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Military Education News And Info

Stay up-to-date with news and information about your military education. You can get the information you need to make informed decisions about your online and military correspondence programs. Learn what's going on with military continuing education and how you can make a smooth military transition. Your civilian career awaits you!

The Marine Corps is looking to retain a few, good men and they plan to do it by offering reenlistments bonuses of up to $90,000.

The incentives are part of a larger plan to grow the Marine Corps to 202,000 by the completion of fiscal year 2011. Marines looking to reenlist and get the bonuses must do so on or after Oct. 1 of this year; the slots are limited because each MOS will be accepting only a specific number of reenlistments.

Despite the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marine Corps had a strong year recruiting new Marines. And while positive signs of security and stability continue to emerge from Baghdad, the fight in Afghanistan appears to be heating up, which has lead to speculation that more Marines will soon be sent there.

This past spring Marine Corps leaders floated the idea of having the Corps withdraw entirely from Iraq and take full responsibility for the war in Afghanistan. The plan was reminiscent of how the service branches split responsibilities in World War II, with the Marines in the Pacific and the Army fighting in Europe. Despite the historical precedence, Secretary of the Defense Robert Gates rejected the proposal.

Some in-demand specialties are also eligible for a "kicker" bonus of up to $25,000. Marines in 18 select MOSs are eligible for the extra bonus, including those in infantry, linguistics as well as a host of combat-related specialties.

Marines who stay in the service will have more time to take advantage of the marine tuition assistance program, which pays up to 100% of a Marine's career training. Marine military benefits such as military tuition assistance can help a marine prepare for a career when he's ready to take off the uniform. Many schools these days also offer military scholarships for marine spouses, as well military dependent scholarships. Marines and their spouses should be sure to check out their accredited military education options.
Allied Schools, www.education4military.com

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Posted by Allied @ 9:01 AM • 0 comments

For service members experiencing their transition from the military this year, it's worth looking at a few of the hiring trends that companies are engaging in this year.

According to a Gannet News Service article by Dana Knight, one of the major keys for companies this year is to hire candidates quickly before competitors can snatch them up.In the past companies might invite candidates back for multiple rounds of interviews - sometimes lasting weeks - many companies now have all the decision makers meet the job candidate at one time. This allows the company to make a quick decision and then make a job offer.

Here are some other trends that service members undergoing their military career transition can expect this year:

Internet Background Search - Companies are increasingly plugging a candidate's name into search engines and seeing what they can find out about someone. Service members should be aware that companies may take a peak at their "My Space" page; military personnel shouldn't post information or photos online that paint a negative picture of them.

Video Resumes - Employers are more open to video resumes; and though this is still a new format, wearing a business suit and keeping your speech conservative and relevant to the potential job is a good bet.

Benefits, More Money - There is a shortage of good job candidates in a lot of fields - that means companies will do more to get you. Many candidates can expect better health care benefits and increased salaries on initial offers.

Military personnel, in addition to understanding the hiring trends of companies, should take advantage of their military education benefits to get as much education and training as possible. Active-duty service members are eligible for US Military Tuition Assistance (TA), which pays up to 100% of tuition and fees for military distance learning courses.

Many service members use their Tuition Assistance at an accredited online school because an online course allows them to study wherever and whenever they have time - even while deployed. When considering an online school, service members should make sure the school is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). Military personnel should also be sure to learn if there is a transition assistance program offered on base by the ESO.

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Posted by Allied @ 9:53 AM • 0 comments

A recent USA Today article covering The National Guard Association of the United States' General Conference in Puerto Rico highlighted the strain that longer deployments are putting on National Guard soldiers, their families and their civilian careers.

As of August 2007, out of a total of 162,000 U.S. troops serving in Iraq, approximately 30,000 were National Guard soldiers. Some National Guard soldiers now serve on deployments that are as long as 15 months.

"When you're deployed, it's tough on you. It's tough on your family," Col. Steven Bensend of the Wisconsin National Guard told USA Today. "When you get back, you want to separate yourself from military things." Col. Bensend is an agricultural consultant in Wisconsin who returned from a one-year tour in Kuwait to find that he'd lost many of his clients.

For Guard soldiers who want a backup career or are looking to switch into a whole new line of work when they return home, 100% online military courses can help National Guardsmen prepare for civilian careers while they're deployed in Kosovo, Africa, Iraq or any number of places. Military continuing education is a way for Guardsmen to prepare themselves for their military to civilian transition when they return to the States.

In exchange for their service, the National Guard will pay up to 100% of a soldier's military tuition for online courses. It's a chance for Guard soldiers to receive training to become a home inspector, real estate agent, property manager or medical transcriptionist.

As long as Guard soldiers have access to the Internet and a computer, they can take military classes online when they're off duty. U.S. Military Tuition Assistance is a military education benefit that Guard soldiers have earned, and they need to take advantage of it while they're serving on active duty. This is, in effect, a military education grant and soldiers must make sure they use this opportunity for no-cost career training.

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Posted by Heather @ 4:08 PM • 0 comments

Almost all service members, whether they plan to use it or not, have at least heard of the Montgomery GI Bill. For some, going to college and using GI Bill money was the main motivation for joining the service. Then there were others, of course, who joined the military solely to ship out on the fleet or to operate an Abrams tank. So, when it comes to their military to civilian transition, some service members are deciding on quick, vocational training instead of enrolling in a four-year university.

It is informative to look at recent census figures concerning national education levels. The U.S. Census Bureau surveyed Americans in 2006 and discovered that only 28% of the population held a bachelor's degree. You can look at this a number of different ways, but one way of understanding it is that more than 70% of Americans make it with less than a four-year degree.

In the Army, for example, only approximately 4% of enlisted soldiers have a bachelor's degree according to a 2005 Army survey. Some of these soldiers will certainly get out of the service, use their military education benefit, and graduate with a college degree -- but many will not.

Vocational training often makes one think of apprentice welders or carpenters, but the age of the Internet has changed all that, allowing service members to train for careers as medical transcriptionists, medical administrative assistants, real estate agents, home inspectors, or any number of other professions. And the real kicker is that they can do it while deployed anywhere in the world -- it is a truly 100% online program education.

Service members can take advantage of online vocational training by using U.S. Military Tuition Assistance (also known as Federal Tuition Assistance), which is a military education benefit often overshadowed by the GI Bill. FTA allows active-duty military personnel to receive up to 100% military Tuition Assistance for online courses.

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Posted by Heather @ 1:39 PM • 0 comments

With the creation of online job sites, there is a proliferation of job seekers on the Internet. From the recent college graduate to the seasoned professional, there are applicants from every stage of life. Hundreds, even thousands, of people can apply to a single job. How do employers choose from among the qualified applicants?

Today, one of the largest and most highly-trained segments of the available labor pool includes the military population.

Each year more than 250,000 service members leave active duty and make the move into civilian life. In addition, there are spouses and military dependents that go along with them. When you take into account veterans, there are almost one million job seekers from the military community looking for employment every year. That is almost 15% of the available labor pool!

Employers are taking notice of this growing population. With so many strong qualities setting these applicants apart, the military population is becoming the first choice for many available jobs.

The benefits of choosing military personnel include:


Well-educated - All military officers have a college degree or above.

Large skill set - They have also been specifically trained in a wide variety of skills that translate to the civilian workplace -- including telecommunications, information technology (IT), logistics, security, avionics, truck/automotive, etc.

Strong work ethic - They possess a strong sense of loyalty and discipline when it comes to committing to a long-term opportunity and staying on track with their duties.

The best news? The military will pay most, if not all, of the relocation expenses for transitioning service members, so qualified candidates can be recruited from almost any location.

Service members should also remember to take advantage of 100% Military Tuition Assistance while they are still in the service - the one thing that you can never have too much of when looking for work is solid career training.

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Posted by aharis @ 2:35 PM • 0 comments

It probably seems like another lifetime ago when you were a recruit at Basic Training or Boot Camp learning to salute and march in step. No matter what your service agreement was, four years or even six, it seemed like you'd be in uniform for a long time.

But you've now been in a while, and soon you'll be back in civilian life. It's time to think about settling down, buying a house, and starting a career. And you know you've got options: civilian employers like the work ethic, teamwork and discipline that veterans bring to the table. That's not an issue. But are there any sure bets about the future?

A recent study from the U.S. Department of Labor makes one thing clear: if you're looking to get in on a hot industry, then the medical field is for you. And I don't mean you have to go to school for the next four to six years and become a nurse or a doctor. Many jobs in the industry only require several months of training.

The Department of Labor predicts medical jobs will grow an amazing 27% from now until 2014. All other industries combined are expected to increase by only 14%. Many of the medical jobs are administrative positions like medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, medical administrative assistant and medical keyboarding. In the report, for example, the Labor Department projected that medical transcription jobs will increase a whopping 52% over the next seven years.

Whether you're deployed in Iraq at the moment, or in the Fleet somewhere in the Pacific, it's not too early to start training for your place in the medical field. You can take advantage of 100% Tuition Assistance and enroll in an online medical course while you're still serving. All you need is computer access, an Internet connection and a commitment to your own future.

The day isn't far off when you'll put on your civvies for good and count yourself, not a service member any more, but a proud veteran instead.

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Posted by aharis @ 2:24 PM • 0 comments

When it comes to your transition, you can count on the military to help you reach your goals. You have resources available to you:

Transition Assistance -- There are transition offices available to help you separate from the military in a smooth and easy manner. These offices are available through each branch of the military and offer valuable information and resources to help you move into your new career.

Prepare yourself for life after the military with an easy transition.

Tuition Assistance -- This is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Congress has granted each service the ability to pay up to 100% of the tuition expenses of its members. Check with your branch to determine the criteria for eligibility, obligated service, and application process.

Find out if you are eligible for Tuition Assistance and get 100% of your education costs paid.

Relocation Assistance -- If you are moving to a new area, the military provides information and counseling to assist you in making informed decisions. You will get assistance with determining the job potential, assessing the affordability, researching the community, and planning your move.

Determine where you'd like to live and create an effective plan.

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Posted by Heather @ 8:27 AM • 0 comments