Masters in the military

Hi there,

I'm thinking about joining the Navy. I have my four year degree and I was talking with a recruiter about it. Has anyone had trouble working on their masters or bachelor's while in the military? I would like to have the best chance on completing my masters and I'm not really sure if I should apply now or just work a regular job while completing my masters.

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Dieg0M

From my experience in the Canadian military, I would complete my degree working a regular job. In the military, especially if you are in a combat ready deployment unit, you have no control over your working hours. I would be gone deployed 9 months per year all over Canada and other parts of the world. I was required to work sometimes 2-3 days without sleeping. Usually 16-18 hour days when I did get to sleep. Then we would come back and do absolutely nothing for 2-3 weeks preparing for the next exercise and deployment. I found studying for other things then my job almost impossible. Of course, military experience varies per individual. I know some people (usually the sh!t pumps) that would stay at the unit and they never got deployed. They had normal working hours and some even had part-time jobs. You have to understand that even without studying, for most people, the military will be hard.

shodown

it depends on your degree and what assignment you get. On the SHIP most people did online type masters classes, but only took one or two classes at a time. Also factoring in you have to have your shipboard qualifications done as well.

On shore duty I saw one officer get a masters in engineering during his time on shore duty, I also saw a E7 working on his PHD on shore duty, both at ODU university near the naval station. So it all depends on what your goals are.

Codyy

People do it every day, including myself(Army). It's definitely a handful at times, but doable. Make sure the school you go to is military friendly; there is a list that comes out every year that shows all of the military friendly schools. Iinstructors are usually good about working with military on late assignments and such from my experience.

jvrlopez

When I was active duty, I saw individuals get their associates, bachelors, masters and even a captain get a phd. So much for the rumor that people in the military are dumb and can't get into college.

You should be free to take classes on your own time once you've completed all your required training (at least as an enlisted in the Air Force) and then you can take classes.

Some people would only take 1 or 2 at a time given their work loads and tuition assistance will only cover 9 hours at once, IIRC. If you can pay for the classes they don't cover, it's possible to go full time and knock it out faster.

Most went for online classes given the flexibility and ability to attend a school of their choice while stationed far away or deployed.

TechGuru80

Frankly I hear the internet on Navy ships is terrible. Online is probably your best shot but what happens if you go on a 6 month deployment and the internet doesn't really work? You would have a better shot with a normal job since it would be more set in stone.

shodown

Yes Internet on the ships is very slow, but its good enough to upload your homework or email it to whomever its due to. Also a lot of online classes you can get the material ahead of time if your on the ship and a lot of your classmates will be in the military so they can email you things that you may have missed.

When I 1st joined back in the day we had 1 64K line for the entire ship underway. Eventually the ships got SHF radios and the bandwidth went up. Then in 2005 I was on the enterprise working staff and they have a few T1's and a E1. My next ship after that had much more bandwidth, but I cant really talk about it here. So its getting better, but still not gonna be fast as your home connection.

SteveLord

Join a Reserve branch or the Guard. You'll get your education paid for and have plenty of time to be able to complete it compared to being active. You'll also be getting paid to be a full time student. This is a no brainer if you ask me.

Exception being if you need the benefits, pay and security associated with being active. Then go active. Also, do not believe half the things a recruiter tells you. The most common line of crap Guard/Reserve recruiters tell people nowadays is that it's really easy to switch to active. Total bs.

Get the info, then do your research and ask questions here or on military forums.

joeypants05

It is certainly possible to do while in the military. In 4 years enlisted in the Army I went from no college to almost completing my bachelors. What you have to keep in mind is everyone's situation in the military is slightly different so you can't really guarantee that you'll always have the time to do school work and will have to make up for that whenever possible. I'd also recommend looking at joining to become an officer as officers can occasionally get the chance to go to a masters program while active. This is rare but it does happen.

instant000

You shouldn't join the military to get an education. I mean, that can be a benefit of it, but you need to be considering that you're sacrificing years of your life to your country. A benefit could be the education, but you don't want to join for that specific benefit. It's a nice incentive, but don't get it twisted.

Many Masters degree programs are less expensive than bachelors degree programs, and you can readily find them online. You can get employer funded college education, and many contribute 5K a year (in one case, an employer would pay up to the state public school rate).

What topic did you want to study?

If you're using the tuition reimbursement benefit at a job, they sometimes have you agree to remain with the company for a certain period of time after the schooling is completed, or pay the funds back. This really should not be that big of a deal, because, like I said, the Master level schooling can be quite inexpensive (depending on your major/chosen school).

I hope this helps your decision process.

P.S.: You can leave your employer and take another job, no big deal, the worse you have is paying back the reimbursement. "Leaving" the military isn't so simple. Think this over carefully.

P.P.S.: I am not trying to discourage serviing, but I am trying to discourage serving just for that specific benefit. I served myself. When I entered, I was not in school, and I was not working, so I did something useful. If you are working already and building up your career, I do not get the logic of entering the military except you just want to serve your country. You don't plan to stay through retirement, and you're just trying to get the education benefit. It may not be the greatest use of your time. Just think this through carefully.

tombosauce

if you go officer in the navy, depending on which community you go in to, you may be required to get a masters (on the navy's dime most of the time). in my community, i'll be required to have a technical masters in order to promote past O4. trying to go to school while on the ship is incredibly difficult. if you're single, you might be able to swing a class or two during the whole tour, but that's sacrificing the very small amount of free time you'll have. it's not the same on all ships, but on mine, we blocked streaming video because there is very little bandwidth available. that makes online classes hard.

if you're interested in joining the navy as an officer, send me a message, and i'll try and answer any questions you might have.

BGraves

Airforce Reserves as an officer in Intel/IT is probably a good thing to check in to if you want to get some Education benefit while getting some work experience. Military is not for everyone though, keep that in mind. If you are seriously considering this route, I fully suggest starting some sort of exercise/weight lifting plan. I believe the Air Force has some requirements before they would consider you, best to find out from actual Airforce members. Fully suggest not pursuing the Navy, huge cutbacks in the last 10 years to funnel $ towards the Army/Marines/AF for the war, along with I can't recommend anyone live on a floating prison if they don't have to.

I love the Navy, but really, go AF.

jamesleecoleman

Thanks for the input everyone!
I would like to get into Cyber Warfare, IT or Special Operations, I'm working on my masters at WGU now and I know the deployments would be tough while I'm trying to complete my masters. I'll go back to looking into the reserves.

I've wanted to join ever since high school. I don't care about the money or benefits. I would like to try to make a difference for the US and possibly around the world. I've had a couple failed attempts when I tried to join the Army and Army National Guard. I don't know why though.

NovaHax

There are a LOT of military friendly universities that have very flexible online programs for military. And in the case that you do deploy to a location where internet is inaccessible...they will put your education on hold at no expense to you. I completed my entire Bachelors while in Active Duty military. If that's what you want to do...I say go for it!!!

instant000

jamesleecoleman wrote: »

Thanks for the input everyone!
I would like to get into Cyber Warfare, IT or Special Operations,

These are all "somewhat" related, if you said that you wanted to be the communications guy for Special Ops.

I've wanted to join ever since high school. I don't care about the money or benefits.

OK. Now I understand what you originally meant. I encourage you to serve if you want to.

I've had a couple failed attempts when I tried to join the Army and Army National Guard. I don't know why though.

If you meet height/weight and fitness standards, as well as score well on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery - basically a job skillls test), it could just be due to lack of slots in the occupational specialty that you are trying to enter. Are you trying to enter as an officer?

Make sure that you utilize this program:

https://www.armypays.com/INDEX.html

I hadn't heard of it when I was in. It guarantees an interview opportunity (not a job).

If you didn't select this option during MEPS (military entrance processing station), then you can try this one:

https://h2h.jobs/

Hrm ...

I was just looking over the warrant MOSes (MOS = Military Occupational Specialty). Electronic Warfare Technician 290A or maybe another of the signal warrants sound pretty fun! (No, I don't plan on signing up anytime soon, my wife wouldn't like that. Also, it would definitely be a lifestyle change.)

If you need any advice about the army, the secret is this:
Right Place, Right Time, Right Uniform, and Right Equipment!

Oh yeah, and this: Get used to running now, if you are not.

If you can do your job, ace PT (physical training), and avoid being a jerk, you can go far. (Don't be the type to hold in the jerkiness until you're promoted over someone else and then let it out. Maintenance of military bearing apples to all ranks!)

Hope this helps!

P.S.: Get used to acronyms!

SteveLord

How have you had "failed" attempts at joining? Please elaborate. There is a reason. Did you give up on the idea or did you get disqualified?

stryder144

One of my friends, an Air Traffic Controller, has attained her Masters and is now working on a Ph.D. She deploys often, works shifts, etc. So, it can be done. In four to six years? Maybe. It all depends on the job you get and ops tempo of your unit. Generally speaking, though, it is highly attainable unless you have excuses (like I did...).

Cheers

CCNTrainee

Everyone has chances to get their degree while serving, even Marine Grunts have time and the chance to do a program. With that said, like everyone else is saying, EVERYONE's experience will always be different since everything in the military is luck of the draw when first join. I would recommend going in the Reserves/Guard side since you will have much more control and flexibility with what you want to do and get to choose where you want to go. Since you do have a degree, I would suggest the officer route as well thou there would be a greater chance you will be a Manager then do anything that is rather technical and hands on. The Cyber Warfare side is still a "newer" job in the Service at least in the AF and Army world, still being built up and now quite mainstream yet.

I am assuming that you are in really great shape to be considering Spec Ops, if you are looking to do Comm/IT in a SF environment then you should look into joining JCU(Joint Comm Unit). Thou you probably won't be able to get into the Unit on a first term contract and not to mention they are a strictly Active Duty. You can also look to joining JCSE (Joint Comm Support Element) since they do have reserve units but most of their Servicemembers have to be an E-5 to apply, they don't operate in a Spec Ops command but they do high speed assignments and can "deploy" Anywhere in less then 72 hours.

To answer your original question, you will always have a chance to do your degree but depending on what you do and where you go will depend on how long it will take to complete your degree. You are giving your life up for 4 to 6 years not like there is going to be a rush to complete in that time, but since you are considering Reserves you will have nothing but time when you are a civilian again after doing your initial service training.