How much college money have you WASTED over your career?

SGM Matthew Quick — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 20:27:01 -0500

The military offers $4,500 per year for your college education; if you don't use it, you're wasting it.<br><br>If you do not have a master's degree (which the military will pay up to), how much have you and those under your direct supervision wasted over your career?<br><br>Note:  If you're not good at math (I use MS Excel for my math, myself), don't worry...you don't need an exact figure; just encourage those under your supervision to take college classes...even if it's one at a time over 16-weeks.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2013 2:49 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 14:49:01 -0500

I agree with MSG Quick, use TA for as long as it is available. I transferred my GI Bill to my son. They are both great programs. But such a waste if you don't use either or both. Education is key to a good job, promotions, etc. They are given to you to use as long as you meet the standards. It's up to you to use them or not. <div>I've earned my Associates and Bachelors by using TA and my son will be able to go to school free. And I'm still using it to earn a Masters degree. You can choose any accredited school you like just be sure to check and register at http://www.goarmyed.com </div><div class="pta-link-card"><div class="pta-link-card-picture"><img src="http://www.goarmyed.com/images/logo.jpg"></div><div class="pta-link-card-content"><div class="pta-link-card-title"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.goarmyed.com">GoArmyEd - Tuition Assistance Online, Anytime, Anywhere</a></div><div class="pta-link-card-description">GoArmyEd is the virtual gateway for all eligible Active Duty, National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers to request Tuition Assistance (TA) online, anytime, anywhere for classroom and distance learning.</div></div><div style="clear:both"></div><div class="pta-box-hide"><i class="icon-remove"></i></div></div>

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2013 3:30 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 15:30:42 -0500

I think Tuition Assistance has been the best bonus the Army offered to me . I finished my undergraduate and graduate degree that way. Now my two daughters are using the benefits of me transferring the GI Bill to them. All and all, I think it should be over $100,000 dollars in benefits.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2013 2:33 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 02:33:24 -0500

It's always the same within the enlisted ranks. As leaders, we tell the juniors, from our
learned mistakes how important taking advantage of their education benefits
is. Because a lot of Soldiers don't
start or think about their education until they are already NCO's it can really
delay the education process. This warning of wasted time usually doesn't have
much effect on the younger guys. By the time you become an NCO the Army is
taking more of your time and then the spouse and kids start coming... I try to
make sure it's part of every counseling session and I enforce and reiterate the
benefits and allow Soldiers to have the time and access to resources.

Response by SFC Christopher Walker, MAOM, DSL made Nov 26 at 2013 9:43 AM

SFC Christopher Walker, MAOM, DSL — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:43:43 -0500

When I first joined the Army in 2004, I didn’t know what TA was
until I stopped by the education center. Since then, over the past nine years, I’ve
wasted over $12,500 in unused TA benefits. Nowadays, I attend college year
round just because I have that benefit. I've completed two assocoiate degrees and one bachelor degree. Now I have to wait until October to enroll into my master's program. The new TA rule states that I can't pursue my master's program until I have 10 years of service. I “highly encouraged” all of my Soldiers to attend college from day one. All of my eligible Soldiers are enrolled in college. It’s just seems funny when DOD tries to take TA away every year, everyone wants to enroll in school at the last minute. Take advantage now of this benefit before it is gone forever.

Response by CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. made Nov 26 at 2013 9:55 AM

CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:55:46 -0500

This is not a good question. If too many people start thinking about it, there is going to be more PTSD.

Personally, I have waste P, for plenty.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2013 11:09 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 11:09:28 -0500

I can say that I have not wasted TA at all. I started using it after AIT to finish my BS and currently using it for my Master's Degree. Also, I have Student Loan Repayment Program in my contract and right now the student loan I had before join the Army was paid with this program!! I recommend TA 100%. Remember, you can lose everything but the only thing that can't be taken away is Knowledge.

Response by CPT Laurie H. made Nov 26 at 2013 11:13 AM

CPT Laurie H. — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 11:13:06 -0500

My civilian employer is paying for my grad school. I'm getting a headache trying to determine if that means I'm wasting TA or if it's just going to someone else who needs it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2013 11:23 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 11:23:46 -0500

Lots!!!! During deployments was very difficult so didnt use it and early in my career I didnt use it either.... So now I suck up what I can should have had a doctrate by now....

Response by CMC Robert Young made Nov 26 at 2013 12:09 PM

CMC Robert Young — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 12:09:58 -0500

I have spent every penny the military has offered. They helped with my bachelor's degree and my first master's. My daughter is using my GI Bill now. I had a fair size group of people at my last unit jump on the band wagon as well, but watched an untold number not take advantage of T/A. I sure that as a unit (105 members), we wasted $350,000 annually for the five years I was there. Not sure about my current group, but can't image that it's very high.

Response by SFC James Baber made Nov 26 at 2013 12:49 PM

SFC James Baber — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 12:49:10 -0500

As far as I know TA didn't exist early on in my career so I wasn't able to use it until the latter 1/3 I would guesstimate and it helped me get my associates, but now Voc Rehab is paying for my BA and then my MA.

Response by COL Vince Lindenmeyer, Ph.D. (Retired) made Jan 21 at 2014 11:06 PM

COL Vince Lindenmeyer, Ph.D. (Retired) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 23:06:16 -0500

Members of the Armed Forces from all services have some form of Tuition Assistance program available to them with a minimal additional duty service obligation (ADSO). In addition to TA, there are fully funded programs and some Professional Military Education schools, such as the Army War College, that end in the award of a masters degree. In fact, almost all PME schools can be evaluated for transfer credit to shorten your time to degree award. i encourage everyone to initiate an education plan and ask their immediate supervisor or mentor for advice on how to further their education. As a lifelong learner, I was fortunate enough to graduate from West Point in 1991, earn a tuition assistance masters degree from University of Central Texas in 1995, attend an advanced civil schooling masters degree to become a tactical officer at West Point in 2001 and attended and graduated the Army War College in 2011 to receive a Masters in Strategic Studies. Finally, I did pay for my Ph.D. in Education beginning in 2006 and completing it this past Summer in 2013. Thank you, MSG (P ) Quick for initiating this discussion and encouraging Soldiers of all ranks to start somewhere and not waste $.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
― Nelson Mandela

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/education

Quotes About Education (1663 quotes)

1663 quotes have been tagged as education: Mahatma Gandhi: ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.’, Mark Twain: ‘I h...

Response by SSgt Robert Clark made Jan 21 at 2014 11:06 PM

SSgt Robert Clark — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 23:06:49 -0500

I was under the old program, something like $4800 per year for 2-3 years (I can't remember what it was exactly, too long ago). I used my benefit after I separated and it at least helped pay up to an Associates degree. The benefit I have now but have not used is the Hazelwood Act, a Texas veterans benefit. It pays tuition for up to 150 credit hours. I am planning on splitting the benefit in half and giving it to my kids, they are going to community college to get their core out of the way and then transfer to full college/university. If all goes well they should be able to get at least a bachelors if not maybe a masters without any debt. I didn't use the benefit, but at least it will be something I can give my kids.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2014 12:32 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:32:39 -0500

I truly admire the fact that so many Soldiers go to college and use the TA system. I just don't see how you can juggle family life,Army life, work, and school. I know and have worked with individuals who are in school, and try to keep everything together and for MOST of them they seem over stressed or end up dropping classes.

I am the type of leader who wants to be out in the field with joe from sun up to sun down. It kills me just to take those mandatory classes that they give us like Accident Avoidance, or even GAT. I also wonder what a lot of these MOS's do for a living.

I just can't see anyone in a combat arms field given our OPTEMPO over the last 10 years being able to go to school full time, and be that stellar Team Leader and or Squad Leader. There is so much that can take up your time as a NCO. That is of course if you really care. I never had a week where I wasn't doing some sort of training, or getting an Soldier ready for a board, or an upcoming WLC slot. I have always been involved with work, always one of the first in and last to leave, so it really makes me wonder if I actually work to much. But then again all my NCOER's have been 1/1 and I have had a good Army career so far.

I honestly don't know when I will begin my college career. I know I have 0 credit hours and have only 9.5 years left in the Army before I hit my 20. It just seems like the Army gives me the hard jobs, back to back. Maybe I should just shame out for 2-3 years and go teach AIT at FLW or run a range for a few hours a day, but then again that's just not me. Put me with the troops doing my job anyday over the classroom.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2014 12:59 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:59:58 -0500

Not much! TA/GI Bill Top-Up completely payed for my BS in Computer Science and I am now only 5 classes away from an MA... I should only be 2 classes away when I PCS in September!

Response by SGT(P) Oliver Freeman III made Mar 9 at 2014 9:43 PM

SGT(P) Oliver Freeman III — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 21:43:45 -0400

To answer your question MSG from Basic until I was a SPC, which was my 2nd year in the Army. The reason for that was because I was forced by my mentor NCO to Max correspondence courses completing 3 to 4 a day as a PFC. After I pinned on SPC I've used all of it for the last 4-5 years now. At 2 points in my career I ran out and had to use FASFA because I had no money left.

During that time I had 5 Soldiers and 4 additional duties as an NCO. This goes against the statement made by someone (Who remains nameless) that going to school full time neglects Soldiering. I did it working every weekend and holiday/4-day for 3 years straight. It's called not sleeping if a person wants to better themselves they will go above and beyond, if not they will end up just a statistic in my eyes.

Response by MSG Sean Milhauser made Apr 13 at 2014 10:23 PM

MSG Sean Milhauser — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 22:23:41 -0400

MSG(P) Quick,

Very creative way of wording the question but you're right! I personally dragged my feet getting my Bachelor's done (finally in 2011). It's disappointing with all of the newcomers' orientation briefings, counseling sessions done by leaders, etc. that some Soldiers are still not aware of, or (worse) are apathetic about using Tuition Assistance, or FAFSA, or some variety of benefits available to get some college done while they are still on active duty. And for the naysayers, I know Soldiers that took college while they were deployed. Maybe not all Soldiers can do it, but some can, and it can be done.

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 13 at 2014 11:33 PM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 23:33:03 -0400

I have used mine as well not to the fullest potential but mission permitting I have taken classes. I start the last class of my BS program next month. I think we should all be cognizant of the risks associated with not using our benefits. If someone can prove we are not using them you can bet we will lose them!

Response by CW2 Jonathan Kantor made Apr 14 at 2014 12:19 AM

CW2 Jonathan Kantor — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 00:19:58 -0400

I am working on my Masters now, but I would say that before I got off my ass... carry the 1... I wasted about $18,000.00 of money that I could have used. That's one of the reasons I drill it into the heads of anyone who works for me. Take college classes!!!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 28 at 2014 12:10 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 00:10:24 -0400

Zero. I maxed out my TA throughout my Master's Degree and I am now utilizing my Post-911 GI Bill for my PhD. I plan on having a little left over when I graduate, but we shall see what I do with that portion, but I do not plan on letting it sit forever.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Apr 28 at 2014 12:29 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 00:29:27 -0400

Yes, SMs should use those benefits to get ahead academically. I know a few officers who have even taken advantage of TA to earn their Masters for some of them want to make the Army a career. I am maxed out, and now if I can get soldiers to sign up for college.