Don’t Underestimate the Educational Value of Military Service!

Douglas Johnson, Program Manager, Military Training and Evaluations Program, DANTES

Recently, I had the unique privilege of briefing attendees at the Virginia Advisory Council on Military Education, a state-wide organization focused on “promoting, supporting, and delivering meaningful education within all branches of the Armed Services by encouraging educational institutions to be innovative and flexible in meeting needs.” I pride myself in being a champion for military learning, but hearing others continue to advocate on behalf of service members was truly rewarding. Over the 3-day event, I attended a myriad of diverse briefings led by academic institutions, business and industry leaders, local officials, and state legislators. More often than not, each facilitator referred to the significant impact military members, veterans, and their families provide within several given communities. More importantly, many introduced examples of programs and initiatives geared toward developing and attracting military or veteran talent. For example, The Military Education and Workforce Initiative enhances employment opportunities for Virginians who have served in the United States military and their spouses by providing a pathway to education, training, certifications, and technology. Similarly, in Texas, The Hazelwood Act is a state benefit that provides qualified veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education. This shows that states such as Virginia, Texas, and many others have recognized the value of military experience and our service members’ unique challenges, talents, and educational needs.

As a result, military learners can leverage available education benefits, take advantage of institutions that value military learning, and find the right school that best meets their situation and goals.

Here are a few essential tips to ensure that service members are making the most of their military learning:

Utilize resources. Service members should remember to work smarter, not harder! Navigating the educational landscape alone can be complex and time-consuming. Service members should build a plan, move with intention, and seek support from their education service office, counselor, and chain of command. For those who have already transitioned out of the military, several trusted tools and programs are available to help decide to begin school and choose the right programs. For example, through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), service members will find valuable resources such as college and career planning, academic skills training, and assessment tools such as TA DECIDE and Kuder Journey. Colleges and universities have also invested in full-time veterans education certifying officials and veterans education advisors. The goal is to fully understand the many unique opportunities available to service members and student veterans.

Honor value. According to a March 2022 Student Veterans of America (SVA) congressional testimony hearing on Veterans Affairs, SVA stated that “student veterans (includes the active military) are among the most successful students in higher education”. More colleges and universities are beginning to understand the unique attributes, experiences, and value military learners bring to the college and university community. Simply put, service members’ value is rooted in the richness of those intangibles that they bring to the table; the ability to adapt and overcome, demonstrate critical thinking, work with discipline, and show true integrity. Service members should be encouraged to never underestimate the value of their experiences and contributions to formal and informal learning.

Believe the data. Let’s look at some numbers to help frame the success service members and student veterans achieve in higher education:

• In 2021, over 841,000 individuals took advantage of education benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Research indicates that the average GPA for student veterans will be higher than that of traditional peers and graduation rates will be higher as well.

• The National Veteran Education Success Tracker (NVEST) documented students using their GI Bill benefits were 72% successful in achieving degrees and certificates.

• There are 2,500 colleges and universities accepting American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations, giving service members a chance to find the right institution that fits their needs and goals.

• According to Department of Defense, Force Education and Training, Voluntary Education, in FY 2020, there were 53,650 college degrees and nearly 1,000 certificates earned by service members using Tuition Assistance. The bottom line is, 998,736 service members and veterans participated in education opportunities.

This means service members and veterans are attending colleges and universities at higher rates and with more success than ever before!

Self Advocate. As service members begin exploring degree and certificate options, it is important that they research and identify an academic institution that meets their individual needs. Academic institutions establish their own transfer credit policies and procedures. It is recommended that service members immediately identify and locate these policies to help them understand the process and set a plan for making the most of their credit recommendations. It’s critical that service members prepare and be ready to advocate for their military skills and experience on their Joint Services Transcript (JST). Many of the occupations and training courses on the JST have been evaluated by ACE to include descriptions, academic subjects, and the corresponding number of recommended college credits in semester hours. ACE credit recommendations are recognized and considered by many regionally and nationally accredited colleges and universities throughout the United States. The benefits of JST include an increased return on investment, uniformity, centralization, and the alignment of Service-specific information.

Military transcripts provide documented evidence of service members’ professional military education, training, and occupational experiences. When evaluating their prior military learning experiences, service members should ask themselves two key questions: Am I getting maximum education credit for my prior military experience? Am I wasting time and money by taking courses that I may have already gained credit recommendations through ACE?

By understanding their JST, service members can begin to build a foundation to maximize the benefits they’ve earned from military service.

Learn from others. More learners are going to college later in life with experience and skills already under their belt. The pandemic has accelerated this trend because millions of Americans had their employment and education plans disrupted. Many jobs require bachelor’s degrees, and a college credential unlocks economic opportunities that are more resilient against these kinds of disruptions.

“It wasn’t until I became a non-commissioned officer that I realized that the Army’s looking for experienced and educated leaders. I’ve really made the decision that I wanted to have a big change in my career, that change is going from a non-commissioned officer to a commissioned officer.” -

Casey Dunn

Motivation for starting a certification or degree may vary; service members may seek a career change, a transition into the officer community, or a transition into the unknowns of civilian life. Regardless, somebody has already done it! What service members learn from others will help them with future preparedness and provide them with more value than ever expected.

“I find, more often than not, veterans returning to college are very intimidated. Imagine going back to school being 26, 27, 32, or 40+ years old and then being surrounded by people that are essentially your peers, these 18–19-year-old traditional students. I find that veterans hesitate to pursue things like ACE credits. So, I just want to let you know that we can do it, we can win it. We just have to pursue it.” -

Brendyn Melugin

Just like service members’ time in the military, pursuing higher education can provide many intangible benefits to their professional and personal growth.

“Preparing for my transition, education will help me run my 25-employee business. But the self-confidence I’ve gained is even more important.” -

Mathew Morin

Remind service members that they have learned to adapt and overcome any obstacle – don’t let fear get in the way of their future!

We’re here to help! DANTES has partnered with ACE to make it easier for schools to evaluate and award credit that helps get service members the degree they need and the civilian career they want -- not just elective courses. Helping solve the college or university challenges by evaluating military prior learning leads to a broader array of options when service members begin pursuing their education.

During the last 12 months, DANTES and its partner, ACE, have worked diligently to make it easier for colleges and universities to evaluate military learning. In support of this effort, the new ACE Military Guide (AMG) was launched on 1 April 2021. The newly re-imagined system incorporates a suite of dedicated tools for academic institutions to support evaluating military learning and awarding academic credit to service members and veterans.

Helping to solve college/university challenges in evaluating military prior learning leads to a broader array of options when the military learner begin pursuing their education. Additionally, awarding Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) for military learning results in more degree-generated credit and a bigger head start toward achieving educational goals.