefits. For education counselors, TA DECIDE offers additional resources, such as a list of participating DoD MOU institutions, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and a source document providing further details on the tool.
TA DECIDE users can be assured that the schools they see in the tool have met specific criteria, such as being accredited by a national or regional accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education, being stateapproved for veterans’ education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and being certified to participate in federal student aid programs through Title IV of the Higher Education Act.
The search engine within TA DECIDE draws upon more than ten trusted data sources from across multiple government departments to provide detailed information on school accreditation, degree levels and programs offered, learning methods available, classification codes for instructional programs (CIP code), and cost estimates including tuition fees, books/supplies expenses, room/board costs if applicable.
Additionally, TA DECIDE provides specific DoD Tuition Assistance data related to each school, including TA user graduation rates and the total amount of TA dollars accepted.
I’m Ed Hattabaugh! After 24 years in the Navy, culminating in my retirement as a Senior Chief, I’ve been with DANTES for more than 6 years. My driving passion is engaging with educational institutions to assist service members around the world with their educational needs!
The ultimate goal of TA DECIDE is to provide high-value information on educational costs and outcomes so that service members can effectively compare different institutions they may be considering. While it supports individualized searches tailored to each user’s needs, it also offers an extensive depth of information that military professional education counselors can utilize in assisting service members in finding educational institutions that best align with their goals. As the official source for researching and comparing DoD MOU partnership schools for Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve component service members, TA DECIDE is available 24/7 to both service members and the general public at https://www. dodmou.com/TADECIDE/.
The Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education (VolEd) Program, through the Defense Activity for NonTraditional Education Support (DANTES), manages TA DECIDE, a college comparison tool to assist military members with selecting the right college for their needs.
TA DECIDE includes all educational institutions that have signed a DoD VolEd Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (DoD MOU) and are eligible to receive DoD Tuition Assistance (TA) funds. TA DECIDE is fueled by more than 10 recognized and trusted data sources from across the Departments of Defense, Education and Veterans Affairs.
• 100% of schools are eligible for military tuition assistance
• Easy online access for your convenience
• Self-paced or education counselor-guided
• Thousands of schools to choose from and compare to make the right decision
• TA DECIDE can be accessed 24/7
• 2,500+ approved schools vetted by DoD for quality and value
• Official source for military TA eligible schools
• TA DECIDE allows you to research and compare all the schools that have signed a DoD VolEd Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (DoD MOU)
• Compare schools side-by-side based on degree programs, costs, military and veteran student outcomes, and more
• Make informed decisions on schools and programs to meet your goals
• https://www.dodmou.com/Home/InstitutionList
• https://dodmou.com/TADECIDE/
• All Education Institutions are vetted by DoD to ensure quality education
• All Education Institutions are eligible for military TA funds
• Avoid unfair, deceptive, and abusive recruiting practices
• Financial cost and attendance information are provided for school and education program comparison via TA DECIDE
All service members that are eligible to participate in the military TA program can attend participating institutions that have signed a DoD MOU
• https://www.dodmou.com/Home/ InstitutionList
• https://dodmou.com/TADECIDE/
• dodhra-voledconcerns-dantes@mail.mil
The DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the USD P&R and educational institutions is managed by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES). DoD policy requires educational institutions that wish to participate in the DoD Tuition Assistance (TA) program sign the MOU conveying the commitments and agreements between the educational institution then the DoD prior to an educational institution receiving funds from a services TA program. The DoD MOU serves to protect service members and to help ensure that a quality education is provided through the participating institutions. (Change 4, DoDI 1322.25, dated April 2, 2020) Institution
The DoD Memorandum of Understanding is valid for typically 5 years; at which time our Educational Institution partners must renew (resign) the agreement. In 2024, of the over 2,500 partnerships, 75% of them expire in a 5-month period and over 90% in an 8-month period.
To help ensure that all MOUs are renewed in a timely manner, we have changed the renewal window to 180 days ahead of time and encourage all Institutions, with valid rates, to renew their MOU sooner rather than later. This will avoid the summer surge as well as streamline the process for most. Renewing the MOU can be done in three simple steps (assuming other information is current).
• Signing Authority (SA) logs into their account via the Institution Login option
• SA may need to reset user password if the user has not accessed the account in over 30 days
• Under “Manage My Application”, selectMOU Renewal in the dropdown, then GO
• There is also a Renewal icon on the left column
• The Signing Authority enters user account information
• Check the Certification box
• Click SUBMIT
• The DANTES team wil review
• Once approved by the OSD Policy Team, SA will receive a Renewal Notification
• dodhra-voledconcerns- dantes@mail. mil
• Phone: (850) 452-1977
• Mon - Fri, 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (CST)
• More details, refer to the MOU Institution Guide pages 100-105
April 11 Noon ET | 11am CT | 10am MT | 9 am PT
Free for eligible Service Members! Are you looking to accelerate your college journey and save both time and money? Join our CLEP webinar to discover how you can earn college credit and graduate sooner with CLEP exams. DANTES funds CLEP exams for eligible military members. This session will provide valuable insights into maximizing your educational opportunities. Register today!
https://collegeboard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QfZZeArzQvWqxhoKkdB5mg
The DANTES Information Bulletin is an essential resource for education counselors dedicated to guiding service members through their educational journeys. These newsletters are rich in detailed information about various programs and initiatives aimed at aiding U.S. Armed Forces members in achieving their educational objectives.
As a pivotal resource, the DANTES Information Bulletin equips education counselors with extensive knowledge to provide comprehensive guidance and support to service members. By keeping up to date with the latest developments in DANTES programs, counselors are better positioned to deliver the most accurate and helpful advice, enabling service members to navigate their education and career paths with confidence.
We value your feedback on how we can enhance our newsletter. Please take a moment to complete our survey by clicking on the link or scanning the QR code provided below.
DIB Survey Link:
https://deomirdgov.gov1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/ SV_3WSv9JgIXaY1hsi
Save the Date: July 16-17, 2024
Location: Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) Training Facility, Patrick SFB, Cocoa Beach, Florida
NOTE: PDI 2023 slide presentations are available for download from the DANTES milSuite account. CACaccess is required.
Event Purpose:
• To support DoD VolEd employee engagement, professional knowledge and collaboration across the DoD VolEd community, using forums, professional training, knowledge sharing, and building partnerships.
• To equip VolEd professionals to best support the Military Services’ efforts to shape, recruit, train, educate, and retain a diverse workforce
capable of successfully executing current and future missions.
• To facilitate the collaborative process, align leadership focus across functional and organizational boundaries, grow strategic alliances across the VolEd enterprise, and support organizational performance.
POC: Contact your service registration POC for further details!
Email PDI questions to: dodhra-outreachdantes@mail.mil
