Online Education for Military Personnel
Posted by admin on July 27th, 2009
Thanks to distance-learning technology, amplified federal assistance and a network of military-friendly programs, the opportunities for GI Joes and Janes to further their education during active duty, post-discharge or through retirement continue to grow.
Locally, active duty personnel can take advantage of on-base programs like the ones offered at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (or NAS JRB). Though open in some instances to veterans, military dependants and retirees, the programs are primarily geared for working service members who face potential deployment or transfer while pursuing their studies.
Schooling for soldiers
“All members of the military are encouraged to continue their education,” said Don Ray, a public information officer at the naval air station. “The military gives them the opportunity to attend classes, whether it be at lunchtime or in the evening.
“Not only does it help them later in life when they leave the military, internally, it helps them with promotions,” he said. “It makes them more well-rounded in their job profession here.
“Nowadays a high school education doesn’t get you very far in the military,” he said. “The military has become very technical.
“Plus, while they are on active duty, the military gives tuition assistance, so they don’t have to use their VA [Veterans Affairs] benefits if they don’t want to,” he said. “They can save the benefit for when they get out of the service.”
Rebecca Ary, director of the Navy College Office at NAS JRB, said that four colleges provide on-base programs that lead to bachelor’s degrees or certifications: Columbia College, which offers liberal arts courses in subjects like criminal justice and psychology; Northwood University, offering marketing and management degrees; Embry-Riddle, an aviation program; and ECPI College of Technology, offering computer training.
The schools are members of the Service Members Opportunity Colleges Consortium, a network of educational programs designed to help service members and their families further their education. SOC programs feature reduced in-residency requirements, military-friendly credit transfer policies and credit awarded for military experience.
“It helps the member if the military moves them to another location,” said Ary.
Distance-learning programs and online classes also make it possible for students to complete coursework after being moved, said Ary.
Terry Silva, career services director at Northwood University’s Texas campus, located in Cedar Hill, said that the university takes extra measures to work with service members’ special needs.
“We do work-life evaluations where they can get [college] credit for a particular kind of military experience, like computer training, or leadership or supervisory training,” he said.
“If someone enrolls in a class, then they get assigned to go somewhere, Northwood will refund 100 percent of their tuition,” he said. “If they are transferring out, we tell them if there is a way to get [at least] an associate’s degree with us. There are online and independent study opportunities in case they transfer out when they are close to graduating.
“It’s something for us to give back to them,” he said.
The new Post-9/11 Bill
A population of veterans will soon have better access to higher education through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which goes into effect Aug. 1.
The new legislation provides education aid for veterans with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, at a level representing a significant increase above the amount covered in the current GI Bill.
Under the Post-9/11 Bill, funding is available for housing, books, and tuition associated with the completion of graduate and undergraduate degrees and vocational or technical training.
Dallas Baptist University recently created the “Patriot Veterans Opportunity Program,” which features scholarships and support services for students receiving benefits under the new bill.
“We’ve been a military-friendly campus for years,” said Dr. Donovan Fredricksen, dean of the university’s college of adult education. “Our mascot is the Patriot, and we are located next to the national cemetery.”
Anticipating more veteran enrollment
Fredricksen said that DBU has staff designated for the purpose of veteran education as well as a military education task force made up of diverse faculty and staff members.
Additionally, the university will soon launch a new Web site, “Patriot2Patriot”, in anticipation of an increased veteran student population.
“The college I’m over cares a lot about adult students coming back to school,” he said. “We understand about the different responsibilities they have of family and work.
“It’s even more so with our returning veterans,” he said, “It’s truly an honor for us to help them continue their education. ”
Another opportunity for veterans to leverage the new bill’s benefits is through the University of Phoenix, a private university with campuses across the nation, including Texas.
According to a recent press release, University of Phoenix will cover up to 50 percent of on-campus or online tuition and fees that surpass the GI Bill’s benefit rate.
The school also offers programs designed for active duty personnel.
