| Online college courses require commitment and self | | | | during or after service. Many bases are said to |
| discipline-traits that many members of the military | | | | feature satellite branches of local, accredited |
| already hold. And the flexibility that's inherent with | | | | universities and, for many members of the military, |
| on-line degree programs can prove a welcome | | | | online college offerings might be the only option. |
| constant for soldiers deployed into service or | | | | Online classes involve obtaining 80 to 100 percent of |
| transferred to another base. Continuing education | | | | a course's content online, according to the Sloan |
| during off-duty time is voluntary and is often free, | | | | Consortium, and distance education typically attract |
| and experts say there are several benefits to it. | | | | students who otherwise might not be able to attend |
| "Voluntary education programs help members | | | | classes at a traditional campus. Lori Popp told the |
| improve their mission performance, prepare members | | | | Jacksonville Daily News that technological advances in |
| for greater responsibility and enhance their | | | | distance education now make it easier for deployed |
| professional, as well as their personal, potential," | | | | service members to continue their education. The |
| Education Technician Lori Popp of the Lifelong | | | | consortium, comprised of organizations and |
| Learning section of Marine and Family Services aboard | | | | institutions committed to quality online education, |
| North Carolina's Camp Lejeune told the Jacksonville | | | | recently released the results of a study entitled |
| Daily News in July 2009. | | | | "Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United |
| The Servicemen's Readjustment Act, also known as | | | | States." Between the falls of 2007 and 2008, the |
| the GI Bill, was signed in to law in 1944 in part as a | | | | study noted, the number of online students increased |
| means of offering college scholarships to anyone | | | | by 17 percent, to 4.6 million. |
| who served in uniform. By 1947, veterans accounted | | | | More than 1,000 deployed Marines and sailors are |
| for nearly half of all college students in the United | | | | benefiting from tuition assistance, Popp told the Daily |
| States, according to a Time Magazine article. A Post | | | | News. And an October article in The Chronicle of |
| 9/11 GI Bill has since made as much as 100 percent | | | | Higher Education described online courses as a "boon |
| tuition available to service members on active duty | | | | for soldiers who want to participate in college despite |
| after Sept. 10, 2001. The Post 9/11 Bill covers | | | | geographic displacement." The story, about a |
| graduate and undergraduate degrees as well as | | | | professor and National Guardsman who continued |
| vocational or technical training provided by approved | | | | teaching online classes in economics during a tour of |
| institutions and provides stipends for books and | | | | duty in Iraq, reported that soldiers keep occupied |
| housing. | | | | during stretches down time by working, reading, |
| Members of the military can gain academic credit for | | | | exercising, playing video games and watching movies. |
| military training and experience. The U.S. Army | | | | Many soldiers and other members of the military also |
| reportedly partners with more than 1,900 community | | | | enroll in online college or graduate school courses |
| colleges and universities that accept military training | | | | during deployment, The Chronicle piece noted. |
| credits from soldiers pursuing a college education | | | | |