Effectiveness of the Voluntary Education Program

The Voluntary Education VOLED Program provides off duty educational opportunities integrating a variety of continuing education programs to Sailors seeking to enhance their professional and personal growth. VOLED supplements military training and allows sailors to pursue college degrees of their choice. Funding for VOLED is 57.8 million in FY98. VOLED comprises three major instructional elements Tuition Assistance, the Program for Afloat College Education PACE, and the Academic Skills Learning Centers ASLCs. Tuition Assistance covers 75 percent of tuition at colleges, universities, and other schools. The current cap is 2,500 for undergraduate college courses and 3,500 for graduate courses. Effective 1 October 1998, the cap will be 3,500 for all courses however, there will be a credit hour cap of 187.50. PACE offers courses on Navy ships and at selected remote locations. It offers free college as well as academic skills noncredit remedial modules education in English, language arts, reading, math, and basic science. PACE courses are taught either by onboard instructors instructor PACE or through electronic means technology PACE. The Academic Skills Learning Centers provide free self paced software instruction in reading, writing, math, science, and work skills. As of March 1998, 14 ASLCs were operational, but the Navy is establishing ASLCs at all major installations about 1 per month, for a total of 52 by the end of FY01.