Do you have more children then your GI Bill transfer can fund or maybe want to use it for yourself or your spouse? The Army/Air Guard and Military Reserves can be a great job for your high school senior and help to fund a debt free education.
Active Duty is not the only way to go for military education benefits. The Reserves and National Guard offer a variety of educational benefits that make this a great option for any student but especially average students who may not qualify for any scholarships. Here are some opportunities:
- One Weekend a Month – Do a drill weekend and pick up some extra cash. Enlistments also included access to the commissary, Exchange, and everything MWR offers.
- As a member of the National Guard or Reserves you have access to health care with a low monthly fee.
- Tuition Assistance – Currently you receive 100 percent which is up to $250 per semester hour. You can take up to 18 semester hours for a total of $4,500 per year.
- The Air Force has its own Community College of the Air Force which helps you turn your military education into a degree.
- Many career fields in the military can lead to college credit. Most schools will give you up to four hours in Physical Education credits for boot camp.
- Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Degree Network System (SOC DNS) – This is a great program which allows you to establish a “home college” which will grant the degree. You must take 25% of your degree credits through the “home college”. The rest of your degree can come from transfer credit from other colleges, military experience and through testing like the CLEP tests.
- CLEP tests – These usually cost $89 each but you can take at the education center for free. This is a great way to earn college credit.
- The Montgomery GI Bill Select Reserve (MGIB-SR) and Post-9/11 GI Bill maybe options available to you and provide money for education.
- Student Loan Repayment – Some fields offer this bonus which helps to pay off your student loans.
- Bonus – Some fields offer bonuses up to $20,000.
- If you join the Army or Air National Guard, check the state that you live in for more benefits. Many states offer free tuition for members of the Guard.
- You can check with a recruiter if your child is really interested and wants to start as soon as possible. There is a Split Option program which allows a Junior in High School to go to Basic Training the summer between their junior and senior year. Once completed they will participate in monthly drills and then complete their training the following summer.
These are all huge educational benefits which can go a long way to paying for a college education. I think military training also helps with maturity level as well and can lead to a more positive outcome when attending college. What ways have you come up with to help your child pay for college.
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.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com
