Is education a big deal in the Army and Marine Corps?

2018-02-07T01:50:49-05:00

One of my biggest gripes about the Air Force is how much emphasis there is on education. I mean, I guess I should've expected that when I enlisted given the nature of the branch, but I definitely wasn't expecting to be told basically that I'll be kicked out after my first enlistment if not doing some sort of schooling. I understand that school is important and I probably should go but I just truly don't want to go and have no interest in it. Even if it is free.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 2:11 AM

2018-02-07T02:11:52-05:00

SrA Private RallyPoint Member Education is a big deal. If you want to continue advancing in the military, you need to continue your education. The civilian world also values education. There will be life after the military, so do you have the training and skills for that future career that you want? Education can take many forms. Do you know how to prepare your tax returns or make sound saving and investment choices. Education, especially if it is free, is a valuable resource that will increase your value to your current and future employers.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 7 at 2018 3:11 AM

2018-02-07T03:11:24-05:00

I'll weigh in on the Marine Corps mentality when it comes to "school" having served some tours with them. They study war big time. Their school system at Quantico may seem "standard" to the casual military observer. However, the MC invests heavily into understanding history and military psychology, past and present. They constantly work on new scenarios, strategies, and test for weaknesses. Why? They want to maximize winning and minimize the dying piece. Simple as that. My own experience in my journey from E-1 to O-6 was the acceptance that you're always going to some school on a fairly predictable basis. You have to because everything is changing all the time. New stuff, new tactics, and unfortunately twice as many new restrictions. The military isn't intended to let any SM go into static mode. Those that do have very short careers. It's also part of the filtering process for promotion. If you think the commercial sector is easier, think again. Sure, you can dig ditches for the rest of your life, but most want next year to be better than last year. Learning new things. Becoming more capable. Having more control over your own life. Same thing as the military. Bottom line, if you want to grow, ongoing school work will be a part of your working life. When I retired, I continued to be a soccer referee. School work every year for the same reasons. The world moves some direction and if you don't want to be left behind, you have to keep up.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 4:01 AM

2018-02-07T04:01:44-05:00

I don't have an issue with learning new things or things related to the job, I meant more so the having to go to college for a degree so I don't get booted out. I should have clarified better. Is going to college and getting a degree a huge thing in the Army and Marine Corps? Thank you everyone for your answers so far though! Very insightful information.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 6:20 AM

2018-02-07T06:20:45-05:00

You are NOT going to get booted after your first enlistment if you aren’t in school. If you refuse to do your upgrade training you will have issues. CCAF only becomes a requirement in the SNCO ranks. By then they will want you to get an AS degree in your career field. Its not like it is totally unrelated field. Take a few CLEP and DANTES tests. Look up online to what the easiest ones are and take those for most of it. I have many friends who did it that way.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 6:22 AM

2018-02-07T06:22:06-05:00

Let's put it this way. If you were one of my troops, I would encourage you to get as much schooling as you can so that your career progression would be easier....but I would not use scare tactics and the like to basically force you to go. That is a sign of poor leadership (IMHO). You want to go to school, I'll help you get there. If you don't want to go, I will still gladly have you on my team.

Response by SSG Alan Pelletier made Feb 7 at 2018 7:11 AM

2018-02-07T07:11:48-05:00

Here's my reality. Keep in mind I'm only one person out of about 7 billion...

Not everyone is cut out for school. The more you follow education the less you'll focus on your daily/weekly duties, that's just basic math and human nature.

It seems like you're being pushed aggressively, fine. Choose something that YOU would be interested in doing after your time in service. Most of the people I've worked for after my service time had no college (which causes issues when you're the educated one) or their education had nothing to do with their jobs (which also causes issues when you are).

Overall, you are in control of you. Once you leave the service none of those guys will remember you or care in official capacity.

Okay, almost a negative response here's something positive. Some basic reading, writing, and arithmetic will never hurt... So give your leadership some college classes, and take something directly useful.

Hope that helps

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 7:36 AM

2018-02-07T07:36:28-05:00

I have my doubts. I think High PT scores are important.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Feb 7 at 2018 9:42 AM

2018-02-07T09:42:45-05:00

For the enlisted side the military studies is important. We are required to do MCI's which are books on all subjects from spelling to guerrilla warfare. Collage classes are available, but mostly done on your time unless you get into a special program.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Feb 7 at 2018 11:02 AM

2018-02-07T11:02:20-05:00

Education is a big deal in every service. No military service wants morons. Developing young men and women are what they are in the business of, after first and foremost being in the business of wrecking shop.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 11:55 AM

2018-02-07T11:55:04-05:00

Substitute the word "education" for "professional development" and see if you still agree with your sentiment.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 11:55 AM

2018-02-07T11:55:06-05:00

Thank you very much, I suppose I could maybe try and substitute with a vocational school? I hope they'll accept that.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2018 11:57 AM

2018-02-07T11:57:17-05:00

Yeah, I didn't get much advice or counseling on education or professional development requirements. It was just a kind of you should go or it's not likely to make it out of your first 6 years.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Feb 7 at 2018 3:48 PM

2018-02-07T15:48:33-05:00

Yes education is a big deal, but not so much that you'll get kicked out for not going to college. Most of our education revolves around annual training requirements and professional military education like Cpl's Course, Sgt's Course, etc. Now if you chose to pursue some form of higher education, then you'd get bonus points towards your promotion score as well as look favorably at for a promotion board. But no one is going to kick you out for not going to college.

On the other hand, when you reach the SNCO ranks if you choose to stay in that long, it is highly encouraged to pursue some form of a college education if you want to progress any further in your career. Otherwise, you won't get promoted and eventually will have to get out.

Response by SSG Keith Amacher made Feb 8 at 2018 2:51 AM

2018-02-08T02:51:51-05:00

No it is not for an enlisted but you better be up to being an athelete and not a desk jockey. I got my college degree in Computer Science after the military but I was Intel, then SF and CI after I went to Airborne, Special Forces Training and ran 8 miles a day plus swam 2 miles across and back a lake for my water training. So a college degree does have nothing to do with that come join... yes you can do a desk job in the Army and not do that and not have to have a degree but think about that. What do you want to be?

Response by MSG Dan Castaneda made Feb 8 at 2018 9:20 AM

2018-02-08T09:20:36-05:00

Only if you want to be competitive for promotion. Not only that but service members should think about post military life. So many service members get out thinking just because they are a veteran all doors should be opened to them. I think this is a bad mentality that ultimately causes a lot of veterans to end up in dead end jobs. I hope to retire with a Master's degree. My education is solely for when I retire. The fact that my MOS may look good on my resume, means very little. I want a better paying job not on my feet all day.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2018 10:35 AM

2018-02-08T10:35:06-05:00

If you want to make it to senior ranks, yes.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2018 11:14 AM

2018-02-08T11:14:53-05:00

We do a lot of things in the service that we don’t want to do. Part of the game.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Feb 8 at 2018 11:58 AM

2018-02-08T11:58:01-05:00

Every service has it's own educational timeline and while not as strict for the enlisted as it is for the commissioned side of things, you are expect to attend the services schools developed for your rank and encouraged to take additional schools and continue your civilian education. Yes, I would expect that you wouldn't be retained if you were not trying to advance in your career. Why waste a slot when there are people out there that want to better themselves.

Response by TSgt Tommy Amparano made Feb 8 at 2018 1:24 PM

2018-02-08T13:24:02-05:00

What are the core values of the AF? How does what you just wrote apply to them?

Response by SSG Matthew Koehler made Feb 8 at 2018 2:14 PM

2018-02-08T14:14:27-05:00

It is a big deal because it has value in promotion points. Perhaps the military could convert all that education into a degree that means something (validity) in the real world.

Response by SMSgt Mark Gildersleeve made Feb 8 at 2018 7:21 PM

2018-02-08T19:21:48-05:00

One of my few regrets is I didn't get more education. Get everything the military has to offer....

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2018 12:52 PM

2018-02-09T12:52:33-05:00

Well I want to thank everyone for their time and advice on this thread. It's truly been so insightful and has made me realize the need to at least do something to help have a better future for myself and others. Thank you guys again, I'll get on it.

Response by SGT Chyrone Ragland made Feb 12 at 2018 4:12 PM

2018-02-12T16:12:41-05:00

If it's absolutely necessary that you go to school then I would check out MyComputerCareer. Sitting in a class or doing homework online for 2-4 years can be tiresome but at MyCC you can get 9 IT certs in just 10 months. MyCC also has guaranteed job placement/career services for life, that way if you choose to get out of the Air Force because your tired of being told to go to school, you'll always have MyCC to assist you in finding a job. If you want more information just get back with me and I'll point you in the right direction.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2020 4:19 PM

2020-05-20T16:19:20-04:00

An axiom I learned early in college - the day you stop learning is the day you start dying.

During the time period I was in, civilian education was not pushed that hard for enlisted Marines. Continuing education through Marine Corps courses (little red books) was highly encouraged though. Building a habit of learning is probably the one best thing you can do as an individual. And you certainly do not have to keep it in one vein.

I will be 60 this year and I have several books that I read from every week, several sites I visit and many you-tubers I follow. Add to that Ted Talks and other similar sources and I easily spend 8-12 hours a week learning. The subjects vary widely: Finances, Marriage, Relationships, Leadership, Self Improvement, Physics, Astronomy, emerging technologies around GRIN (Genetics, Robotics, Intelligence, Nanotechnology), Medieval Fighting techniques, off grid living, and so much more.

While I was in I took correspondence courses for my MOS and supporting MOS' as well as NCO and Staff NCO Leadership. How am I to operate if I have no framework to operate within? How am I able to advance the mission if I don't know what else can be done, has been done, outside of the very basic training I already had. Field computers were brand spanking new to the Corps at the time. Our CO wanted it field ready and able to connect back to mainside while in the field. So, field modem, field laptop (a luggable), slash wire, a radio repeater setup and 16 hours of trial and error we came up with how to fulfill the mission *before* the manuals came out.

So, again, the axiom - the day you stop learning is the day you start dying. Especially true on the battlefield! And more permanent.