With its 2019 funding for Tuition Assistance (TA) running out this month, the Navy has decided to make changes to who can use the active-duty education benefit, as well as how much they can use each year. In a message to the fleet, Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert Burke said that the service's demand for TA benefits was 30% higher than at the same point last fiscal year. As a result, changes will be made effective Oct. 1, 2019, which marks the beginning of fiscal 2020. Burke also said that many junior sailors were using the benefit to attend college classes and not focusing on their military training. The service expects its allocation for TA funding to run out by the end of this month, with no additional money coming from the Pentagon. As a result, no new TA requests will be approved for the four months remaining in this fiscal year. To prevent the problem from recurring next year, the Navy is cracking down on who can qualify for tuition assistance and how much they can use. Effective next fiscal year, all enlisted personnel and officers must have a minimum of two years of service to be eligible to use TA or any Navy College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE) courses. In addition to requiring at least two years of time in service, the Navy will also limit how much TA any sailor can use. Read more about the new rules on Military.com.