Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA)

 

The International Wine Guild is an approved MyCAA education provider. The MyCAA program can only be used for Guild professional seminars and courses. These courses may be taken at any location the Guild is teaching. See the Guild calendar for all upcoming seminars and courses. 

If you qualify for the MyCAA program the Guild can help you put together a series of courses to best fit your interests and needs for a career in the wine industry.

We recommend three courses, which will lead to a professional certification as a Sommelier if you have no experience in the industry:

• Guild Certification Seminar (Level I Certification)
• Advanced Wine Course (Level II Certification)
• Advancded Wine and Food Pairing Course (a Level III Course)

We have a program in place whereby you only pay $4000 to attend these three courses, regardless of whether you take them in a 12-week or 1-week format.  Contact the Guild office for details.

The MyCAA Program

The Department of Defense’s expanded Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program is now offering up to $4,000 to military spouses who are interested in pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to careers in high growth, high demand portable career fields.

Who Is Eligible?

Spouses of active duty members and activated members of the National Guard and Reserve Components.

• The period of eligibility for spouses of Guard and Reserve members is from the date of the Alert or Warning Order for Military Recall or Mobilization, through activation and deployment until 180 days following De-Mobilization.
• Military spouses who are military members themselves are not eligible. Military members have education benefits provided through the Military Voluntary Education Tuition Assistance (TA) Program.

What Does MyCAA Pay For?

MyCAA financial assistance pays for expenses such as post-secondary education and training, tuition, licensing, and credentialing fees. The tuition and fees for a Guild course includes books, supplies and other necessary equipment – all covered by the MyCAA program.

Getting Started

Eligible spouses who are ready to explore a career in the wine industry and develop a career goal and plan should establish a MyCAA Account by visiting the MyCAA website at https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa. This is an easy, self-help process.

Once spouse profile information is provided, DoD will verify MyCAA eligibility through DEERS. The spouse will be notified of his/her eligibility status through the MyCAA messaging system.

Who Can Help Spouses Move Through the MyCAA Program?

Spouses are encouraged to work with a IWG Student Academic Advisor (contact the Guild to speak to one of our student advisors – in Colorado – 303-296-3966 or outside Colorado – 1-866-946-3338) or call a Military OneSource Career/Education Consultant at 1-800-342-9647 if you need help in:

• Establishing a MyCAA Account and signing the MyCAA Statement of Understanding (SOU)
• Choosing a portable career and establishing a career goal
• Developing a career plan (selecting courses, exams, other needed services)
• Requesting up to $4,000 of financial assistance to pay for courses of study or related licensing and credentialing services provided by other agencies (e.g. Bar or CPA exams, state certification exams for teachers and nurses, finger printing, drug testing, security checks, etc.)

Contact the Guild office at – 303-296-3966 or outside Colorado – 1-866-946-3338, for more information or to get started in a MyCAA sponsored program.

More Questions? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

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