Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 7/5/2009

Question
I am looking at joining the Army or joining the Army Reserves & doing Army ROTC at college. I want a 4 year degree sooner than later. Do you think the second option is a better choice? IS it really hard to do college while being an enlisted solider

Answer
Dear Marshall --

You have many options available to you.  Each option has advantages and disadvantages.  Depending on your personal strengths one option might work out better than another.

If you are highly qualified, under 25 years of age, and unmarried, the fastest way to a degree and service in the Army is to apply to the United States Military Academy at West Point.  Since this year's class has already started, you would have to apply for the class of 2014, which will begin in the late Spring of 2010.  Your education is essentially free, and you will graduate as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.  You will owe the Army 8 years combined active and reserve service before you can resign your commission.

If you do not qualify for West Point, you could enlist for the active Army now, and possibly earn an enlistment bonus.  You could then attend college nights or weekends.  Getting a bachelors degree this way is a long, slow process, but many Soldiers do get their degrees this way.  The military provides tuition assistance that helps pay for your credits hours each semester.  You must work with your chain of command to ensure they support your college attendance, and annotate the duty roster so you do not get night or weekend duty, when you need to be in school.  Finally, once you are within one year of completing your degree, you can apply for degree completion, and, if accepted, you can go to school full time for that one academic year to complete your degree.

You can enlist in the reserves and go to school full time and serve part time.  This is another fast way to get your degree.  The disadvantages are that you must really use your time wisely as a weekend a month and two weeks each summer, you must serve while your classmates are studying, working, or having fun.  If your time management skills are not the best, this will be a difficult option.  Further, not all reserve positions guarantee you will not deploy while you are in college. If you choose this option, be sure you get in writing that you are exempt from deployment as long as you are a student in good standing at your college.

A similar option is to be in ROTC and serve as a reservist.  This was called the "Simultaneous Military Program" (SMP) in the past.  Like the above option, you will serve in your reserve unit one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer, but you will also get officer training during the school year, and in the summer between your junior and senior year of college.  In this option you will be commissioned as a second lieutenant when you graduate from college and complete your ROTC training.  If the SMP is still an option, you will be exempted from deployment with your reserve unit while you are a student in good standing at your college, and in your ROTC battalion.

Please write back, if you have additional questions or concerns.  Good luck to you.