CPL JAMES GULLIVER

Sgt Charles N. Swope, a recon Marine with 1st Recon Bn, earned his MBA, completing part of his degree while on his two deployments to Afghanistan. Swope
plans to transition into the civilian workforce in May.

The Few. The Proud. The Educated.

By Sgt Charles N. Swope

s our nations premier fghting

force, we exclusively label our
selves The Few and the Proud.
And, existing within the ranks of our
illustrious Corps is another rare breed:
those pursuing a higher education. Accord
ing to Pat Jeffress, educational ser vices
offcer and branch manager at Ma rine
Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Joint
Education Center (JEC), less than 15
percent of Marines were enrolled in ac
credited degree programs last year, and
only 1 percent successfully graduated.
Most Marines believe that adding off
duty education to the constant struggle
of balancing military duties and personal
affairs is too daunting a task to accomplish.
However, Marines of 1st Reconnaissance
Battalion are challenging that assumption
and proving that a higher education is still
within reach, despite having a highly con
centrated training schedule, multiple com
bat deployments and arduous family
obligations.

54

LEATHERNECK APRIL 2014

Can I Earn a Degree While Serving?

As a recon Marine with 1st Reconnais
sance Bn, I can testify from frsthand
experience that earning a collegeand
even graduatedegree is entirely possible
while serving in the most challenging of
military billets. While a lance corporal
in the infantry, I took my frst college class
online in Iraq by using an Ethernet cable
running from a local Internet caf down
the street. Thirteen months later, I earned
an Associate of Arts in general studies
from the University of Phoenix.
After graduating from the Basic Recon
naissance Course, I continued to pursue
my education. In 2010, I deployed to Af
ghanistan where my team and I conducted
deep reconnaissance, covert ambushes,
battleshaping, clandestine surveillance

and heliborne interdiction operations

behind enemy lines. In spite of the inten
sity of the deployment, I still managed to
attend online classes between missions.
After my return to garrison life at Camp
Pendleton, I graduated with a Bachelor
of Science in management.
I recognized that the opportunity to
continue my education existed, so I en
rolled in an online Master of Business
Administration program at Northeastern
University in 2011.
Three months later, however, I deployed
to Afghanistan again where my team and
I participated in missions similar to those
in 2010. Determined to facilitate my aca
demic goals, I attended multiple graduate
level courses between combat operations.
The pressure to per form academically,

The pressure to perform academically, even mere hours after

engaging in heavy combat with the enemy, was incredibly intense.
Yet, I persisted.
www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck

even mere hours after engaging in heavy

combat with the enemy, was incredibly
intense. Yet, I persisted.
Finally, in December 2013, nearly six
years after taking my frst online course,
I fnished my graduate-level education and
will walk at Northeastern Universitys
com mencement ceremony in Boston in
May. My accomplishment demonstrates
that Marines of all grades and billets are
capable of pursuing their academic goals.
Even with the rigorous demands of being
in the military, it can be done.
Achieving Your Educational Goals
The academically successful Marines
of 1st Recon Bn agree that a method for
tackling educational goals is to determine
what you enjoy studying, create a plan of
action and see it through until the end.
Pursuing your education is like doing
anything else in the Marine Corps, said
Staff Sergeant John White of Headquarters
and Service Company. You start the planning process, obtain the information you
need, enroll in a program and make it
happen. But, you have to want it bad enough
to get it done!
White, an online student at American
Military University since 2011, will graduate in early 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts
in business administration. His decision
to attend AMU was based on regional accreditation, fexibility of class scheduling,
affordability and admission requirements.
Since AMU allowed White to apply the
30 Navy SMART credits he earned from
attending military schools, he didnt have
to take a single elective during his program. Equally exciting, Marine Corps
Tuition Assistance (TA) paid for nearly
the entire cost of tuition.
Claiming that his biggest accomplishment isnt just earning a four-year degree,
White stated, The fact that I will earn
this degree while serving in a demanding
billet within the most elite battalion in
the Marine Corps is something I will be
proud of for the rest of my life. Depending
on its future availability, White plans to
continue using TA to fund a graduate
program immediately after completing
his undergrad degree since he transferred
his GI Bill to his wife. She currently is
pursuing a masters degree.
Several other Marines assigned to 1st
Recon Bn are proving that a demanding
military profession and off-duty education
can coexist. Sergeant Dan McFarland of Co
A is a recon Marine and scout sniper who
studied online at the University of Phoenix
while deployed to Afghanistan in 2012.
On more than one occasion, McFarland
engaged in direct combat with enemy
www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck

Above: Sgt Charles N. Swope, 1st Recon Bn, provides security during a training exercise at Marine Corps
Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 9. (Photo by Cpl James Gulliver)
Below: Sgt Swope participates in an online graduate-level course at Northeastern University after
returning from a frefght with enemy forces in Sangin, Afghanistan, 2011. Swope earned an associate
degree, as well as his bachelors and masters degrees during his eight years of service and three
combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. (Photo courtesy of Alex Barlow)

forces only to return to Camp Leatherneck

and resume coursework toward a Bachelor
of Science in management.
Perseverance, McFarland said, ... is
the only word to describe what it takes.
Honor graduate of his class at Scout
Sniper Basic Course in Camp Pendleton,
McFarland referenced a portion of the
Recon Creed as his motivation for academic success. To be a Recon Marine is
to surpass failure; to overcome, to adapt
and to do whatever it takes to complete
the mission. Expected to graduate in

2015, McFarland is thankful that TA has

covered his entire cost of tuition to date.
Career planner and online student at
National University, Sgt Marcos Valentin
has received numerous accolades for his
military performance, including the 2013
Division Career Planner of the Year
Award. Valentin spends about 70 hours
per week at his offce working on reenlistment packages and extensions in
support of the Marines at 1st Recon Bn.
Its hard work, he said, but the reward
is worth it. Similar to everything else in
APRIL 2014 LEATHERNECK

55

the Marine Corps, you just have to buckle

down and get it done. Working most
weekends and holidays, Valentin still
manages to write papers and participate
in discussions in pursuit of a Bachelor of
Science in allied health. He expects to
graduate in 2014.
Corporal Bobby Jackson, a maintenance
management noncommissioned offcer
with H&S Co, recently fnished his third
course at Central Texas Community
College. Im addicted, he said. I already
feel that this education is improving every
area of my life, and I like it. Jacksons
overall experience with CTCC has been
very good so far. The class is full of
Marines, so we all understand one another.
And, the course facilitators are willing to
work one-on-one with you in areas you
fnd challenging, such as math.
After checking into 1st Recon Bn in
2012, Jackson dedicated his time to becoming a better Marine. Off-duty education motivates Marines to perform
better at their military duties, Jackson
said. Since starting school, Ive been
recognized for high performance, and I
credit this success in part to the education
I have received in my off-time.
A few months after starting a Bachelor
of Arts in education, Jackson received
a Meritorious Mast and a promotion to
corporal. I just fnd it hard to believe
that other Marines cant fnd time to do
it, he said. If Marines in this battalion
are somehow managing to earn masters
degrees, there is no reason why others
arent earning theirs. Cpl Jackson plans
to graduate in 2017.

Beneft to the Corps

Commanders should note that Marines
receiving a higher education display an
increased quality of work, utilize technology more effectively and successfully
build and lead teams. Possessing refned
communication skills, those Marines are
highly profcient at teaching classes to
large audiences and presenting briefs to
the command element. Those who are successful in achieving their academic goals
exhibit the requisite level of com mitment

CPL JAMES GULLIVER

Cpl Bobby Jackson, a maintenance supervisor

with 1st Recon Bn, does classwork at the Joint
Education Center, MCB Camp Pendleton, Calif.,
Jan. 14. Jackson is one of many Marines in the
battalion completing college courses while on
active duty.

and persistence for leading Marines in

hostile and demanding environments.
Taking classes early in my career increased my capacity for learning and
en hanced my appreciation for different
cultures and religions. While attending
history and world religion courses during
counterinsurgency operations in Iraq, I
used my education to engage the local
population and build relationships in our
area of operation. I also became more
confdent at public speaking, generating
successful efforts to train Iraqi soldiers
and police effectively through formal periods of instruction.
While serving as a reconnaissance element leader, graduate-level management
courses improved my ability to motivate
and lead my Marines studying International business gave me an advanced
perspective on global issues and the macroenvironment encompassing Afghanistans
complex and volatile nature. Education
gave me the ability to connect with the
average Afghan on a personal level and
sometimes obtain highly relevant information regarding the enemy during tactical questioning and interviews.
Further, my ability in writing reports and
constructing PowerPoint presentations,
honed in higher-education courses, proved
vital to our teams success in forwarding
information requirements and completing
the mission.
All things considered, the Marine Corps
investment in my education was returned

Marines receiving a higher education display an increased

quality of work, utilize technology more effectively
and successfully build and lead teams.

56

LEATHERNECK APRIL 2014

in the form of improved processes, unit

development and operational success.
Obtaining a higher education is a personal
achievement that not only yields an improved individual, but advances the Marine Corps through the development of
better Marines.
Funding and Benefts
After Marines realize that they do have
the potential to achieve a higher education,
some may conclude that the fnancial obligations tied to college are too strenuous.
Indeed, expensive price tags usually do
come attached to distance-learning programs, especially at the graduate level.
Fortunately, the Marine Corps offers a
list of benefts available to signifcantly
lower, and in some cases completely eliminate, the cost of a higher education.
Marine Corps Tuition Assistance is
available for Marines who are eligible
for promotion with more than two years
of service. Each Marine is permitted to
receive up to $4,500 per fscal year at a
rate of $250 per semester credit hour or
$166 per quarter credit hour. Marines
interested in using TA must either possess
a GT score of 100 or receive a score of
10.2 or higher on the Test of Adult Basic
Education (TABE). Marines also must
complete the Personal Finance Marine
Corps Institute course and College 101,
a TA orientation class, either at their base
education offce or online for Marines in
remote locations.
The main caveat to TA is its fuctuating
availability. Students inevitably will fnd
the process unpredictable, especially as the
Department of Defense budget continues
to change.
According to Pat Jeff ress, from Camp
Pendletons Joint Education Center, the
www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck

The Yellow Ribbon Program was developed to aid students using the Post-9/11
GI Bill. Not all institutions elect to participate in the program and the contributions that participating institutions offer
vary from school to school. While some
institutions offer to cover certain percentages of the expenses not included by the
Post-9/11 GI Bill, others vow to cover 100
percent of out-of-pocket tuition for student
veterans. It is important to ask any prospective institution of higher learning if
they participate in the Yellow Ribbon
Program.
Grants, tax credits and scholarships are
out there, but it is the responsibility of the
individual Marine to identify and apply for
them. One popular federal program is the
Pell Grant, which provides up to $5,550
toward an individuals undergraduate
education for low-income students and is
not repaid. Through the Lifetime Learning
Credit, a tax incentive, Marines pursuing
an education can claim up to $2,000 when
fling their taxes. Further, Marines can
apply for and receive literally hundreds

of scholarshipsmany offered by various

Marine-related organizations.
As the recipient of a $15,505 scholarship
awarded by the Phi Gamma Pi Alumni
Association, I once again can attest that the
opportunity for active-duty Marines to earn
and fund their higher education is absolutely
possibleregardless of their grade, billet
or military occupational specialty.
For more information on Marine Corps
educational benefts, visit www.mccscp
.com/jec.

Authors bio: Sgt Charles N. Swope is

a recon Marine with 1st Recon Bn and
will transition into the civilian business
sector in May 2014. He possesses an MBA
from Northeastern University and a B.S.
in management from the University of
Phoenix. He also served as an infantry
rifeman with 2d Bn, 8th Marines and
deployed three times to Iraq and Afghani
stan. His awards include the Combat
Action Ribbon and two Navy Unit Com
mendation ribbons.

COURTESY OF ALEX BARLOW

budget for TA has shifted greatly in the

past three years, dropping from
approximately $47 million Marine Corpswide to $14.9 million. In the past, TA
claims were processed throughout the
fscal year; however, claims now are processed on a quarterly basis, making it more
competitive to receive funding. Therefore,
Marines interested in using TA must be
swift in submitting their requests.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) is
also available for active-duty Marines
after two years of service. It will pay full
in-state tuition rates for all public schools
and up to the highest amount of in-state
tuition rates for private schools. The cost
of course materials and other fees are also
offset under that beneft, and in some cases
unused benefts can be transferred to a
Marines spouse or children. Some activeduty Marines elect to use their GI Bill to
pay for a graduate degree, especially when
tuition signifcantly exceeds TA coverage.
However, Marines only have four years to
use their GI Bill after they have elected
to activate it.

Recon Marines with Co C, 1st Recon Bn, including Sgt Swope on the far left looking toward the camera, prepare to conduct a raid on a suspected narcotics
manufacturing facility during combat operations in Malmond, Afghanistan, 2012. Swope was enrolled in graduate-level courses at the time.
www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck

APRIL 2014 LEATHERNECK

57