Posted on Mar 8, 2021
SPC Information Technology Specialist
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I'm going to Afghanistan in June. Im a 25B (IT) reserve soldier, and also speak farsi (haven't taken the DLAB yet).
How can I maximize my earnings (I'm single, 0 dependent), MOS related skills/certs, and if there are any college classes provided there I can take.
As of now there's not much information about what we will be doing, but it is a rather mellow deployment based on what has been going around.
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Responses: 5
SFC Retention Operations Nco
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It's not the DLAB you take, it's the DLPT for Farsi. Don't schedule the wrong test and miss out on possible extra money. While you're at it you may want to take the OPI as well. If you're in an authorized position and location the OPI is worth an additional $100 a month. You'll want to do those before you go over.

You won't be provided any college courses but deployment is a good time to take online classes. You have your tuition assistance, find a school that is flexible. I recommend Coastline Community College. I was enrolled there while I was deployed and they were very flexible with my patrol schedule.
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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Evening SFC,
I appreciate the insight. I will definitely get in the know about OPI as well. I will also look up CCC, see if they have classes that I can transfer their credits to my current college.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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SPC (Join to see) an OPI is just a phone interview and the other person grades your fluency. You have to arrange it like you do the DLPT.

CCC is super helpful with transferring. They'll accept up to 40 hours of transfer credit. If your college is an LOI college you can take classes at CCC and transfer them to your degree program. I was able to get 40 hours of credit from my JSST and finish my associates with only 7 classes at CCC. All 60 of those SH transferred into my Bachelor program at Thomas Edison, which I recommend for bachelor's program.
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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SFC (Join to see) - Wow! CCC seems way better than my old community college! They didn't accept any of 25B courses from Ft. Gordon.

I really appreciate the info. SFC, it's really helpful!
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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SPC (Join to see) I'm glad to hear you found a good one! I think they're way better than most of the colleges offered on military posts as well. Plus they're regionally accredited and guarantee that an Associate through them will transfer to any California state funded school 100% towards a bachelor. From what I've see they'll transfer completely to any regionally accredited school
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LTC Program Manager
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If you speak Farsi you should take the DLAB. There used to be a large education center in Afghanistan but they may have downsized with the lower troop numbers. 335th Signal Command at Arifjan, Kuwait runs a signal university that manages certification classes for theater. Best of luck.
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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Evening Sir,
I appreciate the insight. I am not sure yet what part of Afghanistan we will be going to; but as SSG Sanders, and SFC Boyd mentioned, I will get up to date about the tests.
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SFC Air Traffic Control Equipment Repairer
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If you take the DLAB before you head out you may get more more money for it then if you were in the states. How much you get depends on location and going over there should give you the maximum the army allows for knowing another language
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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Evening SSG,
I appreciate the insight.
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