There’s one thing about the military life that is as certain as taxes – and that’s that sooner or later you’re going have to move. We’ve all heard about “military brats:” that tongue and cheek term for the children who grow up on military posts all over the world. 

Well, one can argue the pros and cons of the military lifestyle, but there has been one issue that has been a sore spot for years: students of military personnel not being able to smoothly carry on military education when they end up in a new state. 

In the upcoming year, the Texas legislature will look at Senate Bill 90 – known as the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children — which will require that the state adopt the compact designed by the by the Council of State Governments.

The legislation stipulates that the State of Texas must work with other states in the compact to create uniform standards for students entering a school from another state.

The children of military personnel have a number of social challenges facing them when they enter a new school. And a uniform set of regulations between different states would allow a child to go from Ft. Hood to Ft. Irwin without a bureaucratic nightmare. 

In addition to the formal cooperation between states, military children may also want to take a look at online high schools that offer diploma programs 100% online. When a military student is enrolled in an online high school, they can “go to school” by simply logging onto their computer from home.  And when home is Texas one month and California the next, studies won’t be affected if students are enrolled at an online high school. 

Military students looking at an online school should be sure to make sure that the school has regional accreditation like the one from WASC: the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Believe it or not, regional accreditation has more weight and respect than national accreditation. 

And what exactly does an online high school mean? In an online high school the student logs onto a special “school board” every day. They get messages and assignments from teachers, they can email teachers questions about a lesson, and with some schools, there are forums so students can chat with each other about their lessons. 

It goes without saying that not all teenagers are ready for online schooling, but for some this is a valuable option. Military children, like children everywhere, can face undesirable social pressures and influences at a traditional school. An online school allows parents to have more oversight on their children’s lives while keeping them safe at home. 

The benefits that one associates with home schooling, are similar for children who choice to study for their diploma online. And just as are home-schooled students must be self-disciplined and obedient, these same qualities are important for a child looking to attend an online highschool.

The one thing you never want to do is call a Marine a “soldier.” While to many civilians a person in a uniform carrying a rifle is always soldier, Marines and Soldiers in American have very different purposes and cultures.

First it’s important to realize that the U.S. Army is the largest service branch in the Armed Forces; by comparison, the Marine Corps is a minuscule organization. While the Army is certainly geared toward fighting and winning wars, it has a tremendous diversity of occupations and services that carry out a number of different missions.

Although the establishment of the Army and the Marine Corps both began during the Revolutionary War, their original missions were quite different. The Marines were established as sharp shooters for U.S. Navy ships. Often when two ships came close to each other, it was rifleman who could make a big difference by firing at enemy sailors. A company of Marines also made sure that any mutinies by sailors didn’t last very long.

The establishment of the U.S. Army under George Washington was aimed at building up a ground force with infantry, artillery and calvary elements in the model of the great European armies of France and Britain. The purpose of the Army was to defeat opponents in large scale conflicts and occupy territory.

Over the course of American history, Marines continued to serve alongside Sailors on Navy ships, but their talents as shock infantry troops was soon recognized. The Marine Corps gained international fame for their heroic fight against the Germans in the Belleau Woods of France during World War I. Not only did the Marines fight bravely, but they were savvy about promoting their efforts to the media. The American public ate up the stories about heroic “leathernecks.”

Although Marines and Soldiers are often used in very similar roles – as we’ve most recently seen in Iraq – Marines remain expeditionary troops who can sustain themselves in combat for short periods of time. In this capacity, Marines are used to hit the enemy fast and hard, turn them on their heels and allow larger elements from the Army to take over and exploit the opening in the enemy’s defenses.

Over the last eight years in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marines has been used much like a mainline Army rifleman: deploying to a specific region for a tour of duty where they engage in policing and counter insurgency. The Marines have proved adept at the mission, but many worry that they have lost their expeditionary naval-based readiness.

Military spouses, because of the unique circumstances of the military lifestyle, have a harder time in general achieving the kinds of educational and career goals that civilians can. Military spouses, who are enrolled at a school near the base, may have to disrupt or discontinue their schooling when their military spouse is transferred to another duty station of state.

“Hiring military spouses makes good business sense and fits very well into Convergys’ commitment to global talent management, and that’s why we didn’t hesitate to join Army Spouse Employment Partnership,” said Clark Handy, Convergys Senior Vice President, Human Resources. “Military spouses represent a talented and diverse workforce of people who are often concentrated on or near US military bases around the world and whose exceptional work ethic and low attrition rate speak volumes about the high quality of work they can provide.”

Convergys joins 27 other companies, along with Black & Veatch Corporation, EMC Corporation, Lowe’s Corporation and West Corporation who signed up to help this past October. This past year approximately 8,000 Army spouses were helped with jobs, which is a significant contribution as the nation struggles through a recession.

The advantage of distance learning for military spouses is that they can enroll in a program, and continue studying no matter where the military family is transferred. Many online training programs are also self-paced, which means that students often have up to one year to complete a course or program.

All Military’s selection committee has deliberated and have chosen the top military friendly colleges and universities in the country.  All Military took into account the financial aid available to service members, the proximity to a military base and/or availability of distance learning, and positive policies for military service members.  The following schools excelled in all areas and proudly display the badge of All Military’s top military friendly colleges and universities.

1. Columbia College

   Columbia, Missouri

2. Saint Francis University

   Loretto, Pennsylvania
   
   

3. Excelsior College

   Albany, New York

4. Bellevue University

   Bellevue, Nebraska

5. Dallas County Community College District

   Texas

6. TUI University

   Online

7. Duquesne University

   Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

8. Southern Illinois University Carbondale

   Carbondale, Illinois
   
   

9. Robert Morris University

   Moon Township, Pennsylvania

10. Jones International University

    Online

11. Allied American University

    Online

12.  AMU

                Online

When we think of war veterans, many people picture graying old men who fought in Europe during World War II or in Korea. Yet nowadays we must remember that there are thousands of young men and women in America who are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These younger veterans often have service-related injuries that hamper their efforts to find and hold good-paying jobs. To help these men and women, the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) offers veterans a vocational rehabilitation program known as Chapter 31. 

What services does the DVA provide for this special group of veterans?

 *Rehabilitation evaluation to assess a person’s skills

 *Counseling and rehabilitation planning 

 *Job finding skills like resume help and interviewing

 *Help finding and keeping a job, including the use of special employer incentives

 *On-the-Job Training (OJT) and apprenticeships

 *Post-secondary training at a college, vocational, technical or business school

 *Case management, counseling and referral services

Who can take advantage of this program?

The veteran must have:

 *an honorable discharge

 *a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%

 *completed an application for the program

The DVA then sets up appointments with vocational rehabilitation counselors who will interview the veteran and determine whether the veteran can receive services. The counselors will look at the veteran’s disabilities and consider how they will impact the person’s skill set. 

Once the DVA has a good handle on a veteran’s situation, they will set up a rehabilitation plan which will lay out a strategy for getting that individual retrained, if necessary, and ready to secure a new position. 

If veterans need career retraining, one option that counselors and veterans can look at is online vocational schools with vocational rehabilitation training programs. A veteran can enroll in an online program and train for a career as a real estate agent, medical coder or a pharmacy technician, for example, and all from the comfort of their home with 100% online courses. 

Military spouses who are not affected by the executive order can still give themselves a competitive edge by enrolling in career training programs that are 100% online and entirely self-paced.  Many schools and universities also offer military spouse discounts and military spouse scholarships to help military families afford tuition. And with uncertain economic times on the horizon, it’s always a good thing to have as many qualifications as possible.

The military-to-civilian recruiting firm RecruitMilitary will hold a Career Fair for military spouses and veterans on Jan. 29, 2009 at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn. The event is an opportunity for former service members and military spouses to meet face-to-face with potential employers. LP Field is home to the Tennessee Titans professional football team and the event is from 11 am to 3 pm.

This is the first of more than 65 Career Fairs that RecruitMilitary Career Fairs will host across the U.S. 2009.  At each fair a team of veteran-friendly organizations will conduct one-on-one interviews with the job seekers.

and mh
ay#hBto meet face-to-face with potential employers. LP Field is home to the Tennessee Titans professional football team and the event is from 11 am to 3 pm.

In addition to their inclusion at Career Fairs, military spouses also received important recognition from the DOD when it unveiled its Military Spouse Career Advancement Initiative last year which provided government funds to advance military spouse educational opportunities.