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Browse the latest news and information about online distance learning, military tuition assistance, along with a host of other topics relevant to military life. Make sure to arm yourself with the latest trends and developments that are certain to impact your military to civilian transition. Tap into these resources now, so you'll be better prepared to take on the civilian job market.

Laguna Hills, Calif. - Aug. 15, 2007 - Army National Guard (ARNG) soldiers are now sent on longer and more frequent deployments, and the stress these tours puts on a soldier's civilian career and educational plans is often considerable. ARNG soldiers serving repeated tours in Iraq, for example, might give up on the thought of further schooling until they separate from the ARNG or receive assurances that the frequency of foreign deployments will begin to slow down.

Two important military education benefits work hand-in-hand to help ARNG soldiers pursue civilian career training while they continue to serve their country. The first resource, made possible by the Internet, is online military distance learning. For Guard soldiers, this shouldn't be confused with the National Guard's distance learning network, which allows soldiers to complete military occupation skills qualification (MOSQ) training in their home states. Instead, military online education means that ARNG soldiers can take a 100% online civilian education course in something like real estate appraisal or home inspection, even while they're serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. All that is required is a computer and an Internet connection.

This option is proving popular with many Guard soldiers who are trying to both, serve their country, and also ensure they will have the enhanced skills military to civilian transition when their deployment ends. A 2005 Department of the Army demographic study reported that 52% of ARNG soldiers were married and 42% of them had children. Assuming these figures to be similar for 2007, it means that many ARNG soldiers have families to care for, and no cost career-training is something that will give these soldiers a leg up in the competitive civilian job market.

And how are enlisted Guard soldiers supposed to find money for civilian job training? The good news is that they don't have to, because Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) will pay up to 100% of an ARNG soldier's tuition and fees for distance education. Guard soldiers are advised, however, to apply as early in the fiscal year as they can; applications for FTA are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis and funds may run out.

Guard soldiers are in an enviable position because the Army National Guard is the only service branch that normally allows soldiers to draw from both the GI Bill and FTA simultaneously. This may allow Guard soldiers to cover their education costs and obtain military assistance funding for expenses while taking courses. It's not uncommon for ARNG soldiers to use it in conjunction with the GI Bill and Kicker Programs for maximum coverage.

Sadly, despite federal efforts to promote FTA benefits to ARNG soldiers, many Guard soldiers are either not aware of this military education benefit, or they choose not to enroll. To take advantage of FTA, an ARNG soldier should contact an accredited online school, enroll in a military distance learning course, fill out an Army National Guard Tuition Assistance form and then authorize it through his servicing education center or by his school's representative.

ARNG soldiers benefit from 100% online military distance learning courses because there is usually no set time schedule for finishing a course. And this is an extremely important consideration, because the operational tempo of many Guard units is at a fever pitch these days. With online courses, the completion of readings, assignments and tests are entirely up to the individual Guard soldier. Many online schools also feature live student support so soldiers can e-mail or call education support representatives. Guard soldiers can learn more about Federal Tuition Assistance at the National Guard's Virtual Armory site www.virtualarmory.com/education/

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