Posted on Nov 16, 2016
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I'm getting ready to finish my second semester of graduate school. After I retired, I cruised through the rest of my undergraduate degree. I couldn't get enough of the pain so I am where I am now. I spent 14 phenomenal years of my life in both the Air Force and Army, saw and did lots of stuff, some cool, some not so much. Suffered through weeks and weeks at a time without showers or hot food, lost a couple of friends and spent time with friends who lost more. Did some great things for others and had the same returned to me, and most of all, forged relationships with some of the most phenomenal people I'll ever know. However, compared to all of that, working on my masters degree has been one of the toughest undertakings of my life. I am succeeding, and I have my service to thank for instilling the discipline required to undertake some of most difficult things a human being can endure, amongst the experience and other qualities I gained doing all of that crazy stuff we all did in full battle rattle that our old, drunk aunt is always amazed by and could "never do".
I'm curious to know what kind of personal/career challenges some of our vets (AKA, Y'ALL) faced or currently deal with post-service that you were able to give credit to your service for helping overcome those challenges?
I'm curious to know what kind of personal/career challenges some of our vets (AKA, Y'ALL) faced or currently deal with post-service that you were able to give credit to your service for helping overcome those challenges?
Graduate School
Service
Civilian Career
Discipline
Education
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 13
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My time in service.. I learned how to always stay more focused but respectful of others. Knowing how others feel and work style allows me to be able to get a mission/goal completed and be able to give bad news when needed.
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Hi, SSG Cook.
I went back to school too after service. I was on the 20-year degree plan; I went to college right after high school because I thought I was supposed to, goofed off for a couple of years, and dropped out. Then i joined the AF and found the motivation and discipline to go back, but then i didn't have the time. Health issues got me med-boarded, and the VA's vocational rehabilitation program picked up my full ride for my bachelors' degree. Then I got squirrelly, and finished my MBA in 2009.
College was a piece of cake compared to the military. Not academically; any test I took in the AF was multiple choice over information I had just seen, and I never wrote a 40-page paper while I was in. It was the mechanistic structure of the military that made it hard. You had to look like everyone else and talk like everyone else and be on time and on target and on mission 24/7. Make no mistake, that's exactly what we all signed up for. But college was no where close to being as stressful.
I know that Masters' is a lot of work. Hang in there, and good luck!
I went back to school too after service. I was on the 20-year degree plan; I went to college right after high school because I thought I was supposed to, goofed off for a couple of years, and dropped out. Then i joined the AF and found the motivation and discipline to go back, but then i didn't have the time. Health issues got me med-boarded, and the VA's vocational rehabilitation program picked up my full ride for my bachelors' degree. Then I got squirrelly, and finished my MBA in 2009.
College was a piece of cake compared to the military. Not academically; any test I took in the AF was multiple choice over information I had just seen, and I never wrote a 40-page paper while I was in. It was the mechanistic structure of the military that made it hard. You had to look like everyone else and talk like everyone else and be on time and on target and on mission 24/7. Make no mistake, that's exactly what we all signed up for. But college was no where close to being as stressful.
I know that Masters' is a lot of work. Hang in there, and good luck!
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The number one skill that I was introduced to in the military is patience. Some people learn this skill early on, not me! The service introduced it to me and I am still learning how to apply this skill in civilian life.
I am trying to finish a graduate degree also. Graduate school is similar to a long distance race. You need to be motivated enough to train yourself at your institution. You need to be patient enough to let your professors teach you in the classroom and on campus. You need to be disciplined enough to endure the process. The process is putting one foot in front of the other, day in and day out, while keeping your eye on accomplishing your objective.
I am trying to finish a graduate degree also. Graduate school is similar to a long distance race. You need to be motivated enough to train yourself at your institution. You need to be patient enough to let your professors teach you in the classroom and on campus. You need to be disciplined enough to endure the process. The process is putting one foot in front of the other, day in and day out, while keeping your eye on accomplishing your objective.
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