by Ted Sherman

Created on: February 13, 2007   Last Updated: April 13, 2007

I agree that part-time military service is one way to get a college degree, so let's look at a bit of history on the subject. It's nothing new, and goes back to before the Revolutionary War. Major George Washington was in command of a company of Virginia Militia, part-time soldiers who fought in the French and Indian Wars in the 1760s. Captain Abe Lincoln led a company of Illinois volunteers during the 1840s. Many National Guard and state militia units fought in the Civil War on both sides. The famed Rainbow Division in WWI was composed of National Guard units from both North and South. During World War I, Captain Harry S Truman served as leader of a Missouri National Guard artillery unit.

Securing a college education for part-time government service started in the 1930s with the creation of the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps. Although military training was a minor part of the plan, many young men who did CCC time found it helped them get favorable Army treatment when WWII started. Many non-coms and officers of the fast-growing US Army in the early 1940s came from the ranks of the CCC.

The ROTC provided young men (and later women) with free college education and much more during WWI and continues until now. They have formed the bulk of officers in all services, especially during WWII, when the Armed Services grew exponentially from less than a million in 1940 to more than 12 million by war's end in 1945.

Despite growing public sentiment against military service that started during the 1960s and is heating up again with another unpopular war, joining the ROTC, Reserves or National Guard is still the most practical way for a student with limited financial resources to get a college degree with considerable financial support. It was my personal experience to become a member of the Naval Reserve to pay my way through college. Upon graduation I was called up for active duty and served for two years. I was satisfied that I did the right thing, not only for my personal gain, but also to serve my country.

Although my situation, good or bad, can't be compared with anyone else's, I certainly agree with those who propose every person about to enter college or is already a student should do a thorough check of both the positives and negatives. The choices include either serving full time in the military for several years to accumulate tuition money, or joining an ROTC unit or a branch of the Reserves or National Guard while pursuing a college degree.

Whatever your choice, good luck!

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