Will TA cover BLET?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 20:21:13 -0400

I’m considering pursuing a criminal justice degree. Will TA cover Basic Law Enforcement Training since it is inline with criminal justice, or will I have to pay for it out of pocket?

Response by LTC Greg Henning made Aug 4 at 2018 8:26 PM

LTC Greg Henning — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 20:26:37 -0400

Need to speak with the education office that supports your unit to make sure.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Aug 4 at 2018 8:55 PM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 20:55:11 -0400

Good question. My immediate thought is that TA will not cover it. But the folks you need to talk to is Education. They will know what is or is not covered.

Response by SFC David Bentley made Aug 4 at 2018 11:12 PM

SFC David Bentley — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 23:12:52 -0400

Here in California TA covers weekend classes like POST/Fire academy EMT ext. You may talk to your command to see if they will work with you or use leave for two weeks sessions. But from my educated guess I would say yes. I went through the police academy (POST) but it was 30 weeks. Make sure your learning the stuff for the state where you want to work, not where your stationed, in law enforcement it more than likely will NOT transfer from state to state. In Cali it takes a long time from start to finish, in states like LA or Mississippi I think they all just take tuns being a cop after a ten min instruction on how to turn on the lights and sirens, JK

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 5 at 2018 12:02 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 12:02:47 -0400

I'm not sure about TA but I know the GI Bill will pay you BAH and should cover the cost. The GI Bill will also pay for your field training time as long as you submit your hours. The department should have a rep. who will assist in helping you along the way.

I would ask why you want a criminal justice degree? Is it required to have for that department? What are your end goals? Is it just local law enforcement or are you wanting to pursue a federal job. If you have any questions send me a message.

Response by SFC Josh Weatherbie made Aug 6 at 2018 2:54 PM

SFC Josh Weatherbie — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 14:54:40 -0400

TA will cover certain portions of the academy but unfortunately like any school, it’s not without a cost. I had to purchase a firearm, ammo, and uniforms. Tuition, fees, and BAH will be paid as long as the academy is acredited by a college in the VA/TA system. Make some phone calls to get any specific questions answered. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Response by SSG Ken Schiffner made Aug 8 at 2018 9:12 AM

SSG Ken Schiffner — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 09:12:06 -0400

This is right up my alley since I’ve been a cop for almost 25 yrs. you do not need basic law enforcement training for a criminal justice degree. Many of my colleagues over the last 10 yes have received their CJ degrees online from a college out here in CA, California Coast University. They give discounts to LE and military. It’s fully accredited and fairly simple to complete if you manage your time well. I had a partner who worked very hard and completed it so quickly he had to wait to graduate.