The Navy is shuttering its brick-and-mortar Navy College offices and moving the entire enterprise online as of Friday.
The transition to the Navy College Virtual Education Center for sailors looking to get some extra education proved itself in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the shuttering of physical offices at overseas locations, according to a Navy release announcing the change.
The online education center allows sailors to receive counseling and tuition assistance support, while offering call-in and live chat with counselors during certain hours, according to the Navy.
Civilian schools with offices onboard Navy bases in the United States and overseas will remain in place.
The Navy closed its stateside Navy College offices in recent years, and Friday’s change will affect overseas locations at Rota, Spain, Sigonella and Naples, Italy, Misawa, Yokosuka, Atsugi, Sasebo and Okinawa, Japan, Guam, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
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“Sailors interested in pursuing off-duty educational opportunities will continue to have a wide array of virtual services available to them,” Navy Voluntary Education (VOLED) director Lt. Cmdr. Adam Walski said in the release. “More importantly, services will not be interrupted for those in need of education assistance or counseling in any location worldwide.”
For more information on the Navy College Program, go to www.navycollege.navy.mil.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
