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From the Front Line to the Classroom
Transitioning from the Front Line to the Classroom
Though our U.S. military personnel complete their service with accomplishment, well-deserved pride, and vast new information and experience in the military occupation speciality (MOS), many experience confusion and frustration transitioning from the Armed Forces to the work force. Moving from the front lines to everyday civilian life can prove quite challenging. For many recently discharged soldiers, employment and educational prospects seem unclear, especially after several years of regimented daily routine and an all-encompassing lifestyle.
Online education (e-Learning) has proven a viable route toward both rewarding educational experience and desired employment opportunities for military personnel. Fortunately, several public and private organizations exist to inform our honorable service members of their numerous opportunities.
Distance learning is a rapidly growing area of higher education that offers current and former military service members the ability to adjust to civilian life at their own pace. Online education provides these students with a unique opportunity to enter a safe academic environment that eases their reentry to a civilian lifestyle and workforce through convenient and flexible class delivery and assignment completion on their own schedule. Additionally, technological advancements and small class sizes enable students to receive a constant flow of feedback from instructors.
After an extended stay away from home and loved ones, many soldiers do not have the time and/or resources to attend college in a traditional, on-campus environment. By attending school online, these soldiers can spend more time at home with their loved ones or working to provide for their families.
Another useful tool is the Armed Forces Tuition Assistance (TA) program. Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition expenses of its members. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process' and restrictions, so it is recommended that you check directly with your branch if interested in utilizing TA funding. This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual services.
Tuition Assistance is not a loan - it should be viewed as money you have earned, just like your base pay.
The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is another resource for readjustment to civilian lifestyle and educational benefits awareness and assistance. TAP offers a series of three-day workshops at various military installations throughout the country, during which service members can learn about job searches, career decision-making, current occupational trends, and resume and interview techniques. Through the TAP workshops, military personnel will also learn valuable information about veteran benefits, including education, health care, compensation and pension, loan guarantees, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and life insurance programs.
Active duty soldiers are also taking advantage of online education in increasing numbers, with many electing to continue college courses from the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. For these soldiers, the flexibility of online classes allows them to earn college level credits while serving, furthering their chances of smooth transition to the civilian workforce upon discharge. In 2007, over 710,000 active duty United States Armed Forces service members took online courses.
Past and present military personnel also have a wide array of financial aid resources available to drastically reduce the overall cost of their education. The Department of Defense and the federal government offer tuition reimbursement in many instances, providing an additional incentive for military members to pursue further education. There are also numerous private scholarship foundations designed specifically to assist soldiers pursuing a college education, such as Wounded Warriors Project and Sentinels of Freedom.
Established in 2001, eArmyU offers many educational resources for active duty U.S. Army soldiers, including tuition assistance. The amount of assistance is determined by several factors, including the soldier's rank and completed length of service. eArmyU provides tuition, books, course fees, and internet services for soldiers meeting minimal criteria. Soldiers serving in a combat or operational unit might also be eligible for a laptop computer.
Financial assistance from eArmyU is forwarded directly to a college or university offering an approved program. Numerous online education and degree programs are included, and are offered through a wide variety of universities throughout the United States. Over 50,000 U.S. Army personnel took online college classes through eArmyU in its first 7 years, with continued growth since.
Many soldiers and veterans are also eligible for a variety of benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including various forms and levels of financial educational assistance. Veterans Affairs administers the Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB) for eligible service members seeking a college or university degree. In addition, Veterans Affairs oversees the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) VetSuccess Program, commonly referred to as the Chapter 31 program. VR&E assists veterans with service-related disabilities to prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs through employment services and financial educational.
Many online colleges and universities also offer impressive tuition discounts for active and/or veteran military personnel in appreciation of the service given to our country. You should check with your school's Admissions Office or Financial Aid Office to learn more about these possibilities.
The internet can prove an invaluable resource for a soldier preparing to transition back into civilian life. With useful online resources, service members and veterans can easily find information about the opportunities that await. Tuition Assistance links for each branch are listed below, with additional resources on the following page.
- U.S. Air Force Tuition Assistance: active duty, reserve, and air national guard
- GoArmyEd
- U.S. Army Reserve Education Benefits System (WEBS)
- U.S. Navy Tuition Assistance Program
- U.S. Marine Corps Tuition Assistance
- U.S. Coast Guard Tuition Assistance
The following organizations also provide scholarships, grants, and loans for active duty, reserve, national guard, retired, and veteran military personnel and dependents.
U.S. Air Force
- Air Force Aid Society Education Grant Program
- Air Force Aid Society Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP)
- Air Force Association: Awards, scholarships, and grants
- Air Force Sergeants Association: Scholarships and Grants
U.S. Army
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy
Non-Branch Specific
- AMVETS: Educational Assistance and Scholarships
- Armed Forces Crossroads: College/University and Scholarship Information
- The Fund for Veterans Education: Scholarships
- Military Officers Association of America: Loans, Scholarships, and Grants
- Military.com: Scholarship search for military personnel
- The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA): Scholarships for dependents
- U.S. VA G.I. Bill (MGIB): Financial asssistance to active duty and selected reservists
- U.S. VA Vocational Rehabilition (VR&E)
- U.S. VA Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Scholarship programs
