GI Bill and Military Education

ONLINE MILITARY EDUCATION
The Internet Brings College Home

There's no doubt that a college education is a powerful tool for both active soldiers and veterans. However, for many veterans, traditional classroom education just isn't an option. Physical disabilities, re-adjustment stress, careers, and spending time with family often take precedence over pursuing a degree in higher education.

Thanks to the internet, online education is making college a reality for military vets and active duty members who would otherwise consider it impossible. Online education has given thousands of vets and active duty soldiers the opportunity to expand their capabilities and their job opportunities, on their own schedule.

The number of service members pursuing online degrees is increasing dramatically, according to Jones International University, an internet-exclusive institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. At JIU, which has over 2000 students, about 350 current or former military soldiers are enrolled in the degree program. With today's expanded GI Education Bill, it is becoming even easier for veterans and qualified military family members to pursue a college education, even while deployed overseas.

In 2007, members of the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force took over 710,000 online and traditional college courses. About 50 percent of active duty service members who received tuition reimbursement from the Department of Defense are taking college courses online.

Most importantly, online education allows veterans to maximize their time to pursue a degree, hold a job and spend more time with family, especially veterans adjusting to home life after military deployment.

And military deployment doesn't mean online education has to stop. Thanks to the flexibility and freedom of online education, active duty military can even keep up with their classwork while stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Today's online universities are continually expanding their online education programs to accommodate military service members, offering the chance to pursue higher education even in hectic schedules that juggle military, professional, and personal lives.

There are many universities with online programs that accommodate military service members and veterans. Look into all the online educational opportunities; you'll find them listed here on the Military Hub website.