by Mark D. Faram

This past year, the Navy radically changed direction in how it delivers off-duty education benefits to sailors — now totally online or over the phone — and it seems to be working just fine.

Now, nearly halfway into fiscal year 2017, Navy training officials are “cautiously optimistic” that closing 16 of its 20 on-base Navy College offices last year hasn’t had any adverse impact on sailor’s access to voluntary education programs, including tuition assistance.