106 KAR 1:050. Educational Encouragement Fund

      Section 1. Purpose. The purpose of the education encouragement fund is to:

      (1) Encourage voluntary membership and retention in the Kentucky National Guard;

      (2) Improve the educational level of the guard's members; and

      (3) Benefit the state as a whole, by virtue of subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

 

      Section 2. Responsibilities. (1) The Adjutant General of Kentucky shall be responsible for the overall policies, guidance, administration, implementation and proper utilization of the Educational Encouragement Fund Board.

      (2) The Educational Encouragement Fund Board, hereinafter referred to as the board, shall be charged with administering the fund.

      (3) The public affairs officer, Frankfort Headquarters, shall be responsible for initiating and maintaining an active publicity program, designed to promote the recruiting and retention incentive offered by the educational encouragement fund.

      (4) National Guard Unit Commanders shall be responsible for keeping members of their command informed of the program, submission and verification of applications, and monitoring military type administrative actions (such as discharge/resignations) for the Adjutant General which could result in a change in status thus requiring forfeiture/repayment of fund benefits by its members. Change in status of a member receiving benefits shall include the following:

      (a) Resignation or discharge from the guard.

      (b) Drops out of school, with or without just cause.

      (c) Is expelled or suspended from school.

      (d) Receives an unsatisfactory drill attendance or performance report which results in not being in good standing.

      (e) Member receives benefits and fails to serve the one (1) year obligation.

      (5) Members of the National Guard who are recipients of funds offered by this program shall be responsible for notifying his/her Unit Commander and/or the Adjutant General of any change in status which would affect his/her entitlement thereto.

 

      Section 3. Definitions. (1) "Matriculation" means enrollment or admission costs which may include tuition.

      (2) "Tuition" means the charge or fee that an institution normally charges for instruction.

      (3) "Acceptable school" means those universities, colleges or schools enumerated in Appendix A. Copies of Appendix A can be obtained from the Department of Military Affairs, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.

      (4) "Proprietary school" means those business-oriented schools that are licensed by the State Board of Proprietary Education and are approved by the Kentucky Educational Encouragement Fund Board.

      (5) "Good standing" means any active member of the Kentucky National Guard endorsed by his commander as successfully attending and participating in the required training program. A member may be considered "not in good standing" in cases where criminal or military charges affect the member's ability to perform his/her duties with the Kentucky National Guard.

 

      Section 4. Benefits. (1) Subject to the availability of funds, the benefits provided shall consist of a monetary grant for full-time or part-time enrollment not to exceed fifty (50) percent of tuition or matriculation fees, or $250 per term and in no event to exceed $750 within a twelve (12) month period to qualifying members of the Kentucky National Guard.

      (2) Benefits shall be payable to qualifying members attending institutions as listed in Appendix A, or others approved by the Educational Encouragement Fund Board.

      (3) The Educational Encouragement Fund Board may authorize benefits payable for the following periods of study:

      (a) Semester;

      (b) Quarter;

      (c) Summer terms; or

      (d) Others, as approved by the board.

 

      Section 5. Eligibility. (1) Active members of the Kentucky National Guard have benefit eligibility who:

      (a) Are members in good standing of the active Kentucky National Guard and commit themselves to service in the Kentucky National Guard for at least one (1) year beyond the end of the term for which benefits are payable.

      (b) Have verification of payment of all tuition or matriculation fees for the period of study he/she is requesting benefits for under the fund.

      (c) Agree, through contract with the Department of Military Affairs to reimburse the State of Kentucky by and through the department any money paid for him/her from the fund in the event he/she fails to remain a guard member; or is expelled or suspended or quits the program without just cause.

      (d) Has a minimum of one (1) year remaining as a member of the guard from the end of the academic period for which educational fund assistance is provided.

      (2) The educational assistance benefit shall be applicable to eligible personnel in the following categories:

      (a) Students seeking trade or vocational training or education courses for self improvement and advancement.

      (b) Students seeking to achieve a two (2) year associate degree.

      (c) Students seeking to achieve a four (4) year baccalaureate or graduate degree.

 

      Section 6. Application for Benefits. (1) Eligible individuals in the active Kentucky National Guard interested in submitting applications for benefits of the educational encouragement fund shall comply with the following:

      (a) Complete the application, herein filed as Appendix B, and submit to his/her Unit Commander for signature. Both signatures must be present for valid application. Applications may be obtained from the Department of Military Affairs, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.

      (b) Apply, be accepted, and enrolled for credit as a student in any university, college, community college, or vocational education school as a full-time or part-time student.

      (c) Pay, or make arrangements for payment of, all educational costs at the time of registration.

      (d) Provide the board a stamped "Paid" receipt for payment from the institution for all fees paid at the time of registration.

      (e) Must forward the application for (approval/disapproval) consideration prior to the end of the semester for which requesting assistance. No application will be considered by the board beyond the end of the term for which assistance is requested.

      (2) Unit Commanders at all levels shall forward applications with endorsements to the Adjutant General's Office as soon as possible.

 

      Section 7. Priority System. Should demand for assistance from the educational encouragement fund exceed the supply of available funds, a priority system will be put into effect by the board.

 

      Section 8. Appeals. Any appeal from the actions or decision of the board in connection with the administration of the educational assistance program shall be submitted in writing, within ten (10) days after receipt of the board's decision, to the Adjutant General, Department of Military Affairs. The decision of the Adjutant General shall be final. (12 Ky.R. 1958; Am. 13 Ky.R. 233; eff. 7-2-86.)

 

 

APPENDIX A

LIST OF ACCEPTABLE SCHOOLS

 

SENIOR COLLEGES:

Asbury - Wilmore

Bellarmine-Ursuline - Louisville

Berea - Berea

Brescia - Owensboro

Campbellsville - Campbellsville

Centre - Danville

Cumberland - Williamsburg

Eastern KY University - Richmond

Georgetown - Georgetown

Kentucky Christian College - Grayson

Kentucky State - Frankfort

Kentucky Wesleyan - Owensboro

Morehead State - Morehead

Murray State - Murray

Northern KY University - Covington

Pikeville - Pikeville

Spalding - Louisville

Thomas More - Fort Mitchell

Transylvania - Lexington

Union - Barbourville

University of KY - Lexington

University of Louisville - Louisville

Western KY University - Bowling Green

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGES:

Ashland - Ashland

Elizabethtown - Elizabethtown

Fort Knox - Fort Knox

Hazard - Hazard

Henderson - Henderson

Hopkinsville - Hopkinsville

Jefferson - Louisville

Lexington Technical Institute - Lexington

Madisonville - Madisonville

Maysville - Maysville

Paducah - Paducah

Prestonsburg - Prestonsburg

Somerset - Somerset

Southeast - Cumberland

 

VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOLS:

Ashland Area - Ashland

Bowling Green Area - Bowling Green

Central KY Area - Lexington

Daviess CO Area - Owensboro

Harlan Area - Harlan

Hazard Area - Hazard

Jefferson CO Area - Louisville

Madisonville Area - Madisonville

Mayo Area - Paintsville

Northern KY Area - Covington

Somerset Area - Somerset

West Kentucky - Paducah

Laurel - London

Elizabethtown - Elizabethtown

Northern Campbell CO - Highland Heights

Owensboro - Owensboro

Rowan - Morehead

 

JUNIOR COLLEGES:

Alice Lloyd - Pippa Passes

Lees - Jackson

Lindsey Wilson - Columbia

Midway - Midway

Southeastern Christian - Winchester

Saint Catharine - Saint Catharine

Sue Bennett - London

 

AREA VOCATIONAL EDUCATION CENTERS:

Any Area Vocational Education Center funded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and approved by the Department of Education.

 

PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS:

As licensed by the State Board of Proprietary Education.

 

APPENDIX B

 

KENTUCKY NATIONAL GUARD EDUCATIONAL

ENCOURAGEMENT FUND APPLICATION

 

(All blanks must be completed before

application will be processed)

 

NAME:

RANK:

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

HOME ADDRESS: (Street), (City). (State)  (Zip Code)

Home Phone:

Work Phone:

KyNG Unit:

KyNG Entry Date: (day, month, year)

Inclusive dates for current enlistment: (day, month, year) to (day, month, year) (ETS)

School/institution and address:

Term beginning date:

Term ending date:

Tuition Cost:

Were you in the Guard at the beginning of this school term?

YES ____ NO ____

How much money have you received through this program in the past 12 months?

Will you receive a financial grant other than benefits from this fund? (Excluding VA benefits)

If so, what type?

What portion of your tuition is paid by grant? $_____

 

APPLICANT'S STATEMENT

 

I, the undersigned, certify that the information on this form is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I have read the provisions of KY NGR 621-1/KyANGR 53-1 and understand that the awarding of tuition assistance is considered on the basis of availability of funds, the accuracy of this application, the standing of the school and its program, the minimum one year period of service in the Kentucky National Guard beyond the end of the term applied for and I further understand that NO PERSON MAY RECEIVE MORE THAN $250 PER TERM OR $750 DURING A 12 MONTH PERIOD. I hereby promise to reimburse the Commonwealth of Kentucky any monies received by me due to overpayment, leaving the program without just cause, or violation of the administrative regulation/state law which governs the program.

Date:

Signature:

 

UNIT COMMANDER'S AFFIRMATION

 

I certify that the applicant is a member in good standing in the Kentucky National Guard prior to the beginning of the term for which application is made. I further certify that the individual has at least one (1) year of service remaining beyond the term applied for. ETS is correct: Yes____ No____

Date:

Signature:

NOTE: When this application is completed, forward one copy to: Educational Encouragement Fund Board, Boone Center, Frankfort, KY. It must be received prior to the end of term, and bursar's receipt showing payment should be attached (cancelled checks are not sufficient). If payment cannot be made until after the cutoff date, a statement noting when payment will be made must be attached. The application will be considered when the receipt is available.

AGO Ky FM 15-1 (1 Jan 82)

Previous editions are obsolete.

Notation

      RELATES TO: KRS 38.500

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 13A.350

      NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 38.500 established the Kentucky National Guard Educational Encouragement Fund and authorized the Adjutant General to make rules and administrative regulations for the administration of the fund. This administrative regulation provides policy, procedure and qualification requirements.