USN Advancing Education While Active Duty

[Skywalker]

I'm presently getting my B.S. in mathematics, and while my immediate goal is to become an NA, my long term goal is to become an astronaut, which requires an M.S./M.S.E. in a STEM field.

What challenges are faced with getting that kind of education while active duty, assuming it's possible? Is there a kind of duty station (fleet squadron, IP, miscellaneous) best suited for such an endeavor? I realize that things could be different by the time I'm actually in a position to act, but in the mean time I'm trying to think ahead here.

 

[BPeterson93]

http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joiningup/a/recruiter8_3.htm

A quick Google search yielded this. My father got multiple degrees while active duty (he's still in after 24 years). It's possible. And it'll be harder than what you're currently doing. But it's possible.

 

[sevenhelmet]

...my long term goal is to become an astronaut, which requires an M.S./M.S.E. in a STEM field.

Not a requirement. It definitely helps, but there have been astronauts selected without a post-grad degree.

A masters' isn't a bad idea though. You can go to grad school right after you get your BS (before you go to flight school), or you can work a distance learning program during your first shore tour. Those are the two most common options that I've seen to get a masters' degree prior to your first set of orders as an O-4. After that, there are still options to pursue a masters' degree, but it gets more complicated based on what track you find yourself.