Active duty United States Marine with six months to graduating with a Masters, and looking at following on with a PHD in Human Services.  I absolutely cannot afford the burden of taking on more loans for post graduate work on military pay, and have had absolutely no luck in finding stipends, grants, or scholarships that I qualify for.  I am extremely worried about accruing anymore debt even if I should decide to get out of the Marine Corps... the Human Services field and law enforcement in general is not a place you become rich.  The "free ride" the military promises through college expenses is a myth.  Here are my educational stats:\n\nB.S. GPA - 3.56 - Criminal Justice Administration\nM.S. GPA - 3.78 - Administration of Justice & Security\n\nI'm not asking for a handout.  I'm willing to center my dissertation topic on an area of original research in the human services field on behalf of my sponsor in exchange for sponsorship.  If anyone has any suggestions, I'm at the end of my rope.
215404
U.S marines kill iraqi's every day / GO TO HELL CHILD KILLER
645757
I googled this:\n\n\nhttp://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalinfo/ht/dischargeupgrad.htm\n\n\nThe article mentions hiring an experienced attorney.
660287
My parents didn't help me. first i went to a junior college and financial aid paid for some of it, i got a job at the school but mostly i borrowed money- loans. Now i go to a community college and it's about 2,200 per semester plus about 400 for books, lucky me financial aid and tap pays for it. Maybe it's too late to apply for a scholarship but not for grants, try getting your GPA up and try to get a scholarship for the next semester. Or get a job to help you out. But one thing is for sure, education is important and you can always pay you're loans back after you graduate and if you don't find a job after wards they will defer (meaning you don't have to pay it) until you get a job. So i say, go to school.
21036
I stated off as a Education Major but changed in the middle and all the classes that I took transferred over to criminal Justice.  You could also try ride along with your local law enforcement that might give you a better insight.  Some cities also offer a program where you are junior reroute and get to learn all about it.
49420
The Navy, Army, and Marines all have programs like this.  But you must sign up for 4 years of service one you've finished school.  They pay for school and also give you amonthly stipend of around 1000.  It's a great deal if you don't mind serving when you're done.  You'd have to check on their age requirements.
236997
Have you checked at the financial aid office? They would know exactly what you would qualify for. Also make sure to fill out fee waivers each and every semester. Congratulations on your sobriety and good luck with your education. You have A LOT to be proud of and grateful for!
591211
E-5 is ok pay. Have you been in the service awhile? Civilian pay is always going to be much better. But you have to balance the fact that you don't have any major bills in the service either. Do you have GI Bill? I went back to school after 6 years in the service. Not only do you get full financial aid (because you probably won't be rich - but maybe you are?), but the GI Bill kicks in $1000+ per month for a full time student. That is your money, you spend it as you like. Then you could get a job doing whatever you wanted.\n\nFYI: here in Utah Union Pacific was hiring RR people just to run transfers and do yard work, and they were starting in the $40K's.\n\nAnyways, hope this is helpful, and good luck to you!
562493
Funny I was just reading a report yesterday that said that there were like 268 bad conduct discharges that were appealed last year.  Only one was "upgraded".  If you still have your DD-214 see what the R number is down in the bottom corner, that is what really counts.  I am told that senators are the point of contact to try to improve this, however being senators I am sure you will not get far with them.  Good luck, I would start by writting or emailing your local house rep. and Senator.  If you do not hear anything after a few weeks, then start calling and being a pest.  I do not know how much effort I would waste on this though.  I have seen people with horrible discharges get some really great jobs, as long as they were not gov. contracts or needed security clearences.
297229
bury your skeletons deep. have a high school diploma. I forget the score, but the asvab score for admission to the Corps is a lot higher than any other branch. Ever take Ritalin? If so, how long? 5 years or more is a disqualifier. Ever been convicted of a crime? Which crime? Some misdemeanors are felonies under the UCMJ. DWI is one such. Write bad checks? How many? 5 convictions of worthless check is a disqualifier. Ever attempted suicide? Ever used illegal or illicit drugs? What is your body fat index? Can you run 2 miles in under 13 minutes? 20 pull ups is max on pft. Can you do 1? And here's the biggie. If you could be ANYTHING in the world, what would it be? If you just answered anything other than US MARINE, forget it.
280614
First I will address the last part of your question. "It is an extremely expensive school that I can not and don't even wanna afford". OK, well then just don't go! What are you doing going to a school you say you can't afford and don't even want to go too? Nobody can force you to do something you don't want to do! Just don't do it. Do something you can really find enjoyment and satisfaction with. life is a one time project, you get one shot at it, so why would you want to be miserable while you are here? \n\nNow, the first part of your question: No you can not negotiate with a financial aid officer. There are certain programs, such as grants and student loans and other such programs designed to assist those who wish to work towards and attain higher education. If you do not qualify, you just don't quality. There are certian rules that have to be followed in deciding who is eligable for what. Usually many types of grants are determined by income levels. If you exceed the levels you do not qualify. You income level also determines how much grant you may receive. The less income the more grant money, but only up to a certain level. Grants will not pay for all of the expense of going to college, especially at expensive colleges. Now, if you were to be awarded a full scholarship, that is a differant story. There are differant types of scholarships with differant types of expectations you have to meet in order to keep them. Acedemic scholarships will require you to maintian a high grade point average and perhaps some other activity as well. Athletic scholarships require you to play the sport in which you won the scholarhship and maintain a certain grade point average, usually a C. If you don't you lose it and have to leave school unless you can pay for it yourself. If you could you would not have needed a scholarship. \n\nSo, first off don't make life miserable by doing something you really don't want to do. Secondly , don't go in to the meeting thinking you are in controll of anything as you are not. The financial aid officer is there doing you a favor of assisting you in funding your education. Now if you don't know how to tell your folks you just don't want to attain higher education at that school or anywhere else, go in with an attitude make demands and then I bet you just may find yourself escorted to the door without any assistance. \n\nI really hope you find the courage to go for what you want to do in your own life and not bow down to the pressures of others, no matter how well meaning or loving they are. Please remember, they may wish the best for you and want to see you suceed and do well, but it really needs to be in somthing you enjoy. Perhaps you are just not ready for college yet, are immature and need to play for a while untill you feel ready to get down to the business of living lfe as an adult. If this is the case don't waste anybodies time who loves you. If you are going to sabatoge the good anybody is trying to provide you just don't do it. You will do yourself and those who love you a  favor by telling the truth about how you feel.\n\nSure they may be upset for a while and maybe even disapointed. But this is your life and it is your journey, so it is you who needs to decide exactly what you want and when you want to work for it. Just remember there are no free rides in this life and there may be regretts down the road that you did not take advantage of your younger years to attain an education. But don't do anything just because somebody else wants you too. Even if it is in your best interests, it is still your life and you have to live it.\n\nI have raised eight children and I want them to be happy, whatever it is that will bring them happiness. Some have taken the college road and others differant roads. What is important is it is what they want. perhaps one day those who did not go will want to go or will regret not going. But it has be
402183
I will give you my perspective.. Keep in mind you asked for the Cons – so here it is;\n\nThe Treatment:\nI was Active for 4 years, got out - and joined the reserves. Then I reenlisted in the reserves - which looking back was a mistake (for me personally). We deployed for 16 months, and were treated pretty poorly during the deployment by our active duty counterparts... We were constantly told we weren't held to the same standards - yet as a whole we were far more educated (27 Bachelor, 11 Masters, and 2 Phd's - just in our enlisted ranks of less than 80 people), we scored much higher on the APFT, and were more efficient in our MOS and tasks. I have been on both sides of the fence - and to me the active component were the ones substandard.\n\nThere is a stereo-type with guard and reserve units - probably because some have given their units a bad rap (abu ghraib for example). With that said - it is going to depend greatly on the reserve unit you join. Some are good, some aren't. \n\nDeployments:\nDespite the deployment, it took me twice as long to finish my Master's - short notice alerts, short notice deployment (we had about 12 days notice that we would be gone for a year - that later turned to 16 months). There were a lot of business owners and contractors in the unit that lost their  a s s  too - being deployed meant a fraction of their normal income. \n\nBenefits:\nYou get college benefits while you are in the reserves, and the GI Bill if you contract for it - but often school is extremely hard to balance with the reserve schedule. Student Loan repayment is another whopper they try to entice you with; but what they don't tell you is that SLRP is only paid $1500 per year, and it is taxable income! So in affect - if you contract for a $10000 SLRP, you actually get less than $5000 when you compute long term interest and taxable income. \n\nPost Deployment Benefits:\nThe benefits you receive AFTER a deployment are really substandard. Hopefully you do not incur long term injuries - because to get any decent medical care you will need to fork it out of your pocket. The transitional assistance is the biggest joke I have ever seen.\n\nRetirement:\nLastly - should you decide to make some sort of career out of it.. The retirement for a reservist is....let's just say - the biggest joke. You would be better off depositing $25 a month in a high risk stock option, transferring into a moderate risk IRA at age 35 and rolling all the interest. Basically the retirement does not even calculate as a motive to join, plus you can not draw it until age 65.\n\nLeadership:\nSometimes can be good, sometimes not - like anything else in life, knowledge is power. It's always an interesting environment when the enlisted Soldiers in a company are better educated than their leadership - especially the active duty leadership. You will often get those 'ring knockers' with no experience or common sense in charge of you. Be prepared as an enlisted Soldier to constantly have to keep tabs on the common sense ticker of your officers - they always need help, and aren't the sharpest tools in shed. But on a side note - it's fun to debate with them to reveal just how deep their ignorance goes. Just keep in mind that often knuckle heads put knuckle heads in charge - and you have to live with that.\n\nLet’s not even go in to what happens when you have poor political leadership and elected officials at the top that are abusive to the rights of a citizen Soldier...Separate debate.\n\nLastly:\nWe have been back less than a year and are already facing another call-up! Those that planned on getting out to get on with their life have been Stop Loss (a convenient way to keep you past you ETS date), better known as the backdoor draft. \n\n\nSo in summary;\nShort notice alerts and long deployments\nPoor treatment on deployment\nLeadership...um yeah\nBenefits you will find little time to use\nSubstandard benefits after deployment\nR
551316
What is SPM.  Is that like HS? You look into the Service to pay for your medical school.  I've known of a few doctors who only had to join the Military for 6 yrs after medical school in exchange for all there bills paid.  Not a bad deal.  My nephew did it and loved it.
593972
You will probably be a better student now than you would have been right out of high school.  You're more highly motivated, and I'm sure your stint in the Marines taught you a lot about self-discipline.  Many (most, I would think) colleges have programs to assist returning students or students who feel they need some extra help.   \nI myself got a graduate degree 26 years after I graduated from college and exactly 30 years after my high school graduation.  I had some fears myself about getting back into a school groove, but I really had no problems because this was something I really wanted.  \nI work in a college now, and I can tell you that I'd be very happy to have someone like you as a student.   You're going to do great!
628880
.First of all, there is no such thing as a sponsor for college.  You can apply for scholarships.  Contact A&M and find out what scholarships are available for your intended major and apply for them.  I hate to burst your bubble, but unless you kick butt in sports--no one is going to offer you a free ride at a major university. I would suggest that you continue at the community college and earn an associate’s degree and then transfer over to A&M.  More then likely, you will have to take out federal student loans to help pay for your education.  Federal student loans are not bad.  I myself had to take 24K out to help cover the cost of my schooling.  You do not make payments while in school.  Once you leave or graduate from school, you have six months before you have to start repayment. If you are having trouble landing a good job, you can apply for forbearance or deferment.  That will give you a year without payments or reduced payments.  I struggled to get money up for school; after the first year at community college, I decided the debt was worth it to go to a real university.  There is no fairy god mother to help you; she's too busy gushing over the quarterback of the local high school football team.  It sucks that the jocks get the free ride, while people like us with the "A" average have to go into debt.  \nCheck out: www.ed.gov .  Find the section that is for students.  There you will find a link to the federal financial aid programs.  Good luck
272646
OK Check this out, 4 year scholarships are for some unknown reason hard to get, probably because everyone applies for them right out of high school and because of that they can raise their standards to whatever they want.\n\n2 and 3 year scholarships are given out by the PMS (professor of Military Science) a LTC at each school.  So go to college, take the first year ROTC classes and you WILL get a 3 year scholarship.\n\nIf you are in it for the money you can do what I did and enlist in the National Guard and get a 2 year scholarship in the SMP Program (simultaneous membership program).  There is a chance you will deploy during the first 2 years but when you become a Scholarship Cadet you can not be deployed but the gives you more college money than the 3 year scholarship (or did when I went to school)
434247
I've been enlisted, trying to go back in as an officer.  If you go officer, you submit a wish list with 10 mos's (jobs) on it. The way it works for ocs is the top of their class gets their first picks... rolls down from there. ROTC is similar. MI/Aviation are the two hardest to get into. If you are siting behind a desk all the time as an officer chances are so are the enlisted under you. Yes, officers are more like managers, but depending on the mos they are right in the thick of things with you. More money as an officer. Better enlistement bonuses for enlisted. No idea about the language..   My opininon, go to rotc, get your degree, go in as an officer. if it's not your cup of tea, you have the degree to fall back on. - good luck     /salute
320756
Ok I am to assume that you have already joined...so with that in mind do you already have an MOS assigned? or job? If not make sure the recruiter is aware of your primary int erst and get EVERYTHING put in your contract!!! The recruiter will promise you the world, but when you get to that first duty station or even school, if it isn't in your contract you got screwed! Also have a game plan. The military will pay for college at 100% now there are many ways to do that either attending school before actual service, during  or after by using the GI bill. I suggest before or during so that you actually have a place to eat and sleep while attending otherwise after you might already be married and with child and car pmts, etc and it will be too hard to focus on school when you need income.... also check with your education office as soon as you check in get knowledge of your benefits, because they won't offer unless you ask...