Posted on Nov 5, 2013
SSG Zachery Mitchell
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If you are a junior service member or NCO with a college degree, do you feel that you should be paid more than a service member that does not have a degree? If so, should you get paid more for a bachelors than if you have an associates? Should you not get paid for an associates at all? What's everyone's thoughts?
Posted in these groups: American flag soldiers SoldiersImages 20 NCOs
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Responses: 24
CSM Mike Maynard
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<div>They don't pay officers differently based on Bachelors, Masters, etc.</div><div><br></div><div>Soldiers receive Tuition Assistance to go to college - they are already getting paid to attend college.</div><div><br></div><div>Additionally, they receive promotion points for college education which gets them promoted faster which equals getting paid for attending college.</div><div><br></div><div>Seems like there are plenty of incentives and good reasons (better communication skills, better management/leadership skills, etc) to attend college.</div><div><br></div>
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LTC Engineer Officer
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>1 y
You summed my opinion up very well, CSM Maynard. &nbsp;There are excellent incentives for getting a degree as a Soldier. &nbsp;More important, though, are the intangibles you gain from your studies: a broader understanding of a variety of topics, communication skills, an appreciation for different fields, and the relationships you develop with your fellow students who inevitably come from different backgrounds.
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CW3(P) Network Defense Tech
CW3(P) (Join to see)
>1 y
Enough said here. Well put.
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SFC Psd
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>1 y
<p>I agree 100% I would not be where I am today with out my degrees. I have soldier's who are complaining every month how come I'm not making the cut off list? My response every month is no college = no promotion points. In some MOS you can be maxed on Military Ed. Awards, PT, Weapons, and deployments., but if you don't have civilian ED you will not make the list. </p><p>&nbsp;</p>
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MSgt Joanna Clute
MSgt Joanna Clute
9 y
Well said, but the Air Force does not award promotion points for taking classes. The Army definitely has the right idea on that and I would like to see that happen for our Airmen. I have definitely seen a change as to how motivated the newer airmen are to take classes. Some of them even have degrees already. These are the people we should be promoting.
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SSG Lisa Rendina
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I agree that having a degree makes you no better a leader or a Soldier than someone who does not have a degree.   But, let's not kid ourselves in terms of opening doors for promotion.  It's been a while since I needed to look at points, but when I was going through points-based promotions my Bachelors earned me the same number of promotion points as any other Soldier with 60 random credit hours.  I subsequently went on and completed my Masters while in service.  Did that advanced degree earn me a promotion, no.  Did it earn me a pay raise, no.  I needed to be promoted before another pay raise and my particular MOS provides very few sequence numbers and eventual pins.  I didn't pursue my Masters for the Army, I stuck with it through PCS moves and deployment for myself, but I am not convinced the Army truly values continued education. 
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SGT Orderly Room Ncoic
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I agree with CSM Maynard. &nbsp;The college education was for me. &nbsp;I didn't do it for more pay, I did it to better myself and stand out among my peer group. &nbsp;It doesn't change the work I do as an enlisted member, therefore there's no reason I should be paid more for doing the same work.&nbsp;
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CMC Robert Young
CMC Robert Young
>1 y
SPC, I have a similar thought. T/A paid for my first master's degree  but it wasn't for anybody other than me. It's great to have, but it doesn't change who or what I am or do.
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