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Correspondence Course Review

OK, I just completed the Theater Security Decision Making module of the Navy's JPME. Years ago I had signed up for the CD-ROM program, starting with Strategy and War (S&W). S&W seemed interesting to me, but for some reason I really just couldn't figure out what to do with the CDs. I watched the lectures, but was then like "now what?". I eventually lost the CD, and called the War College numerous, NUMEROUS times before getting the letter that I'd been dis-enrolled. I signed up for the Air Command and Staff College Course. As opposed to the Navy which sent me a giant box of books, the AF sent three concise books. I did the reading for the first few, and filled out a mini-quiz to send in, then got discouraged that I'd have to drive to the local AF base to test (about an hour away). Plus, although I seem to be the only one to think this, I liked the Navy's use of classics like Clausewitz and Sun Tzu rather than the AF's personal reflections. After seeing Atmahan's post here, I tried to sign up for the CD program again, but this time I was told that I couldn't since I wasn't deployed. So I settled for the web-enabled program (which takes about 18 months to finish all three, rather than the year the CD-rom is expected to take).

It wasn't a horrible experience, although I think I'd be disciplined enough now to take do well in the CD-ROM course. I found initially I was doing about 10-12 hours per week of reading. Not bad if it was my only job, but with a real job and family that was tough. We were divided up into groups, and every few weeks we'd have a group paper due. It was tough working with people across the country and the globe on a paper like that, but I think everyone in my group was in the same boat, and we worked well together. Eventually I began to just skim the readings, which required a bit more work on my part when the group papers or midterms came around. I sort of discovered that I could try very, very, hard and get something in the 90% range, with lots of comments about all the concepts I missed, or I could do a decent job and get in the 80's, with many, many comments about the concepts I missed. For the final, I went through all the concepts, put them in the paper basically in order, and then put headings on each of them. I finally thought the headings were too much, removed them, and then got the comments about all the concepts I missed (I'm pretty sure the headings would have saved me). Anyway, while a lot of the TSDM was some of that MBA mumbo-jumbo, I have to admit that there was also a lot in there that was helpful.

The course ran from February to July, and gets me 48 points, which I think is actually easier than banging my head against NKO courses for 48 points. FYI, I think I was successful in my plan to game the system. I finished TSDM just before my anniversary year for 48 points. I'll finish Strategy and War during the next year, and then Joint Military Operations (which is a long one) in the retirement year after that. Not a big deal, but I'd rather get three "good years" out of it rather than two.

I'll post if looks like the points are a pain to post to BUPERS or anything.
 

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
I'm currently working on the HEADSTART2 - French Curriculum on MarineNet. Self paced (I have three years to finish), no proctor required and it's 26 retirement points. Although it's slow going because I suck at languages, it's actually enjoyable. They also have Pashto and Iraqi Arabic. I'm guessing both of those are way harder than the French one. You have a potential to net 78 retirement points slogging through all three.
 
I just did Civil/Military Operations on marinenet. No test, no requirement to pass the quizes, and good for one point--I haven't sent this into BUPERS yet, and the certificate doesn't have the retirement points listed on it, so we'll see. Anyway, so far it looks like basically a free retirement point, and it was sort of interesting as well!
 
Crap. This is turning into my own blog. Is nobody else here doing the absolute minimum to get a reserve retirement? It's not really correspondence courses, but anybody looking at this thread should think about becoming a Naval Academy Blue & Gold officer to supplement his points too. It's also unpaid, but the schedule is really flexible, you're the one calling the shots, and it's fun meeting the kids who are interested in a career in the Navy.
 

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
Crap. This is turning into my own blog. Is nobody else here doing the absolute minimum to get a reserve retirement? It's not really correspondence courses, but anybody looking at this thread should think about becoming a Naval Academy Blue & Gold officer to supplement his points too. It's also unpaid, but the schedule is really flexible, you're the one calling the shots, and it's fun meeting the kids who are interested in a career in the Navy.
What Jim said is true, and I've been using some of your classes to supplement my SMCR retirement. I did not know that BGOs got retirement points. It was something I was thinking about doing when I retired, but I might start doing it now!
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Keep posting. I've got a couple of guys looking to bail due to RMP and the info is helpful.

Do you have any references that say you can do the B&G and funeral stuff? Obviously you can, but if I can point them at the instruction, it's good info to have.
 

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
Keep posting. I've got a couple of guys looking to bail due to RMP and the info is helpful.

Do you have any references that say you can do the B&G and funeral stuff? Obviously you can, but if I can point them at the instruction, it's good info to have.
I've been interested in being a BGO for a while. Now that I found out I'm eligible to get retirement points - I got off my ass and emailed the Area Coordinator. While researching, USNAINST 1532.46C details reservists and retirement points, it is a one-stop shop, including procedures for getting points, lists of references, and includes all the applicable enclosures. Hope it helps.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Thanks and forwarded on. But there aren't enough acronyms in that.

Also, am I the only one amused that the Academy does stuff in Helvetica and the rest of the Navy writes in Courier New? I am the only one? Okay...
 

FlyinSpy

Mongo only pawn, in game of life...
Contributor
Based on the comments made in this thread, I started knocking out NRTC courses - logged 52 points last year on them, for a grand total of about 18 hours invested. That should work out to be an extra $26 a month for the rest of my life, inflation adjusted! (Have to wait another 12 years to start getting it, but I can wait.) Every time I completed a class, I'd tell my wife "There's another Starbucks latte per month for the rest of our lives."

Blog away!
 

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
My goal is 4900 points. With that, plus retiring at 30 years of Federal Service - my reserve retirement + FERS retirement = Retiring on active duty as an O-5 1/2. (48% of O-6 at 20, 55% of O-5 at 20).
 
Thanks for beating posting the USNAINST phrogpilot. One thing to keep in mind is that you can't get points until you do the 1-week summer training. HOWEVER, once you do that, when the academy fills out your sheet, they'll say "so when did you start?" I wasn't prepared, and went to right *after* my anniversary year, even though I'd done it for about two years, and could have gotten points for that earlier year too.

I'll see if I did up the instruction that says IRR is eligible for funeral honors too.
 
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