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This rule implements DoD’s Voluntary Education Programs to provide Service members with opportunities to enhance their academic achievement (i.e., earn a degree or certificate) during their off-duty time which in turn improves job performance and promotion potential. Funding for Voluntary Education Programs, including the DoD Tuition Assistance (TA) program, is authorized by law (10 U.S.C. 2007) and is subject to the availability of funds from each Military Service. This rule establishes the requirement for a standardized memorandum of understanding (MOU) between DoD and an educational institution before participating in DoD Voluntary Education Programs, including TA. While the rule is current as of May 15, 2014, and necessary to implement the legal requirements of 10 U.S.C. 2005, 2006a, and 2007, the rule is being modified to increase its effectiveness and improve efficiencies. Streamlined processes and procedures, increased transparency, and requirements clarifications should reduce effort on the part of educational institutions (i.e., reduced manpower/resources to manage business processes or systems for compliance with rule). For example, the rule has five appendices, one for DoD and one for each of the Military Services (Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy). DoD is working with the Military Services to streamline processes and procedures across DoD thereby reducing the burden on educational institutions to comply with five differing requirements (i.e., identifying a school representative to liaison with each installation education official or reporting tuition rate changes to DoD and each of the Military Services). Approximately 275,000 military students use TA annually, and at a savings of approximately $36 per student (1 hour of institutional compliance effort at a GS11/Step 5 burdened rate), this streamlining effort is estimated to result in a cost savings to the public of approximately $10 million per year.