CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
May 14 was a milestone in my career -- one that took me a long time to achieve. That's the day I was presented with my Community College of the Air Force degree. As I proudly accepted my degree, I realized it's never too late to get your education.
Within our group of graduates, there were some who only took a couple years to finish their CCAF degrees, and there were a couple of us who took more than 20 years to finish them. I was glad to see I wasn't alone in my group of "long-term" achievers. It was most impressive to see the young Airmen accomplishing their goals at such an early stage in their careers.
Continuing education throughout your career, including both professional military education and personal schooling through the college of your choice, is an essential part of your growth as a professional military member. Why did it take me so long to finish my CCAF degree? Algebra was what held me back all these years. Any number with an x or y beside it made absolutely no sense to me. That, and a healthy dose of procrastination, was my excuse. And an excuse is exactly what it was. Not until I got here to Charleston did I have a supervisor who continuously pushed me to further my off-duty education. Once I finally started going to classes again, the wheels were in motion and are still turning as I'm now going for my bachelor's degree.
Education will help you progress in your career. There's a block on your Enlisted Performance Report that considers off-duty education. Having your CCAF degree is now a requirement for senior NCOs to earn senior-rater endorsement for promotion. You can see how an education can make or possibly break your career when it comes to promotion consideration. In addition to EPRs, education is a strong bullet in a quarterly or annual award package. Often, it's the determining factor on who wins.
You say you don't have time to attend evening classes? No problem! Most colleges now offer online courses as well. This is one of the most convenient ways for you to continue your education. It allows you to take classes at times that are convenient for you as well as while you're deployed. And there's no better time to take classes and get your degree then while you're on active duty. Having the government pay 100 percent tuition assistance is an awesome benefit we currently enjoy.
Do you need another reason to further your education? Studies show that someone with a bachelor's degree makes approximately $25,000 more per year than someone with just a high school diploma. If you haven't looked at the job market requirements lately, most companies want a minimum of a bachelor's degree before they'll hire you. Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, I think it's safe to say we'd all enjoy a healthy salary once we separate or retire with a degree under our belts.
Whatever your reason for continuing your education, the most important thing to remember is to stick with it and finish it. Not only will a degree help you to grow professionally, it will go a long way in putting some extra change in your pocket once you start a second career.