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PCS Success for MilKids in K-12 Schools

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You want to know what’s more complicated than a PCS? Try adding in the extra responsibilities of moving with kids in school. Yup, once your kids enter school, moving becomes a whole new ball game!

Between finding a good school, organizing the paperwork and making the best school work within your BAH or ideal commuting range, it’s quite a lot to juggle. Luckily, if you follow a few super simple tips you can make your PCS with school-aged kids so much easier.

PCS Success for MilKids in K-12 Schools

Now, making your move easier will (ironically) take a little bit of planning and prep. I promise that it’s so worth it!

Learn How to Triangulate

Over in the Stress-Free PCS Challenge, the first step is to connect the dots and triangulate your wants. What’s on your must-have and nice-to-have lists?

Here’s a peek at our family’s list:

  • Commute, door to desk, under 30 min
  • Walkable neighborhood with public transit options
  • Homes available at/under BAH
  • Parks & playgrounds
  • Schools ranked average or higher

As we’re house hunting, these are the criteria we are looking for in our next community or neighborhood. Now, obviously, getting everything on this list is the best case scenario. So we’ve decided that having at least three of these five “wants” is going to be enough for us.

Before you even start your deep dive into which schools are “best,” get your priorities straight and start your house hunt. Keep your list of ideals in mind at all times.

Once you narrow down your search area based on your criteria, it will make your moving process so much simpler.

Narrow Down Your Child’s School Needs

Every child is unique. Not every school will work for every child. And that’s okay!

To figure out your child’s baseline needs, consider:

  • Education Plans: IEP, 504 Plans, Gifted & Talented
  • Athletics & Extracurricular Activities
  • Personality
  • Past Experiences – good and bad
  • Future Goals: college, military, entering civilian workforce
  • Academic Interests: science, tech, vocational, arts, humanities

Creating a small overview of your child will help you to rule schools in or out as you search. For example, you wouldn’t really want to send your soccer loving child to a school without a soccer program.

Photo Credit: © Cherries/Adobe Stock

Get Organized

If you’ve been around the PCS block a few times, you probably already have a binder (or 10) floating around. You might not exactly want to add another binder to your collection, but it’s 100% worth it.

You can set up a binder for each child or just create sections in one master organizer. Either way, you’re going to include copies of:

  • “Unofficial” school records: report cards, grades, attendance records
  • Personal records: birth certificates, SSN card
  • Education plans: IEP, 504 Plan, Gifted & Talented
  • Medical records: medical plans, physical exams
  • Legal documents: custody paperwork, adoption paperwork, etc.
  • New enrollment paperwork
  • Athletic & extracurricular records
  • Recommendation letters
  • Notes on the school search

You can grab a free binder organizer, along with other great checklists, in the Stress-Free PCS Challenge!

Having all your documents in one place makes it easier to find just the right item when you need it most. It’s also important to make multiple copies of essential info, like the academic records and any education plans.

Know What the Rankings Mean

There are three major ranking websites: Niche, GreatSchools and School Digger. Each draws on the same hard data, like state testing scores and demographics. The numbers are run in several different ways on each website, with the final “grade” based on a variety of factors.

These scores, plus the state Department of Education’s school report card, give a great snapshot of the school’s success. You’re looking for a high passing percentage on state tests, a high graduation rate, and average or better community reviews posted within the last five years.

When it comes to these scores and websites, you’re looking for consistency across platforms. It’s a red flag when a school is ranked average in several places, with a super high ranking on a different website.

It’s also important to remember that the ranking websites compare schools in one region or state against each other. So a 5/10 in a high achieving area, like Northern Virginia, may not mean the same thing as a 5/10 in another area. Before you right off a school because of a perceived lower ranking. Instead, check the actual percentage of kids in the school who are achieving proficiency or higher on state tests.

Always Connect with Schools Personally

A high ranking is great. Hearing positive things from other parents is good, too. But it’s not everything. A high achieving school with good reviews doesn’t mean your child will feel comfortable or successful there.

To really nail down your child’s options, always connect with the schools personally. That might mean sending an email or making a phone call. You should try to connect with:

  • School principal
  • Special education coordinator
  • Gifted education coordinator
  • Coaches or extracurricular mentors
  • Grade level lead teachers
  • Subject matter lead teachers – sciences, humanities, tech, vocational, arts

Building a personal connection can be the make or break factor in deciding where to live and send your children to school. Remember to keep notes on your conversations, storing everything in your binder.

What are your tips to PCS with school-aged kids?

Give Your Military Child’s Education a Boost with Help from Nabisco and Coca-Cola

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As military families, we have a lot of complications and balls in the air. Consistently, one of our top worries is about our military kids and their education.

Between moving every three years during the K-12 years and saving for their college educations, it’s a lot!

April, being the Month of the Military Child, brings the focus onto the needs of our military kids, especially their education. It’s also a great time to find cool resources and opportunities to help support your military kid and their education!

Educating a child, through the K-12 years or at college, is expensive. Military families are always on the hunt for ways to make this more affordable and possible with budgeting and scholarships.

Give Your Military Child’s Education a Boost with Help from Nabisco and Coca-Cola

Every little bit totally helps. Which makes scholarships and grants a great resource for military families. In honor of Month of the Military Child, Nabisco and Coca-Cola have come together in support of military families to award scholarships to six lucky winners.

One Grand Prize winner will win $5,000 in the form of a check!
Or you could win one (1) of five (5) first prizes consisting of $1,000 in the form of a check!

We love a good scholarship, especially one that’s easy to apply for and comes with very few strings attached. That makes the scholarship from Nabisco and Coca-Cola so sweet!

There’s no purchase necessary to enter or win. And you can enter once daily through 4/30/2019!

Scholarships for Military Kids

Sending a child to college or paying for private school is expensive! Between tuition, fees, uniforms and supplies, the bills collect awfully fast. Having some financial support is often crucial to making quality education a reality.

There are lots of great scholarships for military kids, including this new opportunity from Nabisco and Coca-Cola. A quick Google search will bring you to lots of information about scholarships for K-12 schools and colleges, both generally and specifically for military kids.

With a little bit of financial support, there is so much opportunity for education and success!

Just thinking about what that $5,000 check or even the $1,000 check would do for a military child is incredible. We’re talking books and school supplies. Maybe even a decent chunk of tuition or fees.

Every little bit of financial support truly helps!

Enter for Your Chance to Win!

Throughout April, in honor of the Month of the Military Child, Nabisco and Coca-Cola are offering the chance to win one of five $1,000 checks or the grand prize, a $5,000 check, to help support your military child’s education.

To enter, please text PURPLE to 89884* for a chance to win up to $5,000 for your child’s education! You can also enter online at www.NabiscoMilitaryMonth.com.

This scholarship is 100% limited to military families.

Supporting Month of the Military Child

April is the Month of Military Child, honoring the support, service and sacrifices of our military connected kids. All month long, please Purple Up to show your support of military kids!

Nabisco & Coca-Cola are proud sponsors of the Month of the Military Child!

All month, look for Purple Up events at a military base near you! From major supporters, like Nabisco and Coca-Cola, to national supporters, like DoDEA, or local events, military kids are being celebrated and supported all month long.

Supporting military kids and their education is important. Having Nabisco and Coca-Cola on-board and showing their belief in education for military children is a huge deal!

It’s not just major businesses or organizations that can act to support military kids. Anyone can help military kids find support, resources and success. All it takes is just a little bit of action or one click to start making big changes for our littlest warriors!

You can show your support by:

  • Celebrating the military child in your life
  • Wearing purple, even just a small pin or scarf
  • Sharing Month of the Military Child or Purple Up posts and articles on social media
  • Donating to military child-specific non-profits and causes
  • Volunteering to help military kids on base, at school or through non-profits
  • Advocating for support for military kids at K-12 schools and colleges

This April, help support your military child’s education and future with a cool scholarship opportunity! And share Nabisco and Coca-Cola’s scholarship content with other military families.

How does your family support your military child at school? What do you do for Month of the Military Child?

*NO PURCHASE OR TEXT NECESSARY TO ENTER THE NABISCO MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD SWEEPSTAKES.  Making a purchase or sending a text will not increase your chances of winning. Sweepstakes starts 12:00 am ET on 4/1/19 and ends 11:59 pm ET on 4/30/19.  Open to residents of the 50 U.S. (& D.C.) and active duty U.S. military personnel and their families, stationed within U.S. or abroad, 18 and older. Enter online at www.NabiscoMilitaryMonth.com.  See Official Rules for free alternate method of entry. 1 Grand Prize: $5,000. 5 First Prizes: $1,000.  Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received during sweepstakes period. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Mondelēz Global, LLC, East Hanover, NJ 07936.

Re: text messages. Std. msg. & data rates may apply. Text STOP to end. Text HELP for info. If you enter via text-messaging, you will receive 1 text message in response from an automated system; winners will receive 1 additional text message. Consent is not required to buy goods and services. To view the Sponsor’s Mobile Privacy Policy, http://bit.ly/2lt3IBr. To view Administrator’s Mobile Terms and Conditions, http://bit.ly/2g6zTZa.

Scholarships for Military Children Entries Due Soon

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NEWS RELEASE

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:         06-19                                                                                                                        

Date:                              January 25, 2019

Media Contact:             Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                                (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                           kevin.robinson@deca.mil

Application deadline Feb. 15

Scholarships for Military Children entries due soon

By Mike Perron,

DeCA public affairs specialist

Note: To watch a video on DeCA’s YouTube page related to Scholarships for Military Children, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJrphCfYBY

FORT LEE, Va. – Students should be finishing up their preparations to apply for one of the 500 available $2000 Fisher House Foundation Scholarships for Military Children, as the deadline is approaching. Applications are being accepted through Friday, Feb. 15.

The Scholarships for Military Children Program was created in 2001 to recognize the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force, and to celebrate the role of the commissary in the military family community. The program is administered by Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to service members and their families.

This year is the first in which the entire application process is online, said Jim Weiskopf, Fisher House vice president. “We are excited with the initial results from the online application process. We can track, in real time, the number of applications started and completed at each commissary.  We are on target for another highly competitive selection year.”

Eligibility for the program is determined using the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System database. Applicants should ensure that they, as well as their sponsor, are enrolled in the DEERS database and have a current military dependent ID card. The applicant must also be planning to attend or already be attending an accredited college or university, full time, in the fall of 2019 or be enrolled in a program of studies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program.

Applicants who are awarded a full scholarship to attend a college or university or receive an appointment to one of the military academies or affiliated preparatory schools are not eligible to receive funds from this program. A full scholarship is usually defined as one that provides for payment of tuition, books, lab fees and other expenses.

Among requirements of the application process is providing a short essay. This year’s request is military lifestyle-related: “Please cite two examples of how being a child of a military service member has influenced your educational goals.”

All rules and requirements for the program, as well as links to frequently asked questions and the application are available at MilitaryScholar.org.

Fisher House also recently added a custom scholarship search engine to the site, tailored to military families, called “Scholarships for Service.” It’s free, easy to use, and available on mobile devices or computers at militaryscholar.org.

Students enter brief background information and educational goals and the search tool will identify military-affiliated scholarships they may be eligible for based on their input. Once the search is complete, students receive a list of scholarships with a summary of eligibility requirements, points of contact and links to the scholarship provider’s website. Students can elect to have a PDF file of the results immediately emailed to them for use in selecting which scholarships to apply for.

The Scholarships for Military Children program is managed by Scholarship Managers, a national, nonprofit organization. If students have questions about the scholarship program application, they should call Scholarship Managers at 856-616-9311 or email them to militaryscholar@scholarshipmanagers.com.

No government funds are used to support the Scholarships for Military Children Program. Commissary vendors, manufacturers, brokers, suppliers and the general public donate money to fund the program.

-DeCA-

Make 2019 the Year to Get Your Degree

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How Can Military Spouses Find the Money For It?

By Marguerite Cleveland

So you’ve decided you want to go back to school, now what? A great place to start is Military One Source Spouse Education and Career Opportunities. This website is a wealth of information to get you on track. Get information on finding the perfect career for you. Learn about the education requirements for the career you are interested in. Are you ready for employment and how to find out? Also learn about career connections that can help you land your dream job. You may find you don’t need a four year degree to pursue your dream. For example the local community college near where I live offers a computer certificate and graduates can expect jobs with median salaries of $60K and with the 2 year degree a median salary of $80K. So it is important to do your research.

Visit your Installation Education Center and find out what programs are available to you. Many installations have classes offered right on the base from a variety of colleges. If you find yourself stationed OCONUS this is a good way to continue your education. The centers also serve as testing centers for a variety of professional tests and certifications as well as college tests such as CLEP and the SATs.

If you are a junior military spouse you are eligible for the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account Scholarship or MYCAA. This program helps you to pursue a license, certificate, certifications or an associate degree to help you get the education you need for a portable career. One that can move with you when you PCS around the globe. You can receive up to $2000 a year and a total of $4000. You can use your scholarship at any institution approved for participation in the program.  For more information call Military One Source at 800.342.9647, Operators are available 24/7 but the career counselors are available M-F 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST and Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also find out more about the program at www.militaryonesource.mil.

There are a variety of scholarships available to military spouses. Many military spouse clubs offer scholarships to military spouses. I know one base that offered a $15K and a $10K scholarship to a military spouse and only had five spouses apply that year!  The amounts were not disseminated a head of time as they never know how much money they will raise.  Many military organizations and unit associations offer scholarships. A quick GOOGLE search will give you tons of options like the Thanks USA Scholarship that provides up to $3,000 in funds for school or the National Military Family Association which offers a variety of military spouse scholarships. Also many scholarship search engines will let you filter by military.

There are so many opportunities now for going to school. I managed to cobble my four year degree together with a combination of tests, traditional classes, credit for military experience and since there was no internet at the time, a video course.  Today you can go to school online which is great with frequent moves, but you have to be disciplined to complete a program this way. You can also do a mixture of live classes and online courses, look at what fits your needs. Also don’t just lock into college as the only source of education. Consider technical schools, apprenticeships, internships or vocational schools. Some unions even offer courses to learn a trade. The key is to know yourself and what is going to be a good fit for you.  What are your educational goals? Post in the comments below.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.WanderWordsWine.com

Connecting Veterans to Schools

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Every veteran has a story to tell. And our children need to hear those stories. This November, it’s important that we work on connecting veterans to schools so that our future generations know and understand the meaning of selfless service.

There are easy ways to bring stories of military service into our schools this month and throughout the school year.

Connecting Veterans to Schools

Bringing veterans and their stories into schools is just missing two key components: action and cooperation.

It’s important that teachers and schools take action to bring Veteran’s Day programming into their classrooms and schools. Worksheets and coloring pages are great, but learning about veterans is more meaningful when children can hear the stories first hand.

Local veteran’s organizations and military units can reach out to local schools, offering to send in guest speakers or provide learning opportunities. Taking this first step can lead to an ongoing relationship with schools, bridging that military/civilian divide!

How Military Units and Veteran’s Groups Can Connect with Schools

Military units — active duty, reserve or National Guard — are relatively stable even though the actual personnel might change over time. All it takes is just one person or unit reaching out to a teacher or school to build a relationship.

First, talk to your unit, base, or regional public affairs office. They will have guidance about how to connect with non-military organizations. There might already be relationships in place that you could draw on while setting up a Veteran’s Day program.

Next, contact area school districts, individuals schools, or use a personal connection at a school. Ask if the school is open to guest speakers from your base or command. Explain that your team will be sharing age-appropriate stories about military service and why they’ve chosen to serve.

Every military base should also have a School Liaison Officer (SLO). This individual, or office, should already have developed connections with on-base and local public schools. Talk with the SLO to find out the best people to talk to at the school(s). Or work together to build a Veteran’s Day program for schools.

How Schools and Teachers Can Connect with Military Veterans

It just takes one teacher with an initiative to build a great Veteran’s Day Program!

First, check with your school’s administration to learn the process to bring guest speakers to your classroom. You can also reach out to colleagues. Gauge their interest in participating in this program.

Then, connect with local military bases, units, and veteran’s groups. Try:

Outline what you are looking for, the ages this presentation would be reaching, and several ideal dates and times.

Once you have speakers on board and the go-ahead from your school leadership, set up the Veteran’s Day schedule! Make sure to include supporting activities and resources for teachers to use in their individual classrooms, too.

Get help building your own Veteran’s Day program with resources from the History Channel’s Take a Veteran to School Program.

Veteran’s Day Resources to Use in School and at Home

There are great ways to build connections to Veteran’s Day at your school or at home even if you can’t get an in-person speaker.

One great starter activity is to read an age-appropriate book with your child or students. Operation We Are Here has an excellent list of children’s picture books. The Cincinnati Library goes beyond picture books with recommendations for Veteran’s Day books from early readers to adults.

Next, you might consider reading “In Flanders Fields,” a famous poem about World War I by John McCrae. It has become connected with Veteran’s Day. Older students can dive deeper into the meaning of this poem, examining the history and symbolism behind the words. Younger children can listen to the poem and share their feelings or impressions. Another idea, for all ages, is to create art inspired by “In Flanders Fields.”

The National Education Association and the Georgia 4H program both have complete lesson plans available to teachers.

The NEA features several Veteran’s Day lesson plans aimed at elementary, middle, and high school students. Teachers, and parents or homeschooling families, can access individual lesson plans. Each lesson plan comes with directions, linked resources, and supplementary materials.

Georgia’s program has a complete packet that includes Veteran’s Day resources for teachers and students. It’s aimed at elementary and middle school students, but can be leveled up for older children. The entire document is printable. Parents could even print out just the pages they need. Or download this as a PDF ebook for on-the-go use on a tablet.

Whether you’re hosting guest speakers or DIYing an in-class lesson, it’s super important to share our veterans’ stories.

How will your local schools be celebrating Veteran’s Day this year? We’d love to hear your stories!

Advance Your Career by Earning Your Degree Online with Cal U

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the California University of Pennsylvania. All opinions are 100% mine.

Veterans and military spouses know how to get things done. And oftentimes they get things done without the guidance of a supervisor.

But this internal drive to cross items off a to-do list or to accomplish personal goals is difficult to convey on a job application.

It’s hard to explain that even though you don’t have a college degree, you can definitely do that job. You know you can do it because you’re already doing these tasks in your current workplace. But you aren’t getting paid for them because you don’t have a college degree.

Frustrating, right?

The California University of Pennsylvania understands this frustration. That’s why they are working on ways to reduce this frustration by offering online degrees to veterans and military spouses.

Advance Your Career by Earning Your Degree Online with Cal U

Cal U offers veterans and military spouses a career-focused education with more than 100 undergraduate degrees, 50 professional and graduate programs and more than 75 fully online.

One of Cal U’s most popular online programs for veterans and military spouses is its master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion. The program provides a way for military spouses and veterans to turn their passion for a health lifestyle into a career.

Did you know that a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion from the California University of Pennsylvania has a 98% placement rate?

Are you curious about Cal U’s exercise science and health promotion program? Here are the top three frequently asked questions about this 100% online program.

Should I quit my full-time job to earn my college degree?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: You shouldn’t have to choose between a paycheck and a college degree. But many within our military community do.

We’ve all seen the service member who decides to wait to start college until after he separates from the military. We’ve seen the military spouse who says she’ll go back to school once her children are grown and gone. We’ve seen the military spouse who needs that advanced degree to move into a management position, but she feels like she has to choose between school and work.

With the online program at Cal U, you can have both. You can work full-time during the day and be enrolled in college classes in the evening.

Cal U officials told us that many Cal U students take classes while on active duty. Cal U’s 100% online program provides a flexible higher education option for those who think they don’t have the time or the money to earn an advanced degree.

What happens to my enrollment at Cal U if we get PCS orders?

Short answer: Nothing.

Long answer: Cal U cares about you, not your ZIP code.

Cal U students are enrolled in online courses from all 50 states and from more than 20 countries.

As an online student, you will be fully engaged with your professors and peers through Cal U’s interactive approach to higher education. Cal U was the first college to launch a 100% online master’s degree in exercise science.

Another point to consider is that depending on when you start the exercise science program at Cal U, you may be able to complete it before you pack your bags for your next duty station.

Cal U’s master’s degree program, which includes professional certification recognized by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, can be completed in 12 to 18 months.

My military life is unpredictable. Will Cal U professors get that? 

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: You are among friends at Cal U. Nearly 200 veterans and military dependents are currently attending classes at Cal U’s campus in California, Pa. More than 500 are taking courses online.

The California University of Pennsylvania Office of Military and Veterans Affairs offers free comprehensive support for veterans, eligible dependents, service members of the National Guard and Reserve and active duty service members. They also help veterans maximize their GI Bill benefits with tuition discounts.

Pro-tip: Cal U is a MyCAA eligible university. Military spouses should check to see if they qualify for MyCAA before enrolling at Cal U.

The Cal U Global Online program provides discounted tuition costs for active duty members and veterans of all military branches, as well as their spouses and eligible dependents. You can find out more information about this program at its Cal U Global Online website.

U.S. News & World Report listed Cal U Global Online bachelor’s programs among the nation’s best for veterans in 2017.

Cal U is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC) consortium of schools, the National Association of Veterans Program Administrators and the Pennsylvania State System Veterans Advisory Network.

They are ready to offer veterans and military spouses the flexibility and support to earn a college degree. Connect with them today!

For more information about earning a degree in exercise science and health promotions with Cal U, click here.

Why You Should Consider Attending a Yellow Ribbon School

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Ahhhh, college. New experiences, exciting challenges, and mountains of student debt. A college education is becoming increasingly expensive. If there’s a chance to cut costs, you should jump on it!

All of this makes Yellow Ribbons schools a great choice for military-connected students.

The Yellow Ribbon program offers the opportunity to decrease your out-of-pocket costs for earning a college degree. It’s a pretty sweet deal.

Why You Should Consider Attending a Yellow Ribbon School

The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers outstanding educational opportunities to military-connected college students. For qualifying beneficiaries, GI Bill benefits provide funds to cover the resident tuition and fees at public colleges.

If you’re going to be attending a private college or enrolling as a nonresident at a public university, there might be a gap between the GI Bill and the bottom line. That could leave you footing the difference. An education at a private or out-of-state college is definitely not cheap!

This is where the Yellow Ribbon Program comes in.

At select schools, there is a fund-matching program available to help reduce the total tuition costs.

Yellow Ribbon 101

Students at private schools or attending as an out-of-state resident, are entitled to the lesser value of their school’s tuition and fees or the national maximum funding for an academic year.

To help GI Bill beneficiaries cover a difference between their entitlement and their tuition, schools may elect to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. This is a voluntary program that does not impact your GI Bill entitlement or funds.

Participating schools select how much of their tuition and fees they are willing to cover. Then the VA will match those funds, and send that payment directly to the school. Both sets of funds are then applied to the final bill.

In order to qualify, students must meet specific criteria.

Only 100% GI Bill qualified veterans and/or their designated beneficiaries are eligible. Yellow Ribbon Program funds are not available to active duty service members or their spouses. However, the children of active duty service members may be eligible if their parent is qualified at the 100% level.

The percentage of eligibility is determined by the service member’s service record. To reach the 100% qualification level, and be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program, troops must serve at least 36 months on active duty or have served for at least 30 consecutive days before being honorably discharged for a service-related disability.

Yellow Ribbon Fine Print

The Yellow Ribbon Program sounds ideal! Extra money straight from the school and matching funds from the VA. What could be better?

However, there are some caveats.

First, veterans and their designated beneficiaries must qualify for full GI Bill benefits, based on the veteran’s service record. Not all veterans will qualify for 100% GI Bill funding. This is required to be eligible for any Yellow Ribbon Program.

Next, your selected school has to opt-in to the Yellow Ribbon Program. This is a voluntary opportunity, and not all public or private schools elect to participate.

Each school decides their own level of funding and the number of awards available in an academic year. This means that even if your school is part of the program, all funds for this year might have been awarded. You will still be able to apply your GI Bill, but there will not be Yellow Ribbon funds from the school applied to your bill.

Each year, a list of participating schools is released by the VA. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Award amounts may vary based on enrollment status and level.

In order to qualify, you must first apply to a Yellow Ribbon school and identify that you are eligible per the GI Bill qualifications.

Receiving Yellow Ribbon funds this year does not guarantee that your school will participate in the future or that they will contribute funding at the same level. However, your school should notify you of changes or if they are leaving the program.

If you do qualify for and receive Yellow Ribbon funding, this is a good program to help make higher education more affordable

Did you participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program when you earned your college degree? What was your experience with this program?

Invest in Your Career with an Affordable Master’s Degree

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the California University of Pennsylvania. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you want a degree with a 98% job placement rate?

Did you know that a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion from the California University of Pennsylvania has a 98% placement rate?

Veterans and military spouses can invest in their careers with an affordable online Master of Science in exercise science and health promotion from the California University of Pennsylvania. Cal U’s 100% online program provides a flexible higher ed option for those who think they don’t have the time or the money to earn an advanced degree.

Through this online master’s program, you can be enrolled as a graduate student while working full time.

You don’t have to choose between attending college classes and earning a paycheck.

You can study at a historic state university from the comforts of your home with your high-speed internet connection.

Cal U students are enrolled in online courses from all 50 states and from more than 20 countries, and university officials point out that many students enroll while on active duty with the military.

Did you know that Cal U was the first college to launch a 100% online master’s degree program in exercise science?

Through their interactive approach to online curriculum, Cal U students can engage fully with their professors and classmates. You won’t feel like you’re missing out because you’re logging into class from a laptop instead of sitting in a lecture hall.

Invest for Less Time, Less Money

Veterans and military spouses can earn an online master’s degree in less than 2 years and without staggering student debt.

Cal U’s master’s degree program, which includes professional certification recognized by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, can be completed in 12 to 18 months. With this streamlined approach to grad school, you can earn your master’s degree before you move to your new duty station.

The California University of Pennsylvania Office of Military and Veterans Affairs offers comprehensive support for veterans, eligible dependents, service members of the National Guard and Reserve, and active duty service members. They help veterans maximize their GI Bill benefits.

Cal U also offers discounted tuition costs for active duty members and veterans of all military branches, as well as their spouses and eligible dependents. You can find out more information about this program at its Cal U Global Online website.

Invest in a Career That Leads to Employment Opportunities

A master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion offers veterans and military spouses an investment in employment opportunities. Cal U graduates are leaders in fitness, athletics, health and wellness at companies throughout the country.

I’m amazed by the variety of jobs that you can do with a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotions.

You can work at a hospital, at a fitness company, at a health care company or with a professional sports team.

You can teach at a community college or for an online certification program.

You can work for the Department of Defense or you can be an entrepreneur.

Earning a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotions is the first step to a dynamic career.

In today’s economy, everyone is searching for an in-demand job that will give them the flexibility to work in any location around the country. Everyone hopes for a job with a competitive salary. Everyone wants to feel satisfaction at their job. Everyone wants to feel like they are contributing to their community and helping those in their community.

At least that’s what I want for my career. I also want to be in a career field with 98% placement.

Do you?

Invest in your career today by earning a Master of Science’s degree with Cal U. Click here to learn more about the California University of Pennsylvania.

Turn Your Passion for a Healthy Lifestyle into a Portable Career

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the California University of Pennsylvania. All opinions are 100% mine.

Military spouses desire portable careers with flexible work schedules. These men and women, many of whom are veterans themselves, understand that the careers they picked when they were 22 years old may not be compatible with the military lifestyle.

But just because their first choice for a career isn’t going to work doesn’t mean they want to give up on having a career completely.

Many military spouses have a passion for healthy living. They exercise 5 days a week at their on-post fitness center. They search the commissary for affordable healthy meal options for their families.

Let’s be frank: military spouses and veterans tend be gym rats.

Why not take your passion for eating healthy and exercising and turn it into a portable career?

Military spouses and service members can earn a bachelor’s degree in health and wellness or a master’s degree in exercise science through a 100% online program at the military-friendly California University of Pennsylvania. This affordable option, thanks to the university’s military tuition program, offers a pathway to new professional opportunities for military spouses.

The master’s degree program includes professional certification and can be completed in 12 to 18 months.

The California University of Pennsylvania Office of Military and Veterans Affairs offers comprehensive support for veterans, eligible dependents, service members of the National Guard and Reserve, and active duty service members.

Here are 3 reasons why military spouses and service members should consider earning an exercise science degree with the California University of Pennsylvania.

You can earn your bachelor’s degree from your house anywhere around the world. Cal U offers virtual classes that are 100% online. Online classes are a great option for military spouses and veterans.

With online classes you can complete your coursework uninterrupted while moving from one military base to another. You don’t have to worry about enrolling in a new university and hoping your credits transfer.

As long as you have a high-speed Internet connection and a modern computer, you have the flexibility to take online class anytime and anywhere. You can schedule your college classes around the demands of your daily life.

Online classes are a benefit for service members who want to earn a college degree while they are still on active duty. I know several sailors who earned a wellness and fitness degree and work as personal trainers on their nights and weekends. With this degree, they earn extra income doing a job they love during their free time.

Also, a degree in exercise science may be the first step in owning your own fitness center when you transition out of military service.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for athletic trainers was $41,600 in 2010, and demand in the field is expected to grow by 30% through 2020.

Earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree from Cal U is an affordable option for service members and their spouses. The Cal U Global Online programs provide discounted tuition costs for active duty members and veterans of all military branches, as well as their spouses and eligible dependents.

Their Military Tuition Discount Program is a reason to consider enrolling at Cal U.

The average student in the Class of 2016 has $37,172 in student loan debt. My husband and I carried a lot of student loan debt into our marriage. It wasn’t easy, but we finally paid off our student loans after 5 years.

Nobody wants to have student loan debt. While Cal U’s military tuition discount program doesn’t mean that you will attend college for free, it does mean that you don’t have to graduate with the burden of hefty student loan debt. By enrolling as online student, you won’t pay fees for on-campus services you don’t use.

The staff at Cal U are also ready and willing to help veterans understand how to maximize their military education benefits including the GI Bill.

Did you take a semester of college prior to enlisting? No problem. The Cal U staff will help you transfer those credits to your new program.

Pro-tip: Cal U is a MyCAA eligible university. Military spouses should check to see if they qualify for MyCAA when enrolling at Cal U.

Cal U is the leader in the study of exercise science. Cal U was the first college to launch a 100% online master’s degree program in exercise science. This curriculum was designed for online students to help them achieve their education goals. This online program allows students to interact fully with professors and classmates and form a network of professional peers.

The university partners with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) for the latest industry-focused program in fitness, health and exercise science. Plus, its students earn industry recognized certification through NASM through the program.

Join forces with Cal U and earn your degree in wellness, fitness or exercise science today. Click here to learn more about the California University of Pennsylvania.

5 Ways to Gain Professional Skills Without Going Back to College

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I’ll admit it, there was a time when I wanted to be a famous actress. I wanted to devour a screenplay and give my own personal flair to the leading character.

I also wanted to be an innkeeper.

And a baker.

And a wedding planner.

Oh, and of course, a famous author.

While I haven’t quite been able to add all of those things to my resume, I have managed to stay gainfully employed over the last 20 years despite moving every few years. Up until recently, I did it without a college degree.

Don’t get me wrong, if you have a chance to get a degree, I highly recommend it, but going back to school isn’t the only way to learn new professional skills and boost a resume.

Here are a few of the ways I built up my skill set.

5 Ways to Gain Professional Skills Without Going Back to College

Free College Classes

This sounds off, right? How does taking free college classes mean not going to college? When those classes are part of an adult learning program, of course.

You can tap into the wealth of knowledge college professors and instructors have to offer by looking into local adult learning classes. Many times the classes are taught in the evenings or on weekends in local high schools or community centers.

Want to learn a new computer skill?

How to select the proper wine for a steak dinner?

Take a quality photograph?

You can learn all of these things and tons more by signing up for one of these courses. Plus, it’s a great way to meet and network with others who have similar interests.

Volunteer

Can I just tell you how many great nonprofit organizations out there would jump for joy to have someone who is willing to learn and is giving of their time? Volunteering is a great way to jump into an organization and learn about how they do things.

I learned a great deal about people management and branding while working for a nonprofit.  Find a cause that speaks to your heart and then look for a way to get involved.

Volunteermatch.org is a fantastic resource and offers both local and online volunteer opportunities.

Lynda.com

If ever there was a paradise for learning software and creative skills, Lynda.com might be it. Want to learn how to use Photoshop? How to create an effective social media campaign? How to create a WordPress site? Lynda.com offers all of these and more.

I love that you can learn on your own time and at your own pace. A subscription is required, but it’s well worth the access to hundreds and hundreds of training videos.

Temporary Positions

There is nothing better than on-the-job training. I worked for several temporary agencies when I was a young military spouse.

Each job did 3 things:

1. Provided a paycheck

2. Gave me real-life experience to add to my resume

3. Taught me something new

The first two are a given if you show up on time. Learn something new required me to pay attention to my surroundings and to ask questions.

If someone needed an extra set of hands or eyes, I was quick to jump in. Exposure to new software and industry practices is another benefit.

Plus, many temporary agencies have training programs. I worked for Robert Half International for a long time and they have a great training network available to their temporary employees. Not only can you take training courses, but then you can test to demonstrate you’ve mastered a new skill.

Internships

Sometimes a good internship can be hard to come by, but with a little work, you can find them. Some are reserved for college students, but there are still plenty more open to everyone.

Some internships pay, many do not.

Like volunteering, internships are a great way to see how successful businesses operate. But unlike volunteering, internships are designed to help you learn.

Even as I’m writing this post, I’m eyeballing an unpaid remote internship opportunity with a literary magazine. It won’t bring in a paycheck, but it will give me a chance to hone a skill I already have and provide another great bullet for my resume.

What professional skills are you looking to add to your resume?