Full Time Soldier, Full Time Student

Full Time Soldier, Full Time Student

Like many Soldiers and service members, I went to college after high school and failed miserably.  I went because it was expected of me and I didn’t know what else I should be doing with my life.  I didn’t know anything except for that I wanted to have a good time.  Fast forward three years to 2006 and you would find me, a college dropout with no plan, sitting in the recruiter’s office.  I had finally had enough.  

After two years of school at Jacksonville State University in Alabama (ironically nicknamed “Just Show Up”) I left with only 24 semester hours.   I wasn’t that great of a student, and my work ethic sucked.  As it turns out, I was pretty good at soldiering and managed to knock out quite a few military schools and training opportunities in my years of service.  Thirteen years later, and I finally earned my Bachelor’s Degree.  A little late, but it was all free and just as good as anybody else’s piece of paper.  

I finally got serious about finishing my degree in 2018 with some motivation from my girlfriend at the time.  I chose to go with Post University which is a “real school”, offers online courses and is regionally accredited. I ended up going with Post because they gave me the most credit towards a degree, but there are lots of other good schools out there.   I submitted my Joint Service Transcript (JST) and, combined with my few credits from before the Army, I was sitting pretty at 75 semester hours towards my degree plan.  

Now, for those of you who do not know, the JST is a program used by (I think) every service branch which summarizes your military training based on what is uploaded in IPERMS (electronic file).  It then translates that training into any possible, suggested credit hours that your school might accept towards a degree plan.  In other words, you may not need the course that you get credit for from that training, but they will still offer the suggestion to your school.

I am speaking from an active-duty Army Soldier’s experience, so details and facts may vary by component and branch.  I used the Army’s Tuition Assistance (TA) program, which grants you $4000 per fiscal year to use towards an Associates, Bachelors, and/or Masters as well as academic programs and certificates (the Army changed the cap from $4500 to 4000 in FY19).  You can use it for one of each degree type, but you cannot go backward and use TA for a level of education below one that you already possess (i.e., using TA for an AA if you already have a BS).  The classes I took were $750 each, which worked out nicely to 5-6 courses per FY, all for free.  You can use TA for up to 16 semester hours per FY, for a total of 130 hours towards an undergraduate degree and 39 semester hours towards a graduate degree.   Additionally, I also qualified for FASFA (Federal Student Aid) as a single Sergeant First Class paying child support.  So I was able to knock out two classes every eight weeks, nonstop until I earned my degree, ALL FOR FREE.  I even got money back from the school, which I was able to use for other things.

Tuition Assistance is now available to all active duty Soldiers upon completion of AIT.  There are more specific rules for certain circumstances which I will not be discussing due to wanting to keep the length short and concise.  To use TA is simple.  Enroll into the school of your choice (most prefer online courses), and then register for your classes.  Next you log into goarmyed, look up your school information and locate the actual class that you are requesting TA for.  That’s it!  You have to request TA for each class individually, every time and it must be done prior to the start date of each course.  For enlisted Soldiers there is no obligation to use TA, officers will occur an additional service obligation if they use TA.  

Taking a bunch of college classes can be daunting and overwhelming to think about, especially if you have been out of school for a while, have a busy training schedule, family and kids, I get it.  There are 100 excuses you can make up about working too much or not having time but guys, you can do it, even if it is one class at a time.  Once you knock out the first couple, you get into a rhythm, and it is so much easier.  I highly encourage everyone who is on active duty to use your benefits and work towards your civilian education.  Whether you stay in for three years or 25, it will help you in the long run, and you might as well have your rich uncle pay for it.  

When you get out of the Army, you are going to be diving into a workplace that is highly competitive, and you are going to want that piece of paper that says you were dedicated and motivated enough to finish your degree.  You guys and gals that are looking at making Sergeant First Class, First Sergeant, and Sergeant Major, guess what... college education is going to separate you from your peers.  When everybody has their EIB, a CIB, Ranger tab or whatever your MOS equivalent is, that piece of paper is going to make a difference.  

  • 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - The Night Stalkers
    160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - The Night Stalkers

    They were born out of a doomed operation, but their role has become irreplaceable. Their brothers in arms count on them in the most difficult of times while they remain the enemy’s worst nightmare. Battle-proven, always resilient, and lethal, they are highly respected among all the services and have often...

    Read More
  • Operation Hump: 173rd’s Legendary Operation in Vietnam
    Operation Hump: 173rd’s Legendary Operation in Vietnam

      Soldiers take cover in a crater during the Vietnam War (Courtesy Photo/U.S. Army) Operation Hump is a legendary operation conducted jointly by Australian and American Airborne forces in Vietnam. The Friendly composition consisted of the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, as well as a battalion from...

    Read More
  • The Elusive Blue Air Assault Beret
    The Elusive Blue Air Assault Beret

    Blue Air Assault Berets: A Brief Chapter in Military History In the accounts of military tradition, berets have often stood out as symbols of honor and excellence, providing soldiers with an extra element of pride. They adorn soldiers' heads, signifying their commitment to a unique calling. While everyone in the...

    Read More
  • Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers
    Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers

    Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers Hear ye, hear ye! Young paratroopers, we believe you deserve some valuable advice because you are at a stage where you need it to shape your military career. Because we care, we reached out to our community to...

    Read More
  • Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened
    Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened

    Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened In the early 1990s, Haiti's democracy was in constant crisis, and the island was being governed by unconstitutional leadership. The regimes kept changing but lacked national and international legitimacy, leading to U.N. sanctions. The United States created a multinational force (MNF) to...

    Read More
  • The Evolution of Airborne Operations: From World War II to Present Day
    The Evolution of Airborne Operations: From World War II to Present Day

    They called it "The Iron Rain." On the fateful day of June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord, more than 13,000 paratroopers from the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions leaped into the night sky, their hearts racing, their minds set on one goal: the liberation of Europe from...

    Read More
  • Boots On Ground: The 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq
    Boots On Ground: The 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq

    Transporting you from your favorite reading nook literally into the boots of the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq, Boots on the Ground by Karl Zinsmeister details the story of the frontline in a way that often isn't covered in the headline news story.  A frontline reporter traveling with the 82nd,...

    Read More
  • The Essentials: The C-17 Globemaster
    The Essentials: The C-17 Globemaster

    "The Essentials" Series is a monthly blog related to Airborne culture. We target fundamental topics such as Airborne equipment, culture, traditions, trivia, etc. While we have a semi-annual plan on the topics, we remain open to ideas from paratroopers like yourself. So, feel free to reach out and propose a...

    Read More
  • The Filthy Thirteen: The True Story of the Dirty Dozen
    The Filthy Thirteen: The True Story of the Dirty Dozen

    Tightly bound to one another in times of war, unforgiving in the way they approach a battle, and legendary in their bravery, the story is told of the US paratroopers of the US 101st Airborne Division in The Filthy Thirteen. Finding the courage to parachute behind enemy lines in the...

    Read More
  • Battle of Yongju: The Battle of the Apple Orchard
    Battle of Yongju: The Battle of the Apple Orchard

    Also known as the Battle of the Apple Orchard, the UN orchestrated the Battle of Yongju to fight back against the North Korean forces during the Korean war. In this offensive maneuver, the US 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team—or the US 187 RCT was called on to move in front...

    Read More
  • The Chosen Few: US Paratrooper's Battle in Eastern Afghanistan
    The Chosen Few: US Paratrooper's Battle in Eastern Afghanistan

    Bringing you to a more recent battle in a different part of the world, The Chosen Few by Gregg Zoroya is a detailed account of how a U.S. Paratroopers company fought in eastern Afghanistan in 2007. In hopes to go in on a single, swift mission in order to befriend the isolated...

    Read More
  • No Better Place To Day: The Battle For La Fiere Bridge
    No Better Place To Day: The Battle For La Fiere Bridge

    In this first-person narrative, Robert M. Murphy transports you right into the battle at La Fiere in the early morning hours of D-Day.  Taking you through a firsthand account of close-quarters combat in the industrial war of the 20th century, Murphy covers all sides of the war, from the paratroopers...

    Read More
  • Airborne Equipment: The Waco CG-4A Glider
    Airborne Equipment: The Waco CG-4A Glider

    During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces utilized military gliders as a method of delivery to battle. These one-time use, engineless aircraft were towed in pairs near to the front lines of battle, typically by a Douglas C-47 military transport aircraft, carrying troops or supplies to bolster advancing...

    Read More
  • Over 100 years of bravey: The 173rd Airborne Brigade
    Over 100 years of bravey: The 173rd Airborne Brigade

    The 173rd Airborne Brigade is a United States Army airborne infantry brigade formed on 12 June 1917 at Camp Devens, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest airborne units in the United States Army and has a rich history of service and combat operations. A WORLD AT WAR During World...

    Read More
  • War: Through the eyes of the 173rd Airborne in Afghanistan
    War: Through the eyes of the 173rd Airborne in Afghanistan

    "Brotherhood has nothing to do with feelings; it has to do with how you define your relationship to others. It has to do with the rather profound decision to put the welfare of the group above your personal welfare. In such a system, feelings are meaningless. In such a system,...

    Read More
  • Into The Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle Of The Afghan War
    Into The Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle Of The Afghan War

    "I set out then to report this story from many points of view - American and British, from soldier to general, from diplomat to president. It seemed to me that only by getting behind the scenes could anyone pretend to understand what was happening. And it seemed far better to...

    Read More
  • You can Jump from a plane. How about jumping into a book?
    You can Jump from a plane. How about jumping into a book?

    As paratroopers, we know you've got discipline and are always on the lookout for that new book title that will leave a lasting impression. The global library has never been more diverse, yet you want something you can relate to. The good news is that we've reached out to our...

    Read More
Back to blog