Balancing Life and Education While Being a Part of a Military Family: A Guide to Navigating Higher Education for the Military Spouse

(Hardback)

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Military spouse education is an often overlooked topic. With the proliferation of service member programs and benefits, and the spotlight on them, it is not uncommon for spouses to neglect looking into their own educational opportunities and benefits. The hectic life of a military family also often complicates the process of attending an institution of higher education, for spouses. There are numerous programs and benefits that a spouse may have access to, but they are difficult to find and navigate properly. Balancing Life and Education While Being a Part of a Military Family: A Guide to Navigating Higher Education for the Military Spouse attempts to highlight these possibilities and inform and assure this population that attaining an education is possible regardless of location or current circumstances. Numerous programs and benefits are described, as well as the best way to go about using them. Detailed instructions are illustrated to make the process of obtaining an education easier and to give spouses more confidence in pursing their own education. In addition, the specific considerations of military family life are addressed along with these instructions. Education is really important, and a lot of times military spouses arent aware of the opportunities and resources available to them to pursue it. The authors of From the Navy to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education and From the Army to College: Transitioning from the Service to Higher Education have put together a clear guidebook will make the process easy, accessible, and understandable. They offer clear advice and information about resources available to spouses of service members, creating a go-to guide for pursuing higher education.

Reviews

Moving frequently and living in remote areas can make it difficult for military spouses to obtain a college degree. Additionally, spouses manage the household and family while the military member is deployed for extended time periods. Coauthors Ventrone, Paul Karczewski, and Robert W. Blue Jr., who have previously collaborated (Ventrone and Karczewski on From the Army to College; Ventrone and Blue on From the Navy to College), here call upon their experience counseling military members and their families to outline the numerous programs available. Their book offers a framework for achieving a college education despite the obstacles. Readers will develop a clear understanding of the various types of higher education, the importance of finding credits to transfer, and an understanding of the benefits and pitfalls of online coursework. The descriptions of federal and state programs, especially how to transfer GI Bill benefits to family members, will be welcomed by anyone pondering how to afford tuition. VERDICT ... The focus on military spouses will be appreciated by counselors and loved ones of servicemen and -women. * Library Journal *
It's all within the pages of this book, Balancing Life and Education While Being a Part of a Military Family: A Guide to Navigating Higher Education for the Military Spouse to take anyone in reaching for those professional and personal goals while living the mobile military lifestyle. You will learn how to find valuable resources from this team of experts; create a custom-fit plan for education and career success; and lastly, cut through the online-clutter -- no more wondering which information to trust and second guessing where to start! -- Rosette M. Obedoza, MSEd, MHR, Founder & Principal Consultant, www.zensavvymomma.com; Co-Founder, www.overseascentral.com; Founder, Early Learners International School
If you are a military dependent (AD or Veteran) or know someone who is...You need this book! Do NOT reinvent the wheel! With great articulation, honesty, and a touch of wit, Jillian, Robert, and Paul take the search for educational benefits and break it down Barney style. This is a step by step guide to help you strategically plan your education/career journey no matter where you're located or what stage of the journey you may be in; helping you get the most bang for your buck. An amazing resource! -- Marcy Carter, Spouse of a Marine Gunner, CWO-3 USMC/Retired
A comprehensive and detailed guide for military spouses seeking to begin or increase their education. The section explaining the reality behind "potential for field growth" statistics was particularly helpful and eyeopening. With both military and civilian resources on nearly every page, explanations and guidance covering everything from applications to commutes to state requirements and regulations, this book is an essential for military spouses of 1 day to 30 years. -- Dvija Maurer, Managing Editor at Relobase.com, and Marine Corps Spouse
Jillian Ventrone is the authority and preeminent expert on military educational benefits, resources, and services. Balancing Life and Education While Being Part of a Military Family: A Guide to Navigating Higher Education for the Military Spouse covers every question and concern any spouse could have in regards to higher education. This book is thorough, well organized, and provides excellent resources. As a spouse of an active duty Marine with 13 plus years of service, and having served as a civilian Family Readiness Officer for the United States Marine Corps for over 8 years, I highly recommend this book to any military spouse. This book is enormously helpful and invaluable to those looking to pursue their educational goals. -- Jaime Farrell, United States Marine Corps civilian Family Readiness Officer and Marine Corps spouse

Author Bio

Jillian Ventrone is a higher education counselor for service members aboard a federal installation, working with Marines and their families to help them transition to education or to other professions. She is the go-to expert for professional advice for service members and dependents who want to successfully transition into higher education. She writes for the base Education Newsletter monthly and has articles published in the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium publication and the Military Press Magazine. Paul Karczewski has lived in Army communities for the majority of his life. After growing up the son of an Army career NCO he chose to give back to the same community that had helped shape the person he is today. He jumped at the opportunity to work with service members in a variety of downrange locations as an Education Counselor and instantly knew he wanted to continue to serve soldiers in this capacity. Once coming back home he now guides transitioning service members in navigating the often complex and confusing world of higher education. Robert W. Blue has been a civilian education and career counselor for the military since 2001, working in the San Diego area on Navy and Marine Corps bases providing higher education services to Marines and sailors of all ranks, from junior enlisted to admiral. He has been responsible for setting up college programs, including classroom instruction, on dozens of U.S. Navy ships. His duties have included marketing, writing, and editing education newsletters for four different bases. Counseling one-on-one or in large group formats, he assists sailors, Marines, and dependent family members with pursuing their higher education goals. Before his career as a civilian educator for the military, he served 24 years with the U.S. Navy. For most of that time, his assigned duties were as a military career counselor and an educational services officer, helping sailors pursue vocational certifications and college programs through stateside bases, overseas duty stations, or on ships in the fleet. The U.S. Navy assisted him in attaining a United Services Military Apprenticeship Program Department of Labor certificate in counseling, an associates degree, and a bachelors degree. Through the GI Bill, he also obtained two masters degrees completed aboard military bases.