Joining the Military for Tuition Assistance

Everyone who joins the military has their own personal reasons for doing so. Some want to experience the excitement of combat, see the world and/or gain valuable technical and leadership skills. Others see it as a challenge and/or a way to show their patriotism. One big reason why some join the military is to receive tuition assistance for higher education.

In 2009, the United States spent $4.2 billion on veterans' educations. In 2010, spending on veterans' education increased to $9.5 billion courtesy of an expended GI Bill. For those without a family that can provide financial assistance for college and who do not want to incur enormous debt, joining the military is a viable option. 

Considerations

Joining the military is a huge physical, emotional and time commitment. Some of the things to consider before joining the military for tuition assistance are:

  • Physical commitment and danger: All members of the military, across all services, must go through grueling physical training and constantly engage in physically-demanding activities. This means, of course, that you must be fit and be able to maintain that fitness. If the thought of jogging for miles in the desert with heavy machinery on your back is something that you cannot handle, then you would not even be able to get through boot camp. Being in the military also necessarily means that you will be put in dangerous situations, sometimes active combat in a war. The combined death toll for U.S. troops for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq had already surpassed 5,002 (another 68 military personnel died in related operations in other countries) in July of 2009. Many more military personnel have sustained extensive injuries from which they will never recover, such as loss of limbs and brain injuries. As of June 2011, there is still no definitive end to the wars in sight. 
  • Psychological trauma: Engaging in combat in hostile situations can lead to long-lasting psychological traumas. In 2009, 381 suicides of active-duty personnel were reported. The number of active-duty personnel suicides rose to 434 in 2010. The actual number of suicides may actually be higher since each service excludes certain members from their reporting. Many more military personnel experience post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health disorder that affects their ability to normally function and relate to others because of having gone through traumatic experiences. Returning soldiers may have trouble sleeping because of recurring nightmares, shut down emotionally and feel like they are always on edge. As of 2008, about one in every seven service members who returned from deployments had symptoms of the disorder. 
  • Time away from loved one: Military personnel often have to spend months or years far away from their loved ones. You must be prepared to miss important events at home, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, and sometimes you may experience bouts of loneliness. 

Despite all of these dangers, millions of people join the military every year. If college tuition is the only reason why you are considering joining the military, look into financial aid programs offered by the government as well as scholarships. However, if you want a challenge and to gain leadership and technical skills while accumulating money for college, the military may be a path for you.  

Sources:

For-Profit Colleges Draw Most Veterans on New GI Bill. (2010) Businessweek. 

Deaths of U.S. troops exceed 5,000 in wars. (2009) USATODAY.com.

More troops lost to suicide. (2011) Congress.org.

Post-traumatic stress is a war within for military and civilians. (2008) USATODAY.com.

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