Separating From The Army- Education Advice

[Yarb]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here. I hope to have a very good time here learning about benefits and sharing information with people. The first item I would like to discuss is education opportunities once I leave the military. I would like help locating resources to use for the successful transition from the military back to college. If anyone can provide any information I would be very greatful. Thank you for all your help and good luck to all.

SGT Yarb

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit. The main focus on this Board is helping Veterans deal with the VA and all its different forms. In order to offer anything it would be helpful for you to list what you are looking for in the way of Educational Resources. Almost every Educational Institution has special counceling to help Veterans get their benefits.

Good Luck

PS You might want to make sure that you are getting everything you need from the VA. When you leave you should make sure you have a complete copy of all your Service Medical Records and as soon as you can a copy of your Service Records. You may have a claim and you need to be able to prove it. I also suggest that when you seperate you be very honest with the physical and list any problems you have developed while serving.

Edited October 20, 2007 by Pete53

[rentalguy1]

I don't have a lot of advice on dealing with the VA as of yet. I didn't take the time to stop and listen to those who had came before me as I should have. Please don't make the same mistake that I did. Go to all of your outprocessing meetings and ask questions and take notes.

As to the transition from the military into education: there's another step you might want take first. I didn't have a problem with the classroom. What I had a problem with was transitioning back to civillian life. I wish I could say that it's an easy process, but it usually isn't. It's different for everyone, but it took me a painful ten years. I bounced from job to job for a long time because I either got upset that everyone else around me was "lazy," or I got the boot for being too much of a "go-getter." The military instills a top-notch work ethic in people, and that is something that you will never be able to shake. There is also the concept of "brotherhood" that you are not going to find on this side of the aisle. These things can be tough to cope with, so don't be shy about creating a support chain. It can either be family and friends, or a board for veterans such as this, or anything in between. I would suggest talking it out with people who have also served, because they know intimately where you are coming from, and where you need to go.

Don't sweat the education, you'll be fine at that. Just don't lock yourself into a program too early. Take the time to get the "core" under your belt and sample a class that sounds interesting to see if you might like that major. It's easy to pick a major, it's hard to change a major, short of staring all over (been there, done that). If you are lucky enough to get a 30% disability rating from the VA, then you might qualify for Vocational Rehab. I benefitted from that program, and I would suggest anyone that is eligible to do it. Save your GI Bill money for your Master's Degree.

Good luck, and feel free to PM/e-mail me anytime if you're having trouble with the transition back to civillian life. I may not be good with advice, but I am a good listener.

[Speaking Out]

Thank you for your service and welcome to Hadit. You should take some time when you get out to look at all of your options. All schools have special programs for Veteran's and their financial aid deptartment will know how to instruct you to get your benefits. The main thing to think about is you. What do you want to do? Where do you want to live? You have it all infront of you now and take some time to navigate your road. Pick some schools and visit them. Check into Veteran's benefits in different states. You can find that info here on hadit and choose a place you like and that will be good to you. You have been given some good advice about out processing and all your briefings. Go to them all and take notes and get a number of the speaker so that later if you have a question you can call. READ YOUR DD214. Make sure you understand what is in every box and if you don't, ASK. Good luck and we'll see you around hadit.

[Berta]

Yarb- my daughter transitioned with getting her full educational packet confrimed by the inservice educational people- dont know what they are called-

She was able to have her inservice credits transferred towards her Bachelors when she left the mil-USAF Intell-

They added up to quite a bit of college credit.

One of my former vet reps also had her same MOS and stayed in for 20 years -a lifer but he failed to take the steps prior to his discharge to get ahold of an educational counselor before he was discharged and he said he lost all of those credits.

I dont know what you MOS is and what credits you could get-

I think they actually awarded credits for BAsic training in my daughter's situation.

She also has the GI Bill- did you pay for that?

If so -the VA web site has some info on it- but it is lousy info- Military.com has better GI Bill info and if you go to my college -you might get more info as to how they use the GI Bill there-

which is SOP for any accredited school.

By the way -check my school out as to it's curriculum- they might have all you need-on line- after next week my diploma is in the mail!

Most of my instruction came from USMC but I had Army,USAF and Navy instruction too and 2 civilian instructors-

AMU is geared to transitional education- all of my classmates have been enlisted or officers but there are many vets at AMU too.

http://www.amu.apus.edu/index.htm

American Military University offers AS, BA, and Masters degrees.

Started by the USMC, it is fully accredited and the BEST University in the USA (in my opinion)for the curriculum they offer.

The GI bill is up to over $39,000 I just heard.