CF paying for college crse due to withdrawl

[Jarnhamar]

Suppose a member submitted an ILP  and was approved. They enrolled in an online course ($400+) and started the lessons.  Weeks later they are informed that they will be deploying on a long exercise and will miss the course exam. They looked into withdrawing from the course and were told they  missed the withdraw date which would have allowed them a refund.  It also doesn't appear they can take the exam early.

Can the member seek some type of reimbursement through the CF to either recover the money they spent or have the CF cover the next available semester that they can apply for the course?

 

[ModlrMike]

Is there no way for the member to take the exam whilst on exercise? I've seen and had other troops do this.

 

[PMedMoe]

Is there no way for the member to take the exam whilst on exercise? I've seen and had other troops do this.

I was going to ask this, or, is there no way the student could take the exam later?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Taking the exam while out of country on exercise may be a possibility but that would be placing a lot of chance on the exercise time table and members access to the internet.

It doesn't appear that the exams can be taken early or later, they seem pretty strict.

 

[Biohazardxj]

Best people to talk to would be your PSO shop.  I do know that reimbursement for a course with an approved ILP is subject to the successful completion of the course. 

 

[MJP]

Taking the exam while out of country on exercise may be a possibility but that would be placing a lot of chance on the exercise time table and members access to the internet.

It doesn't appear that the exams can be taken early or later, they seem pretty strict.

I have had course fees paid out for failure to complete a course for circumstances beyond my control.  It took in my case a letter from my CO (which I drafted) laying out the reason(s) why and steps taken to try and mitigate the situation.  I have also talked direct to institutions when this has happened to both myself and in a few cases my subordinates and have solved issues by explaining the situation.  Showing them their lack of flexibility hinders and in some cases will prevent CAF mbrs from taking crses from their institution in the future.  It only hasn't worked once but that was a pretty fly by night tech school that was dodgy enough in the first place.

I will echo the others in that there should be an opportunity to do the crse while on Ex.  I've written exams twice now while overseas with a bunch of other folks.  It takes some planning and in some cases command direction but it can be done (IMHO should be done).

 

[trustnoone73]

I have done courses and submitted papers from austere field locations.

Typically you need to register for exams so the institution knows who to send the exam package to and it should arrive early enough to make a mail run to the field.  Talk your chain of command about getting an exam proctor and a few hours.

Not doing courses on long deployments is a regret of mine.  I have more time on them than when home.

 

[chrisf]

Have you tried asking the institute?

I've written exams in a variety of places with minimal/no internet access, most places are flexible.

 

[cupper]

I recall a case on my JLC / CLC back in the 80's where we had a candidate who was writing an exam for law school during our field portion of the course, and they arranged to drive him from Aldershot to Halifax so he could write it.

Funny part was he was able to shower before the exam, and when he arrived back, he stood out from the rest of us having that fresh clean smell wafting around.