For those in the military with families, the time apart can be difficult to say the least.
Compounding those difficulties can be a tough decision that many military members end up making each and every year. Should they re-enlist for another term or is it time to go back to civilian life?
Either way, the challenge oftentimes becomes staying abreast of the latest technology and careers outside the military. If someone in the military falls too far behind, they can find the going rough once they leave their service days behind them for good.
That said taking online courses while in the military is a great means whereby service members can stay sharp on the various skills they will require once they return to civilian life.
So, while serving your country, are you also ready to take online courses and even earn a degree in order to help your family now and down the road?
Paying Now for a Better Future
Whether in the military full-time or part-time, one of your questions might very well be does the military pay for college?
In simple terms, there are a number of different options out there for military members to get the educations they need, all the while still giving their country a good amount of their time.
If you have a family, you also need to think about supporting them once you leave active duty service.
In looking at what areas you might want to focus your studies in, keep these tips in mind:
- Skillset – What skillset do you currently have as a member of the military? Is there a particular field of work you’d like to focus on once returning to civilian life? For men, it can be a variety of areas, some of which including business, marketing, real estate, law enforcement, accounting, healthcare etc. For women currently serving, some areas oftentimes explored once done in the military include nursing, real estate, running their own business, accounting etc.
- Growth – What industries are destined for growth in the next few years or even decade? Having a handle on this important facet of the business world will help you be better prepared in picking what line of online studies to go for. Unless you have your mind totally focused on a line of work you want to pursue after your studies have been completed, keep an open mind. With your family in mind, you need to sometimes look at dollars (see more below) overs preferences. As many people (in and out of the military) know all too well, supporting a family today gets to be a more extensive proposition year after year. So that you can lessen the chances of falling into financial disarray, know which lines of work have the best potential of being strong not only now, but over the next three to five years, perhaps even a decade if you plan on being in the military for more than just a few years;
- Finances – Lastly, going to school today (even via online means) is not cheap. If you’re in the military and have the opportunity to get tuition assistance, by all means take it. When raising a family, the normal expenses day in and day out can be challenging enough to stay on top of. By receiving help with your tuition costs while taking online college courses, you will lessen the financial burden on your wallet or purse, not to mention decrease the stress level you are probably already under. Being in the military, you are taught organization and time management from day one, so lean on those skills when it comes to maximizing your time between your service commitments and getting more education under your belt.
Raising a family and serving your country proves noble on a number of fronts.
Most importantly, remember that starting or continuing an education doesn’t mean you have to be tied up in classrooms. Online studies make it much easier for people to receive degrees in today’s world.
If you have that opportunity, take advantage of it.
In doing so, you not only brighten your individual future, but also that of the family you so dearly care about day after day.