Going Back To School

Like I said in an earlier post, take the money and just do it.

Well, that's easier said than done, now, isn't it? I probably could have done better in high school, but as it is, I got by; and got a diploma out of it. After that, I had no desire to continue my education outside of what I needed to do a job. Flash forward a couple years and I find myself with a need to cut ties from the post high school life I found myself in.

On a flight back home on leave early on, I sat next to a businessman. He conveyed that he had some knowledge of the kind of people who get hired. He said that after a tour in the military, he would expect to see some further education. After a 20-year career, he would certainly expect to see a college degree. That certainly wasn't the first, or the last, time I heard something like that, but it stuck with me.

Thirteen years after high school and I found myself in a place, with awesome support, to go back to school. But, what do I really want to do when I grow up? Well, I like aircraft, which is how I wound up where I'm at, so why not continue that with an aviation degree?

Off to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University I go! My very first class there were a lot of "older" people in it (notice the quotes, I'm being gentle with that word now-a-days ;) One of these men was a retired E-9 aviation maintenance professional. After being management for many years in the military, you'ld think he could easily get a management position with a company that takes care of military aircraft. Well, he couldn't. Why? You guessed it, he needed a Bachelors degree. Go back up two paragraphs...

That sealed it right there. Whatever happened, I was going to finish that degree; and so I did.

That is all why you should just get started. Here's how you keep it going.

You need an end point, so pick a degree and follow the path that lays out. Remembering back to the "take the money" post, don't forget that you have a job, and maybe a family, that you need to save time and energy for. Take two classes a term at most. This will give you the time you need to spread among all those important things. It will also spread that TA money out enough so that you aren't trying to pay for classes out of pocket, or dipping into your VA benefits before you need to.

Finally, remember this, you are likely going to be your own worst enemy on this path. You'll find excuses and many ways to sabotage yourself in this endeavor. Persevere! If I can do it, you can too!

More to follow...