Email   Print   Share By Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

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Soldiers and Family members study July 31 at the Learning Center located in the Education Services Division office on Fort Hood. At the center, Soldiers and Family members can receive tutoring, use computers and access manuals to help raise GT scores, prepare for the GRE and standardized tests, as well as find information to assist with obtaining a GED. The Learning Center sees an average of about 30 Soldiers each day, Kerry Sloan, a basic instructor at the center, said. When a Soldier comes in for help, Sloan gives the Soldier an assessment. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Spc. Robert Bennett is enjoying his military career, but also has his eye on one day teaching elementary education.

He was at Fort Hood’s Education Center in the Education Services Division July 31 to meet with counselor Ann Lindner and begin his journey toward a college degree.

Bennett was just one of dozens of Soldiers at the Education Center that day. Some were looking into college opportunities, others were working to raise their General Technical scores, and others were there to explore their educational opportunities to benefit them in both military and civilian sectors.

“Our mission is to provide quality education and make it available to all Soldiers and Family members,” Kathie Walsh, chief, counseling services at the Education Services Division, said.

Whether Soldiers are hoping to further their military skills or prepare themselves for the civilian job market, many of the answers they need are available at Education Services, located in Bldg. 33009, off Battalion Avenue.

For Bennett, his next step starts with classes at Central Texas College, completing his current term of service and re-enlisting for one more term.

“I plan to start at CTC with their pre-education program and eventually transfer to a four-year college,” the 41st Fires Brigade Soldier said.

When his current enlistment ends in March 2014, Bennett plans to re-enlist, but continue his college studies.

“I plan to get out of the Army with a bachelor’s degree,” he said.

Bennett attended one year of community college before joining the Army, and now he wants to continue his education. He said the noncommissioned officers in his unit helped lead him back to school.

“The NCOs in my unit are big into education – civilian and military – anything that can help,” Bennett said.

He is planning to start with classes held in an actual classroom, but Bennett is not ruling out taking some online courses as well.

As a guidance counselor, Lindner helped him navigate through his available education benefits, course options and other preparatory details before Bennett completed enrollment.

“Counselors are the key,” Walsh said.

At Fort Hood, 14 counselors are available to help Soldiers pursue military and civilian educational opportunities, learn how their military schools can translate into college credit, advise Soldiers about their educational benefits, and help focus future plans.

“We are looking out for the Soldiers’ best interest,” Walsh said.

For many Soldiers, like Bennett, those plans involve college.

Currently, six institutions of higher learning have memorandums of understanding with the Education Services Division, Walsh said. Those institutions have representatives in offices on-site to help Soldiers and Family members.

Other institutions visit post periodically to highlight their offerings during fairs and other visits.

Through it all, the counselors help Soldiers maintain a focus and set realistic goals and not get too locked in on a particular school or course of study, especially in the beginning.

“We talk to Soldiers and try to make them understand that they will probably change their minds on their degree or school,” Walsh said. “We encourage them to keep in mind the likelihood of that happening, and try to make sure they look at the long term and look at the curriculum.”

Junior NCOs often want an associate’s degree, Walsh said.

“That gives them a comfortable feel for staying in the military,” she said.

As the NCOs advance in the ranks, they tend to add to their education.

“Senior NCOs want bachelor’s degrees so they are ready for the outside,” Walsh said.

Soldiers exploring collegiate options can benefit from their various military schools since many of them count for college credit.

“As counselors, we help them figure out how to use their military credit,” Walsh said. “As an example, senior NCOs are usually about three-quarters of the way to a bachelor’s degree.”

One school, Excelsior College, counts all military credits, she added.

“We show them the big picture, and then help them focus,” Walsh said.

Still, other Soldiers stop by the Education Services Division to see how they can use their education benefits to help their Families.

Sgt. Jovito Deasis, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was at the Education Center looking into how to transfer his GI Bill benefits to his son.

Counselor Victor Soto was explaining the options and the process to Deasis. Soto said he is seeing more Soldiers take advantage of passing their benefits onto Family members.

With his son wanting to attend the University of Hawaii, the transfer option was an easy decision for Deasis.

“College is expensive,” he said. “If I can give these benefits to him, then the less I have to pay.”

Transferring education benefits to a Family member is still relatively new, but the Education Center also offers classes to educate Soldiers about all aspects of their GI Bill and other financial assistance opportunities.

Monthly and quarterly classes and briefings also include information about VA benefits, career planning, eBenefits and Reserve Officer Training Corps, Education Services Guidance Counselor David Walker said.

One upcoming event, NCO Military Evaluation Day, which will be held 9 a.m.-4p.m. Wednesday at the Ed Services Division, targets all NCOs.

Evaluations will be conducted by Army guidance counselors and representatives from Central Texas College, Excelsior College and

Texas A&M University Central Texas.

NCOs will need to bring in all of their college transcripts, enlisted record brief, Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS) transcript, Defense Language Proficiency Test scores, and other applicable documents, as well as a copy of the degree plan from their college.

During the NCO Military Evaluation Day, counselors will review documents in relation to an NCO’s degree plan to determine whether the potential credit could be applied toward their degree. This helps them understand what they may still be lacking to finish their degree, Walker said.

NCOs without a degree plan can meet with counselors and have their military documents reviewed and discuss potential degree and educational paths.

“We want to encourage Soldiers to focus on their military and personal career/educational goals. Established goals will help them plan the most appropriate educational routes to meet those goals,” Walker said. “We want to avoid assumptions, second- and third-hand information, and college recruiters telling them what they need. They should let their current employer (Army) and/or their future business/industry or potential employer identify the most appropriate degrees for the career that they are pursuing.”

For some Soldiers, the education path they select is more hands-on, in a trade or vocational program. Many of certificate programs were not covered by the GI Bill or tuition assistance, but a new program changes that.

The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, sponsored by the Veterans Administration and Department of Labor, offers up to 12 months of tuition assistance to veterans enrolled in a VP-approved program offered by a community college or technical school. At Fort Hood, the Education Services Division is working with CTC to get certifications.

The focus is on Soldiers whose service term is slated to end in one year and with those who are two years from retirement, Walsh added, and is targeted to try to get Soldiers hands-on skills.

“It’s going to be a very good program,” she said.

Staff at the Education Services Division can also help Soldiers with their military career progression.

Pfc. Alejandro Acosta, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, was at the Education Services’ Learning Center working to raise his General Technical Score in hopes of transferring to Special Forces or becoming a Ranger.

Kerry Sloan, a basic instructor at the Learning Center, gave

Acosta practice tests to assess where his strengths and weaknesses are. Sloan can then help Acosta focus his studies to improve his scores.

The young Soldier said he was happy for the opportunity to be at the center working toward his goal.

“It feels good just knowing I’m studying again,” Acosta said.

Sloan said he sees an average of about 30 Soldiers each day.

In addition to tutoring to raise GT Scores, the Learning Center also offers help and study materials for standardized college entrance exams, Graduate Record Examinations, remedial learning and other training classes.

The second half of the Learning Center is a computer lab where Soldiers can take tests, complete online training and access AKO courses. They also can print, scan, copy and email with no appointment.