Posted on Sep 20, 2018
Can my command tell me my college school work isn't important?
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So, My command team tells me that if they need me too, I must stay extra long hours to work. But in doing so, My school work is suffering. I know I read somewhere that the army places great emphasis on those in college and that my command is required to give me more than enough time to do the work. Is this true, and if so, where can I find a regulation or SOP for it to give to my command team.
College
Command
Policy
Army Regulations
Operations NCO
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 64
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It’s based off of mission requirements. Yes college is important, however no command is going to allow you to sit around doing college course if there are due outs. Operations is extremely busy, are you tracking and have turned in all personnel actions? Is anything delinquent? Have you asked for an expected battle rythm checklist that’s expected of you daily? Lastly, depending on the OPTEMPO of your position, some are never in a position to do college during “normal” business hours. I would talk to your retention NCO and see if you can reenlist for college.
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SFC Dennis Aalid
I have been retired for 27 + years, but from 1971-1991 I was able to obtain years of college credit towards a BS Degree on my own time. Keep in mind I was a HR Supervisor with 25-125 soldiers to supervise and care for! Thus I had very little time to do college work. This is how it has been for many, many years, and should always be so. Again, my mission 1st, my soldiers 2d and myself last, ALWAYS!!
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SPC Chris Ison
you guys missed the extra long hours part. That, to me, is "overtime" i.e. staying after 5 in the afternoon, for a day shift. What he, and you, missed is that the Military doesn't have to give you personal time.
Maybe what he should be focusing on is getting his work done sooner, and learnt o manage his time.
Maybe what he should be focusing on is getting his work done sooner, and learnt o manage his time.
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They can say anything they want yes. They can tell you that your college isn't important - yes. There is no regulation against that.
No your command is not required to give you time to do college.
Also you're in the Reserves...how do you not have enough time to do college? If you're not AGR then you have no excuse but yourself that you can't get your college work done.
"In addition to taking courses off duty, each of the services has programs which allow some enlisted to remain on active duty and attend college full-time, receiving full pay and allowances. Some of these programs lead to a commission as an officer, some do not. Most require that you commit yourself for a longer hitch in the military. Most require that you obtain some college (usually two or three years) on your own, first, and all of these programs are extremely competitive. There are many more applicants for these programs than there are available slots each year."
That's all I could find about where college would be primary duty but I don't know if the Army has those programs. I know when I first came in I recall someone who reenlisted for some program and their primary location was college for months or a year? I can't remember. I don't know if that still exists for enlisted. I think officers have an option to get three years to get a degree but are still active duty and getting active duty pay.
There is no regulation that says your commander has to give you time to conduct college courses.
No your command is not required to give you time to do college.
Also you're in the Reserves...how do you not have enough time to do college? If you're not AGR then you have no excuse but yourself that you can't get your college work done.
"In addition to taking courses off duty, each of the services has programs which allow some enlisted to remain on active duty and attend college full-time, receiving full pay and allowances. Some of these programs lead to a commission as an officer, some do not. Most require that you commit yourself for a longer hitch in the military. Most require that you obtain some college (usually two or three years) on your own, first, and all of these programs are extremely competitive. There are many more applicants for these programs than there are available slots each year."
That's all I could find about where college would be primary duty but I don't know if the Army has those programs. I know when I first came in I recall someone who reenlisted for some program and their primary location was college for months or a year? I can't remember. I don't know if that still exists for enlisted. I think officers have an option to get three years to get a degree but are still active duty and getting active duty pay.
There is no regulation that says your commander has to give you time to conduct college courses.
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SFC (Join to see)
SMs can re-enlist for a semester of college, but all readiness requirements remain.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
SFC (Join to see) - That's what I thought. I have only seen one person do that and it was in my first unit so...somewhere around 10-12 years ago.
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SFC (Join to see)
It still happens if the command can afford to allow that soldier the time to do it. I recently left a company where the commander pushed it as one of his big incentives for reenlistment. This was in the 82nd, the soldier still had to maintain jump currency, MEDPROs and APFT currency, but the commander approved him attending college for a semester.
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No. Mission first. If your command needs you then that is priority. Of course the Army wants you to succeed in your “personal” civilian education and most commands are good at that. However any command that has an unfulfilled mission requirement will obviously have to adapt to overcome those shortcomings. Sorry
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