Program offers education opportunities for spouses

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Isaac Garden
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  The Airman and Family Readiness Center at Andersen AFB operates the Spouse Dislocated Worker program, geared towards military spouses of all services. 

In 2006, the Governor of Guam signed a Memorandum of Understanding, allowing spouses to utilize this program at the Department of Labor in downtown Guam. 

The program allows for spouses who have left their jobs, accompanying their military husband or wife, to either find a new job or acquire an education upon arrival to their spouse's new base. 

Mr. Bill Cundiff, Community Readiness Consultant, stated that this program is a very valuable asset to the military spouse. "The benefit of this program is that it allows spouses to grow into a career field." He said. "That's the best thing, for them to get into a career field so that when they go to their next base, they would have a skill set that they can use to find a job." 

The Spouse Dislocated Worker program pays 100 percent of classroom fees by combining the Pell Grant and Dislocated Worker funds. It also offers free books, along with no tuition or fees. 

Mr. Cundiff stated the location of the base has some affect on qualification for this program. 

"You have to be in the Continental United States or in the U.S. possessions where there is a Dept. of Labor," he said. 

Mr. Cundiff mentioned the program has yielded its first few graduates of many within the past year. 

"We have 24 spouses in the program right now and saved them thousands of dollars." he said. "We have begun to reap the benefits of this program. Last May, 3 of the spouses graduated." 

Heather Rodriguez, a graduate of Guam Community College, qualified for the program and achieved a higher education. 

"If I did not have the assistance from the Spouse Dislocated Workers Program I do not know if I could have been able to excel to a higher education," Ms. Rodriguez said. "I thank the program for giving me the opportunity to accomplish my goals." 

For more information on the Spouse Dislocated Worker program, call 366-8136.