Our program was cited in the May 30 stripes.com posting “Cost, limits of military spouse education questioned” about Sen. Tom Harkin’s report on the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program. As president of Animal Behavior College (ABC), I feel compelled to both clarify information about our school and support Harkin’s concerns.

I applaud his committee’s efforts at demanding more stringent requirements for for-profit schools and wholeheartedly believe that the solution lies in stricter oversight of this very worthwhile program.

ABC provides bona fide pet industry courses that lead to careers in a $50 billion-a-year business. Our programs teach people to become veterinary assistants, dog trainers and pet groomers, which afford graduates a chance to make a living in these fields.

Our understanding is that the goal of MyCAA is to help spouses build marketable skills that can be used wherever they live. Considering the burgeoning numbers of servicemembers returning from active duty, vocational programs such as those offered by ABC are going to prove invaluable to the future economic success and well-being of military families.