OPINION: I’m sure after reading the title the majority of folks that have not served will assume it’s a no-brainer. I mean the military is paying for your education. Organizations like Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) have tens of thousands of lobbyers advocating for service men and women. So why would one decide to not earn their Master’s degree? Well…I will tell you now, neither I nor other people can answer that whenever it comes to speaking for that mass.
The Military are suffering from the opportunity to meet individuals from all avenues of life. Being in air Force (which I am certain that it’s the same for those branches), everyone’s story differs from the others. Maybe you enlisted using your associates or bachelor’s degree already and after this you’re planning to strengthen your knowledge. Otherwise you honestly should just check a box for professional development. According to the Air Force Demographics, Air Force enlisted members only be the cause of 1.8% of master’s degree when compared to 46.3% of these officers. This statistic emphasizes the varying education levels between people who find themselves enlisted vs officers.
BUT WHY NOT
Now, why would any serviceman or woman elect to not pursue traditional learning? Again these circumstances cannot speak for anyone, but just only snapshot of the items We have experienced both personally and thru the eyes of my peers. Usually, essentially the most challenging obstacle turns out to be time, specifically duty diary for shift workers. Virtually all active duty members who take advantage of educational benefits will more than likely attend online classes due to an unpredictable schedule. Determined by your learning style this could become another barrier in comparison to traditional learning environments. After a while being unpredictable obstacles inevitably arise, like having a family, households where both mom and dad serve, single parents, etc. All circumstances vary, but there’s always challenges along this rocky road.
Twelve years into my service and that i had (Permanent Change of Station) PCS into my eighth assignment, not including deployments. Each assignment provided its struggles; including occasions when I had been scheduled for duty sunrise to sunset – or perhaps the opposite. Another hurdle for Tuition Assistance members may be the uncertainty of continuing inside their current career field post service. There are several career paths that reap the benefits of permission or certification instead of a graduate degree. Or perhaps one joined the intend to avoid an official educational setting, but find themselves required to be involved in traditional learning environments more than expected.
For you to
Equally as I gave you logic behind why service members elect to not continue the amount (or otherwise put up a fight), there are equally as a number of, or more, why they must. Personal growth can be acquired through countless platforms but let’s boost the comfort if it’s not documented from the right institute the validity of one’s degree or certification declines. There’s not just adding your business with a certificate; it’s gaining the technical comprehension of your respective field. It’s also a few proving your dedication by taking any additional step, letting others know you take yourself seriously and they are on the way to the chief level.
Why wouldn’t anyone need to expand his / her knowledge inside their dedicated field of choice? There is a very common assumption that you’re “in the field” experience permits you to really see the how to go about the role. The expectation is the fact that you’ve got a great grasp on what things work in their current field, college gives the opportunity to view a different side of your industry. No matter what field you’re in, those that have a degree in college start to jump out and they are considered the expert. Let’s face the facts, post-service tasks are not what you used to be. So why wouldn’t you make use of education as a return – of yourself.
WHY DID I?
Exactly like the most of service members We have faced the same obstacles discussed. I have been previously through eight assignments and numerous deployments including Pakistan and Iraq. Though it was difficult, it absolutely was both a personal choice and accomplishment I thought I possibly could not achieve. My ambition came from planning to set the bar for my family, and prove to myself I possibly could complete my Master’s degree from Liberty University while serving. Lastly, I needed growing professionally, expanding my knowledge and reaching a professional level in my potential industry.
Ultimately, while serving within the military to be able to juggle both roles of student and Airman is essential. While serving being experienced in your work will always be the key focus. Depending about the push from all the branches leadership will drive how soon members move towards pursuing education while serving. When the world is in conflict school will take a backseat. Due to high operation tempos in select job areas, scheduling is one thing you need to consider when determining to pursue an extended education. Like anything, the dedication to a graduate degree is ultimately your decision of the person who would like to build up their particular educational path.
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