Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 7/17/2009

Question
Dear Colonel Bedell. First, and foremost, thank you for your service to our country, and for volunteering to answer questions here. My question is related to a conversation I had with an Army Special Ops Captain who was seated next to me on a recent flight. In our discussion, I was telling him about my son who recently graduated from Army OCS, and was branched Engineer. He mentioned that the Army had a program that paid for a Masters degree from Oxford. Is there indeed a program? If so, what are the qualifications and prerequisites?
Thank you.

Answer
Dear Tim --

The Army supports applying for the Rhodes scholarship, and will allow superior performing junior officers to attend Oxford College for a two year degree.  The officer must apply according to the application requirements of their bachelors degree conferring institution.  The officer should also ensure that the Army will support their move to the UK and attendance at Oxford for two years.  Your son may already have a service obligation that precludes him from applying and attending during the timeframe allowed by his university.  

You can see the Rhodes Scholarship application at the following website: http://www.rhodesscholar.org/application

The Army also supports the Marshall scholars program allowing attendance at any university in the UK for two years.  The Army has an internal scholarship program, the Olmstead Scholarship, that allows junior military officers to attend universities around the world, and learn a foreign language.  The Olmstead Scholarship looks to attain cultural immersion as an aid to intercultural understanding.

Finally, if your son continues in the military, he can apply for full time civil schooling to get his masters degree, or Ph.D. in a field the Army requires.  Science and engineering are particularly sought after degrees, but there are openings in all fields of study.  He can begin applying for these programs in his 5th year of military service.

Please write back, if you have additional questions.  Thank your son for his service and wish him the best of luck from me.