graduate school

[Jim]

i was wondering what the opportunities are for naval officers to go to graduate school. i know of the naval postgraduate school in monterey, but is it permitted to pursue a graduate degree on one's own time (during a shore tour perhaps) at another school? also would the navy pay for all or part of it and would it mean a longer committment, or could it be paid for on the GI bill? the reason i ask is that i'm debating on whether or not to take the GRE (like the SAT for grad school), but the scores are only good for 5 years after which i would have to take the test again. i am interested in getting a graduate degree in aerospace engineering not necessarily to go to test-pilot school (although that would be great), but to have the option of getting a job in the defense/aerospace industry after separation. i know this is talking far into the future, but does anyone have any advice? thanks

-jim

 

[Grandmaster235]

There are many ways to get a graduate degree. There's PG school, Naval War College, other services' war/staff college, Natl. Defense University, DC Intern program, etc., etc., etc. All have service obligations but they usually run concurrently with any commitment you already have, so if you are able to time it right it won't mean any additional time.

You can also do it on your own, usually on shore duty. I knew some guys who did it (or at least started) while on sea duty but that's the exception, so I wouldn't be in any big hurry to take the GRE. The navy will pay for you to take it once. There's also tuition assistance but it carries the price tag of an additional service obligation.

Getting a master's degree is an unofficial requirement to advance in your career to major command, flag, etc.

LUCK = THE INTERSECTION OF PREPARATION AND OPPORTUNITY

 

[rhollin1]

Does the Navy still have tuition assistance where they pay 75% of the tuition?

Pain...is weakness leaving the body

 

[Rainman]

Originally posted by rhollin1
Does the Navy still have tuition assistance where they pay 75% of the tuition?

Pain...is weakness leaving the body

NO! They have tuition assistance to pay for 100% of tuition up to $250 per credit (as of 01OCT). I think it's a two year commitment and it runs concurrent with your aviaton (or other) commitments.

 

[psrogers]

If you are good at what you do, and can prove it, the Navy will probably pay for you to go study something. Each year of grad school they pay for apparently requires a further two year commitment to serve in the Navy.

 

[Rainman]

You don't "pay" for each year of grad school with the TA program. Your obligation is a total of two years after you receive tuition assistance.

 

[psrogers]

Right, but if you get a 2 year masters in political economy, you don't pay for the tuition, and someone has to- the Navy. And after your two year degree is completed, providing that it is not at Monterey, because that would be an active duty assignment, which is totally different, you don't do just two years of duty, you do two years of duty for each year of tuition that was paid for, i.e. four total years. Furthermore if you want to go to an expensive school, like the Navy's special MBA program at Wharton or some Kennedy School Program at Harvard, you'll need extra good specifications, and the Navy won't pay 30,000 dollars a year unless you are really important and basically going to stay in the service for many more years. However, if you get into Harvard, they're probably going to promote you to admiral eventually anyway. Most of the time the Navy'll send you to a state run institution, fine schools of learning like UW (my alma mater) or UF or UM, UCLA, etc, Navy deals alreay set up with these schools.
Helpful?

 

[Grandmaster235]

Originally posted by psrogers
...you'll need extra good specifications, and the Navy won't pay 30,000 dollars a year unless you are really important and basically going to stay in the service for many more years. However, if you get into Harvard, they're probably going to promote you to admiral eventually anyway...

[:0]

[:0]

 

[psrogers]

Excuse me, I was unclear. First, funny marks two posts ago. Hypothetically, if someone was to get into a $$$$$$$ school,it would likely be worth it to pay. In most cases, the educational returns, social/military/business contacts and earning power you would command upon graduation would make the investment a winner. Second, I was referring to graduate programs where you do not remain on active duty while going to school. Silly me for not clarifying between active and inactive graduate programs. Apparently you can go off active duty, study full time, and return to active duty afterward upon the previously mentioned plan. Such is my understanding.

Wow, did I just post on this strand three times today? I guess I am spending a little too much time here, being nervous about hearing back from the Millington.

 

[Grandmaster235]

Good gouge on TA by Mari and joshmountain above.

Another useful link: http://www.bupers.navy.mil/pers440/

It details all the Navy's different postgraduate eduction opportunities (non-TA). The Navy doesn't have any kind of "inactive graduate programs." Other branches have "extended leave programs" where you can go to school in an unpaid leave status, pay for it yourself, and come back on "active duty" (i.e., off unpaid leave) with an additional service obligation. The closest thing the Navy has is for graduating midshipmen to delay staring AD in order to pursue graduate study.

Hopefully this has made everything clear as mud for the original poster who wanted to know about graduate school opportunities for naval officers. Good Luck!!

LUCK = THE INTERSECTION OF PREPARATION AND OPPORTUNITY

 

[webmaster]

I'm going to muddy the waters a little bit more... I recall being briefed on these programs some time in the hazy past, and one part that stuck out, was that whatever you got your graduate degree in (Navy funded degree through a Masters program, not TA), you would have to do a "payback" tour using that field of expertise, most likely outside of your community. The Navy's way of getting back some of the expertise and filling it in a billet.

Good info my josh, Mari and GM235 as always.

 

[psrogers]

We are all a little right and a little wrong here, but all the info is certainly available on the links above.

Some quotes from the url: http://www.bupers.navy.mil/pers440/

"2. THE GEV PROGRAM PROVIDES INCREASED OPPORTUNITY AND INCENTIVE FOR UNRESTRICTED LINE OFFICERS (URL) WHOSE CAREER PATHS PROVIDE LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL TIME EDUCATION TO OBTAIN FULLY FUNDED GRADUATE EDUCATION DURING OFF-DUTY HOURS.
6. OFFICERS USING GEV BENEFITS SHALL AGREE TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM (OR AFTER DISENROLLING FROM THE PROGRAM IF BENEFITS WERE USED) FOR A PERIOD OF THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF MONTHS OF EDUCATION COMPLETED FOR A MAXIMUM OBLIGATION OF THIRTY-SIX MONTHS."

Of course, this only applies for the GEV (formerly TA) program. It is different for other programs (JD, PhD, certain MA's). Anyway, no sense going on here. I think we've laid groundwork for anyone interested in pursuing the issue.

 

[psrogers]

Oh, and my humble apologies for any bad gouge I may have dished.

 

[Rainman]

PSROGERS! Not sure what you mean by "formerly TA" program. The TA program is alive and well in all branches of the military (as can be seen by the navycollege website above).

The GEV program is a fine program. . but the TA program giving 100% tuition assistance up to $250 per credit hour is also available with only a 2 year commitment beyond the time you complete as posted. TA is what Grandmaster, Mari, and myself are referring to.

Anyways. . bottom line. . .lots of opportunities. Just gotta get out there and get it.

 

[Rainman]

right!

What's with the "class at a community college" thing? You can use it for any accredited institution on the planet (up to program $$$ limits).

Of course, if you want to go full time, there are several better programs than TA (and of course longer commitments).