Mission Funded Master's Degrees

[BackOrdered]

Good evening,

Just so the younger posters are aware, a mission funded masters is one which as an Officer the Navy pays your tuition in a mission oriented field. These are offered at Naval Postgraduate School and they have an extensive distance learning program. Being a Supply Corps Officer, this opens the doors to many degree programs that will carry over nicely into the civilian world. I have a few years of shore duty in conus so what better way to maximize it?

I'm doing my due diligence and collecting what I'll need to start a distance learning masters next fall while on shore duty.

I was curious if any of the senior members here have any wisdom or experiences to share?

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Good evening,
Just so the younger posters are aware, a mission funded masters is one which as an Officer the Navy pays your tuition in a mission oriented field. These are offered at Naval Postgraduate School and they have an extensive distance learning program. Being a Supply Corps Officer, this opens the doors to many degree programs that will carry over nicely into the civilian world. I have a few years of shore duty in conus so what better way to maximize it?
I'm doing my due diligence and collecting what I'll need to start a distance learning masters next fall while on shore duty.
I was curious if any of the senior members here have any wisdom or experiences to share?

Thought I might revive this thread because I'd like to learn a bit more about NPS, even though it's still quite a while away for me. I've heard a master's degree is required to get promoted beyond a certain point, but are some degrees looked upon more favorably than others (e.g. technical/engineering vs. management degrees)?
And tiz, just wondering, did you start NPS like you were planning? Judging by the date on your post, if you had, you would've probably started a few months ago.

 

[BackOrdered]

No, I got an internship instead. NPS is still a realistic long term goal.

A degree for promotion sake won't matter major wise. However, getting certain masters degrees are necessary for sub-specialty codes. Not having sub-specialty codes later into your career is detrimental as many quality tours will require one.

 

[KBayDog]

However, getting certain masters degrees are necessary for sub-specialty codes. Not having sub-specialty codes later into your career is detrimental as many quality tours will require one.

For those of us ignorant Airdale Gyrenes, what is a "sub-specialty code"? Is that similar to Marines who have a secondary MOS?

 

[BackOrdered]

"Subspecialty codes identify officers who have acquired advanced education, functional training, and significant experience in various fields and disciplines. Requests for subspecialty code assignment should be submitted to PERS-45E for approval by cognitive subject matter experts and entry into your record.

Common subspecialty codes for Supply Corps Officers are:
• 1301 – Supply Acquisition, Distribution. Management (MBA)
• 1302 – Supply Inventory/Supply Chain Management
• 1306 – Acquisition and Contract Management
• 1307 – Petroleum Management
• 311* – Financial Management
o 3111: Comptroller
o 3112: Major Comptroller
• 3212 – Operations Research Analysis – Logistics
Subspecialty code suffixes:
Q – Masters level of education with follow on experience
P – Masters level of education (Navy approved curriculum) G – Masters level of education (not Navy sponsored)
R – Multiple experience tours 18 months each
S – One 18 month tour"

http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-n...upply/Documents/IT'S YOUR RECORD 1 Nov 11.pdf

Once you get specific codes, more billets and opportunities become open that are otherwise closed off to you later into your career. They also make you more valuable all around during various boards.

So as you can see, getting a MBA from NPS with a follow on tour utilizing it is a very smart career move vice just getting a check in the box masters.

*This gouge is specific to Supply.

 

[KBayDog]

Good deal - I learned something today.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Common subspecialty codes for Supply Corps Officers are:
• 1301 – Supply Acquisition, Distribution. Management (MBA)
• 1302 – Supply Inventory/Supply Chain Management
• 1306 – Acquisition and Contract Management
• 1307 – Petroleum Management
• 311* – Financial Management
o 3111: Comptroller
o 3112: Major Comptroller
• 3212 – Operations Research Analysis – Logistics
Subspecialty code suffixes:
Q – Masters level of education with follow on experience
P – Masters level of education (Navy approved curriculum) G – Masters level of education (not Navy sponsored)
R – Multiple experience tours 18 months each
S – One 18 month tour

It also mentions on that site, though it hasn't been updated in a year and a half, that Financial Management (code 3110) is a high priority. I wonder if (a) that's still the case, and (b) if it only applies to Supply Corps...?

 

[BackOrdered]

It also mentions on that site, though it hasn't been updated in a year and a half, that Financial Management (code 3110) is a high priority. I wonder if (a) that's still the case, and (b) if it only applies to Supply Corps...?

The info in the PDF hasn't been updated because it hasn't changed. That document is routinely briefed as a valid reference.

I can't speak for other community paths, but Senior URL Officers are part of the Defense Acquisition Corps, a very major milestone in Supply, that requires graduate level studies, which can lead to a Financial Management sub-specialty code.

For what it is worth, a thesis from NPS is floating around on this very subject regarding URL.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

For what it is worth, a thesis from NPS is floating around on this very subject regarding URL.

Is this the one?
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA424816
"Building Line Officers into Financial Managers: An Analysis of the Process and Recommendations for Improvement" by David C. Cutter, June '04

 

[BackOrdered]

Is this the one?
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA424816
"Building Line Officers into Financial Managers: An Analysis of the Process and Recommendations for Improvement" by David C. Cutter, June '04

Not specifically, but this thesis hits on what I'm communicating to you.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Not specifically, but this thesis hits on what I'm communicating to you.

Gotcha. I also don't know why it never occurred to me before, but of course it makes perfect sense that they'd want fiscally savvy officers now more than ever, with the whole sequestration/continuing-resolutions business going on now.

 

[BackOrdered]

Gotcha. I also don't know why it never occurred to me before, but of course it makes perfect sense that they'd want fiscally savvy officers now more than ever, with the whole sequestration/continuing-resolutions business going on now.

Well Defense Acquisition Corps Membership isn't new, but now you know how URL officers get smart on Defense spending. I will say that for your purposes now, it is too early into your career to consider. Typically, this milestone is performed at the O-5 level when policy tours become open to you.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Well Defense Acquisition Corps Membership isn't new, but now you know how URL officers get smart on Defense spending. I will say that for your purposes now, it is too early into your career to consider. Typically, this milestone is performed at the O-5 level when policy tours become open to you.

Oh wow, I knew it was down the road a bit, but I wasn't thinking 20+ years. I guess I got more time to think about it than I thought. At any rate, thanks for all the info, tiz.

 

[BackOrdered]

Oh wow, I knew it was down the road a bit, but I wasn't thinking 20+ years. I guess I got more time to think about it than I thought. At any rate, thanks for all the info, tiz.

To bring the discussion full swing, in Supply you can prepare and train for the Defense Acquisition Corps as early as Ensign via competitive "internships". NPS offers sub-specialties and a Masters, but it is far from difficult to go to NPS so long as you were academically qualified during your undergrad years via your "APC". Even then, I haven't heard of the guy that was turned away. Internships offer sub-specialties, an experience tour, a sought after "AQD" and other in-demand trainings. Afterwards, following an operational tour, you can head to NPS and get the Masters and an additional sub-specialty. That makes more sense.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

To bring the discussion full swing, in Supply you can prepare and train for the Defense Acquisition Corps as early as Ensign via competitive "internships". NPS offers sub-specialties and a Masters, but it is far from difficult to go to NPS so long as you were academically qualified during your undergrad years via your "APC". Even then, I haven't heard of the guy that was turned away. Internships offer sub-specialties, an experience tour, a sought after "AQD" and other in-demand trainings. Afterwards, following an operational tour, you can head to NPS and get the Masters and an additional sub-specialty. That makes more sense.

So that's how someone would get a "Q" on their sub-specialty code, the "master's degree with experience." About how long are these internships? I imagine they might vary widely, including between communities, but from what I hear, the general rule of thumb for pilot deployments is 6 months on, 6 months off. Are internships short enough that they can be completed between deployments, or is it more like for a shore tour timing-wise?