ROLL CALL: Military students post here!

Technically, I suppose that's correct--for the Navy--where enlisted personnel don't have ranks, they have rates.

Tracy Gies<><
SSG/E-6(P)

 

Chief,

Flying Chinooks to see if they'll stay in the air!? That takes guts! God be with you.

Tracy Gies
SSG/E-6(P)

 

I would also like to offer the same encourgement. Even in the days before eArmyu, it always struck me as odd that someone would want to get out to go to college. Carefully consider staying in to take advantage of tuition assistance *and* the GI Bill, eArmyu, and all the many other opportunities for college credit you will earn while in the service.

Tracy Gies<><
SSG/E-6(P)

 

Okay fine, why don't we just refer to ourselves as sevicemembers, airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines or, dare I add, GIs? Please refrain from using any term describing your position in the food chain.

I really don't want this post derailed. And the last thing I wanna do is offended someone fragile person who is looking to be offended....

So umm.....oh yeah....what about everyone's DL experiences?

 

Here are the Army’s enlisted ranks and grades:

• PV1, E1
• PV2, E2
• PFC, E3
• SPC, E4
• CPL, E4
• SGT, E5
• SSG, E6
• SFC, E7
• MSG, E8
• 1SG, E8
• SGM, E9
• CSM, E9

Confused yet?

And I’m not sure about the enlisted ranks and grades of the Air Force, though there are similarities to the Army.

I could not even begin to tell you the ranks and grades of the Navy (both commissioned and enlisted)!!! And the Coast Guard?!?! It's like a foreign language!!!

Hey, if I see an Army colonel or a general in the streets, is it appropriate for me to say in a commanding voice, "Hey soldier, come here!!!" They are soldiers, right?

Rabble Rouser!

 

Everytime I was called a marine or devil dog, I KNEW I did something wrong!!

Hey marine! Wheres my salute?!
Hey devilog whens the last time you had a haircut?
hey marine why in the hell are your chevrons sewn upside down!! (just kidding on this one heh).

 

Hi

I'm an Air Force TSgt (I'll spare you the grade-rank crap that had nothing to do with this thread anyway) and have taken a few online courses through community colleges and some universities. So far, Regis has been my best experience (ongoing)

I have roughly 1 1/2 years left to complete an undergrad degree. I'll give Lawrie Miller some thanks for his "BA in 4 Weeks" post way back when. Because of that, I tested out of 42 credits in one month while TDY in the Middle East this past year. Thanks Lawrie...you made a difference.

Kevan

 

Good deal. I have to agree that the "BA in 4 weeks" approach demonstrates what can be done is a short period. What is your AFSC and what kind of degree are you pursuing?

 

Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer (initiated 1985):
Distance Education:

M.A. in Humanities (External Degree) CSU Dominguez Hills--in Progress (21 sem hours after this term)

 

Former 11 Bravo

Went to School right out of High-School to the Univ of Fla But dropped out after earning 4-straight F's.

Enlisted as a 11B E-1 (Infantry)
Reclassed after two years to 76Y (Supply) and went from E-3 through E-6 over the remainder of an 8-year stretch. Got out because I just started a family and would have to go to Korea for a Year!!

Toured: School/Trad or B&M/Degree/Exams:

Schofield Bks, HI 3yrs Chaminade Univ/RA 18 shours
Fort Rucker, AL 1 yr Approx. 24 hrs of Dantes & Clep
Lakehurst, NJ 2 yrs Burlington/RA B&M AA, +18 hrs Clep
Philadelphia (RCTG)2 yrs TESC/RA DL BA

Then I got out and got a job...I just started looking at DL again in February 2001 and am currently at Southwest Missouri State/RA DL will earn MSAS (Hopefullly) in Spring 2003.

ADVICE: If you have Montgomery Chapter 30, Veap, or any other Veteran's Assistance...Use it before the 10 years slip by you!!

Also, if you are still active...Use the 75% Tuition Assistance on Base if you can and save your GI Bill for your endeavors after the military.

By the Way!! I am very proud to have been a member of our armed services and I am proud of each and every one of my brothers and sisters who wore Green, Blue, White, or Black and served our country...without them...some of us may not have the freedom to seek and earn an education.

Mike

 

Former Master Sergeant (E-7) Air Force.
Now 2LT (O-1) USAFR.
I have a BA from a trad. RA shcool and an associates from
CCAF.
Working on my MS in Criminal Justice at Andrew Jackson Univ.

 

Rob:

Did you receive a direct commission in the Air Force Reserve? I ask because I served 2 years in the USAFR when I was a 21-year-old staff sergeant. I really wanted to get a commission but there simply weren't any slots available in my unit. And at the time, finding open slots anywhere was difficult. (Units tended not to publicize that info, saving it instead for their own members.) I went to OTS instead and later retired from active duty as a captain.

Rich Douglas

 

Rich,

I transferred from the Guard to the Reserve because my unit did not have any officer slots available for me. Also, the Reserve grants age waivers (35 yr cut-off) and the Guard does not. (I needed the waiver).
I am in the IMA program rather than a reserve unit. This offers me more flexibility.
Unfortunately, the Reserve only grants direct commissions for JAG's, etc.
I had to attend the Academy of Military Science in Knoxville, TN.
This is the OTS version for all Air Guard and Reserve personnel since the mid 1990's.
The Air Guard sends its pilot candidates to AMS but the Reserve sends its pilots to OTS.

 

Rob:

Excellent, and congratulations.

When I was a Category A reservist in the early '80's, almost all of our NCO's who became officers did so through direct commissioning. You had to have all the regular requirements (AFOQT, degree, good record, etc.), and have taken an ECI course specifically for reserve officer candidates. (I took it, but I can't recall the name. I think it was the Air Force Reserve Officers Course, but I'm not sure.)

I was always puzzled why the reserves did direct commissioning. They called it the "Deserving Airman" program, of all things! Anyway, I knew the ANG sent its officer candidates to training, but the USAFR did not.

I went to OTS a couple of years later to serve on active duty. (Inititial 4-year commitment, just as now.) I earned a regular commission as a 1Lt and never looked back. I took the early retirement in 1996 and have been cashing retirement checks monthly ever since. It was ridiculous (and expensive) to allow me and my peers to retire so young, but I guess they didn't need us. I miss the purposefulness of our mission, and the camraderie. But I don't miss the myopic leadership that was all too prevalent. (Not everywhere, or even most places, but too much.)

I've always said that if the Air Force had made this deal I would have signed in a heartbeat: "Enlist and we'll help pay for college and graduate school. We'll promote you several times to staff sergeant, then make you an officer. You'll have to retire at 36 years with a regular commssion and an MBA, though." So here I am, drawing about 40% of my old base pay (plus COL increases) for the rest of my life, with medical, dental, and veterans benefits, along with the full use of military facilities and a salute at the gate. Go figure.

Rich Douglas

 

Touro

A few weeks into the program and I have to say that I am pleased with it. This is my first experience with an online course and one of the things I like most about it is the threaded discussions. This type of asynchronous exchange allows one to conduct research and form an answer to other posts, unlike the synchronous or classroom discussions which my tend to be more off the cuff.

Is there an emotional component to this online environment (assuming that such component is important to the educational process)? I have to give that a resounding "yes." Emotions can be both conveyed and aroused by a threaded discussion (this, no doubt, comes as no surprise to regular posters here.)

Tracy<><

 

I am a Marine Sergeant (E-5), stationed at Cherry Point, NC.

After attending Florida State for 2 semesters, and not doing so hot, and another 3 years fooling around, I joined the Marines. It took another 5 years for me to get off my ass and finish school. I enrolled at Excelsior on the advice of this forum, and on the inspiration of Lawrie Miller, and had my AS bagged in three months. It only took that long because all of my transcripts did not arrive in a timely manner. While I was waiting for them, I took a lot of exams, in the end totaling 81 semester hours of credit.

I took the last test to finish my BS three days before conferral of my AS. I recieve my BS this friday, the 19th of April.

I came back here to look for advice on a masters degree of some sort. I guess I am hooked on education now.

If everything goes as planned, I will be a 2ndLt by the end of the year. If everything goes REALLY well, I will be flying an aircraft of some sort sometime soon.

 

First, congratulations.

Second, what do you want a Masters in? If you are thingking about a MBA then Touro University offers a 100% distance learning MBA (even texts are on line and free). For military, they subsidize it so that after your TA pays the degree is free.

North

 

Funny that you should mention Touro. I am perusing their website right now, and I will say that FREE FOR MILITARY is pretty damn hard to beat, since I am still on active duty.

 

Semper Fi Marine,

What's your MOS? (airwing, I assume. I was an avionics tech myself) Did you get a BS in technology or did you go the libral arts route?

Best Regards,

Bill