  U.S. ARMY COMMAND & GENERAL STAFF COLLEGE
100 STIMSON AVENUE
FORT LEAVENWORTH, KS 66027-2301
July 29, 2016
Subject: Information for sponsors - International Military Student/family access to benefits and services
Dear Sponsors,
IMSD has learned of instances in the past of International Military Students (IMS) and their family members gaining access to benefits and services for which they are not entitled/eligible. A couple of specific examples are spouses studying English as a Second Language (ESL) at Barton Community College, IMS applying for free and reduced rate meal programs for their school age children, IMS applying for Army Tuition Assistance programs, and pregnant spouses enrolling in Health Department provided pre-natal services and subsidized/discounted procedures at local/regional medical facilities.
These types of US taxpayer subsidized programs are not in place to support military professionals and their dependents who have been invited to training in the United States. Attempts to access these programs constitute fraud and are in violation of the visa authority under which these officers and family members gained access to the United States. The agencies and officials who have facilitated this in the past have done so in violation of their own procedures (in some cases) or out of ignorance.
What is critically important from the sponsor perspective is that sponsors not be party to assisting IMS or their families' attempts to gain access to these programs. We are now aware - for example - that a number of IMS spouses benefitted from tuition waivers for ESL at Barton last year. I engaged the Fort Leavenworth Education Services Officer with a request that they advise Barton to discontinue this practice.
I learned that Barton was once again registering IMS spouses for the coming year, and ultimately through direct contact with senior officials within Barton they now acknowledge an understanding of the restrictions and charge tuition as appropriate to IMS and their dependents for participation in their programs of instruction - to include ESL.
Those who have already registered will be advised by Barton that they will not be supported in the ESL courses previously offered - subsidized participation in those course will be limited to the non-English speaking dependents of US military personnel, in compliance with the designs for that program. IMSD is taking additional steps to reach out to the Health Department, local school districts and medical treatment facilities throughout the region through direct contact and/or liaison personnel to ensure they are aware of these restrictions. I encourage anyone with questions about this, or who is unclear on the issue to contact me directly with their questions or concerns.
Most sincerely,
Jim Fain
James F. Fain
Director
International Military Student Division
U.S. Combined Arms Center & Command and General Staff College
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 66027-2301
CML 913-684-7317
DSN 552-7317
FAX 913-684-7333
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