Sailors planning to take college classes in 2017 are required to have their Tuition Assistance requests approved by their command a minimum of 14 days prior to term start dates. Members that miss the 14-day advance deadline will be prevented by the system from submitting a new TA application; term start dates and TA request deadlines are posted on the Navy College website. Any questions or problems with the TA application process can be handled by the Virtual Education Center (VEC) or online via the Navy College website. VEC hours are from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST Monday-Friday; they can also be reached by calling: (877) 838-1659 or DSN 492-4684, or online. For more on Navy tuition assistance, visit this Military.com section.