Complete this thought......

[DocShea]

Ok, for the benefit of all and to spark a little conversation I have a question to pose to all of you that have either got out of the military or completed an career. Please state which category you are in when you answer. This is to benefit all those who still have time in the Military, ya know learn from those who have gone before us and all. I have asked this question to probably over 30 people getting out/retiring and the responses have been overwhelmingly "Education".

Here is the question.....

If you could go back to the years you were in and do one thing that would help you today, what would that one thing be?

[psencik1950]

I got in 1972. Education wasn't as easy to come by as it is today with proliferation of online courses, etc. I tried a coorespondence course, but you really had to be disciplined. Even after getting my Associates in Nursing, correspondence courses really sucked.
I wished there had been more info about CLEP, because I could have knocked some down that way. Don't even know if they had CLEP in the Dark Ages.
Those of you in, especially those on this site, are so much better informed and have the means to ask questions about options.

One thing I wished I had done was do a little more site seeing and hitting those out of the way places. Ensenada, 40-50 miles south of TJ, just a wide spot on a dirt road. Kauai, practically as it had been in the 50's.

So see some of the world at Uncle Sam's expense.

Ben

D/C - I'm not even cranky this AM.

[DocShea]

Thank You for sharring!

I felt very lucky my first assignment was as a deck Seaman on the USS Stephen W Groves from 1994-1996. WHile there i was afforded the chance to go and see Mt Siani sp. (Burning Bush site, yes supposedly it's still there you can even try to light it on fire with a lighter, it doesn't burn) I also got to see things in Africa, Egypt, Turkey, and France. The pictures I took are still some of the fondest of my career. My dad told me when I was growing up "A well traveled man is welcome at any dinner table" I guess I took it to heart.

[bobby knoxville]

I would take it more seriously...I was not the model Airman.............

[HM1(SW/AW)]

I would say Education as well. I am now a retired Corpsman. But, now with the changes coming to the GI Bill, I guess I can now start continuing my education and not have to worry so much about how to pay for it.

[DocShea]

I would take it more seriously...I was not the model Airman.............

This is an interesting one. I imagine we all wish we could go back at one point or another and take something in our lives a little more serious, or give just a little more.

Thank You for sharing!

[DocShea]

I would say Education as well. I am now a retired Corpsman. But, now with the changes coming to the GI Bill, I guess I can now start continuing my education and not have to worry so much about how to pay for it.

I think the new GI Bill will help alot of people, and I imagine there will be a few more people using it now. I just hope the individual services dont mess with the transferability deal. I only have 5 1/2 years to go to 20, and I hope I can transfer 1/2 of my GI bill to my wife if they say I have to re-enlist that wouldn't be good since I am fast approaching the point where I cant. Besides I joined in Texas and once my GI bill is gone I have Texas to pay for some College>>>>>>>>>>>

Thank You for sharing!

[Doc_Stevens]

If you could go back to the years you were in and do one thing that would help you today, what would that one thing be?

I would have taken better care of myself and furthering my education. I sometimes think I did myself a disservice by not continuing in the medical field after I got out after 13 years (combination of Active Duty, drilling reservist and Active Duty Reserve (TAR)). I think I would have been an excellent candidate for PA school, but to the lack of reciprocity with military training, I found myself having to complete too much school with limited funds and a family to support- as my then GI Bill had been bargained away by Congress.

[Doc JoJo102E]

I would have never left the greenside except to try for IDC and/or PA and then would have tried to go back greenside.

[psencik1950]

I think the new GI Bill will help alot of people, and I imagine there will be a few more people using it now. I just hope the individual services dont mess with the transferability deal. I only have 5 1/2 years to go to 20, and I hope I can transfer 1/2 of my GI bill to my wife if they say I have to re-enlist that wouldn't be good since I am fast approaching the point where I cant. Besides I joined in Texas and once my GI bill is gone I have Texas to pay for some College>>>>>>>>>>>

Thank You for sharing!


Yes, Texas actually has some very good state benefits - tuition, fees, etc. for up to 150 semester hours at any state supported school. You have to buy books, etc., but tuition has gone up so much that it is really a large help. I finished my BSN and got my MSN with the Hazelwood Act. It is only for vets whose home of record was Texas at entry. I'm not sure how that would apply for reenlistments.

TX Veterans Land Bill also provides loans for homes and property. The land part is a little hard to utilize because you have to use certain realtors, but we are going to build a home in the next few years and I certainly plan on looking into the program a little deeper.

Ben

[DocShea]

Thank You all!

I have had to be away from these boards for a couple of days. Good Answers, and more importantly thank you for sharring!!!!


Shea