Navy College at Naval Base Kitsap (NBK) hosted an Off-Duty Education Outreach assembly at the base’s central barracks Feb. 10, providing an opportunity for Sailors to receive information about various educational programs and benefits available to them.

Education Specialist Jeana Vanhouten said it is important for service members to be aware of their educational options, and they should take full advantage of their benefits.

“A lot of our Sailors are so busy that they don’t have time to come in to the Navy College office. So, this is our way of kind of bringing the information to them,” said Vanhouten.

According to Vanhouten, Navy College at NBK hosts this kind of education outreach twice a month at designated areas of the enlisted barracks, providing service members with various educational resources such as course catalogs, schedules and a College Network Resource CD-ROM.

“There’s all kinds of great information here,” said Vanhouten. “We provide information on programs such as United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAPS), Tuition Assistance (TA), officer programs, and we provide lists with a variety of colleges that are military friendly.”

Vanhouten also explained the educational programs available to deployed service members such as the Navy College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE).

“This is definitely a valuable asset,” said Machinist Mate 3rd Class (SS/DV) Matthew Tobin, an attending Sailor stationed at Unaccompanied Housing, NBK.

“I had a lot of unanswered questions about all of the educational benefits out there, and this really narrowed it down and made things clear and concise,” he added.

“I learned about different options I can take to further my education while on active duty as well as if I decided to get out of the military. They also showed me how I can use the GI Bill to my advantage,” said Tobin.

Service members interested in learning more about their educational benefits can visit the Navy College Office or go to the website, http://www.navycollege.mil{{PERIOD}}