Posted on Oct 21, 2014
The Importance of an Advanced Degree to Active Duty Military and Veterans
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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs documented in a 2009 report that there were close to 600,000 veterans enrolled in educational programs. That number increased to slightly more than 900,000 in 2012. In our current political climate, across the board cuts in spending and a reduction in our military forces are inevitable. The sequestration in 2013 had an immediate impact on military students and veterans. The cutbacks required in 2014 (and beyond) are causing members of our military to consider educational options for their future. As the number of people in the general population who possess a bachelor’s degree increases, the requirement for an advanced degree, such as an MBA, has risen significantly.
The Air Force encourages its members to obtain a master’s degree to advance in their military career. Officers entering as military lawyers need a law degree. For commissioned officers, promotions may require a combination of a degree with training and experience.
An MBA can provide numerous opportunities for all military personnel. These opportunities can promote the learning of new concepts and ideas, collaborating with peers, examining new research, and integrating classwork into the workplace. There can be both personal rewards from learning new management practices and professional rewards from bringing new skills and credentials to the workplace.
In introduction forum posts for one of the business courses at AMU, one student pointed out that his main reason for getting an MBA is because it’s required to continue progressing in rank in the Air Force. Another student is anticipating that a balanced background of a bachelor’s degree in engineering, and a master’s degree in business management, may help him prepare for the competitiveness of the aerospace industry.
The MBA program at AMU covers proven business practices, strategic planning, operational management concepts, and budgeting—all useful skills for those who might be transitioning from a military to civilian career. For example, one AMU student will be returning to the private sector after more than 12 years of military service and is planning a new career in the finance field. Another has a few years before he will reach 20 years of military service and is planning a post-service career in business management. A third graduate, retired after more than 30 years of service in the Air Force, shared an interesting reason for returning for an MBA—to motivate his children to never stop achieving and to keep pace with the high-caliber people joining the ranks today. Whether it’s a personal goal or a career requirement, earning an MBA is an important learning experience as you prepare for your future inside the military our out.
As originally posted by In Military Education
By Dr. Kathleen Shriver and Jodi Bouvin
American Military University
http://rly.pt/2kTwX0G
The Air Force encourages its members to obtain a master’s degree to advance in their military career. Officers entering as military lawyers need a law degree. For commissioned officers, promotions may require a combination of a degree with training and experience.
An MBA can provide numerous opportunities for all military personnel. These opportunities can promote the learning of new concepts and ideas, collaborating with peers, examining new research, and integrating classwork into the workplace. There can be both personal rewards from learning new management practices and professional rewards from bringing new skills and credentials to the workplace.
In introduction forum posts for one of the business courses at AMU, one student pointed out that his main reason for getting an MBA is because it’s required to continue progressing in rank in the Air Force. Another student is anticipating that a balanced background of a bachelor’s degree in engineering, and a master’s degree in business management, may help him prepare for the competitiveness of the aerospace industry.
The MBA program at AMU covers proven business practices, strategic planning, operational management concepts, and budgeting—all useful skills for those who might be transitioning from a military to civilian career. For example, one AMU student will be returning to the private sector after more than 12 years of military service and is planning a new career in the finance field. Another has a few years before he will reach 20 years of military service and is planning a post-service career in business management. A third graduate, retired after more than 30 years of service in the Air Force, shared an interesting reason for returning for an MBA—to motivate his children to never stop achieving and to keep pace with the high-caliber people joining the ranks today. Whether it’s a personal goal or a career requirement, earning an MBA is an important learning experience as you prepare for your future inside the military our out.
As originally posted by In Military Education
By Dr. Kathleen Shriver and Jodi Bouvin
American Military University
http://rly.pt/2kTwX0G
MBA
Education
Command Post
Edited 11 y ago
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 35
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Some will feel like the dog that has been kicked, others will not. If it applies to you, you know who you are.
Here's the deal- there are two kinds of troops that take college: the kind that basically screw everyone else in the platoon (because someone has to pick up their slack while they are getting that degree) and then the type that walks around looking sleep deprived because they refuse to screw their fellow Soldier over and therefore they work their butts off at BOTH college and their job. They found a way to get the degree and still be an effective member of the team- how can you not respect the heck out of that??
For you zombies out there, I salute you- you went and got that degree and did not have everyone else picking up your slack. For the others....I will refrain from typing what I truly think of you. You know who you are and every time you look at that piece of paper, you better be thankful for the troops that had to pick up your slack.
Here's the deal- there are two kinds of troops that take college: the kind that basically screw everyone else in the platoon (because someone has to pick up their slack while they are getting that degree) and then the type that walks around looking sleep deprived because they refuse to screw their fellow Soldier over and therefore they work their butts off at BOTH college and their job. They found a way to get the degree and still be an effective member of the team- how can you not respect the heck out of that??
For you zombies out there, I salute you- you went and got that degree and did not have everyone else picking up your slack. For the others....I will refrain from typing what I truly think of you. You know who you are and every time you look at that piece of paper, you better be thankful for the troops that had to pick up your slack.
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Obtaining a degree just to get one is a waste of time. That being said you as an individual must select something that you want to do and will be relevant in a career after the Army. There are many service members that are working on their degree and choose the path of least resistance which often leads to lesser qualifications for when they decide to ETS or retire.
I believe that education is essential for both officers and enlisted. As NCO's move up the ranks they should be on the same intellectual level as their officer counterpart. In this case the higher education obtained regardless of degree helps foster critical thinking skills and professional writing skills needed in order to be an effective Senior NCO.
I have already obtained my AS in Aeronautical Science and have 10 classes remaining to complete my BS. It may not be geared toward my profession in the Army but the aviation industry is where I want to work after retirement. It has also given me the skills required to be an outside the box thinker which is helpful in the dynamic profession I am currently in.
I believe that education is essential for both officers and enlisted. As NCO's move up the ranks they should be on the same intellectual level as their officer counterpart. In this case the higher education obtained regardless of degree helps foster critical thinking skills and professional writing skills needed in order to be an effective Senior NCO.
I have already obtained my AS in Aeronautical Science and have 10 classes remaining to complete my BS. It may not be geared toward my profession in the Army but the aviation industry is where I want to work after retirement. It has also given me the skills required to be an outside the box thinker which is helpful in the dynamic profession I am currently in.
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I believe in having a degree or at least some sort of education in order to succeed in life, but then theres reality of being in the military, its almost like if you want to continue on or move up you need a degree. I have met some NCO's that have more degrees then officers, but then i look at them and go "what sets them apart from them," is it because they went OCS, or got there commission from west point. I mean does it really make you better then them? But then in some services you need a masters to get Maj, and its like could you imagine telling a PFC , "hey guy ima need you to get this AA done before i can pin you SPC." that would be a world of difference... Could it benefit? Yeah, but is an NCO going to take his soldier off the battle field because he has an exam that needs to be done i think not.
I mean between PT, work, details and family and, and, and its hard to fit all that in but we manage, but then that degree that you got, now going to the civilian force doesnt always work out for people. That right there is a whole nother story...Just my .02
I mean between PT, work, details and family and, and, and its hard to fit all that in but we manage, but then that degree that you got, now going to the civilian force doesnt always work out for people. That right there is a whole nother story...Just my .02
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SFC(P) (Join to see)
No they shouldnt i try to make it a goal to learn something new everyday wheather it deals with my job or not.....But not saying a higher education is not. You always have to strive to keep moving up because thats all you can do.
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SFC Timothy Snapp
It appears that the article was written by AMU staff and published in the Military Education magazine. Up until the last paragraph, no mention was made of AMU.
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