Education Week Calls on Soldiers

Photo By Sgt. Samuel Soza | Staff Sgt. Christopher Finklea, native of Vredenburgh, Ala., physical security detachment platoon sergeant with the 17th Fires Brigade, uses the computer study lab at the Contingency Operating Base Basra education center. Finklea is studying theology at Liberty University through www.goarmyed.com.  

BASRA, IRAQ

11.15.2009

Story by Spc. Samuel Soza 

367th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRAH — The Contingency Operating Base Basrah education services team is ready to school Soldiers during Education Week, Nov. 15-21.

"Our goal is to get Soldiers excited about college," said 1st Lt. Lisa Cullen, education services officer with the 34th Infantry Division, a Minneapolis, native.

Cullen and her team will be available at the Redbull Café, Nov. 16, during lunch, where Soldiers can get information about the different services offered at the education center.

Currently, the center can give active duty, National Guard, and Reserve Soldiers the information and skills to navigate the website www.goarmyed.com, which can be used to take advantage of the GI Bill and federal tuition assistance.

Also available are courses in career management, efficiency reporting, and even a "fast class" which focuses on Soldiers wanting to improve their GT score on the ASVAB.

For those with previous schooling, and an eye on their next promotion, the education services team can assist Soldiers in having their Army training evaluated for college credit.

"Some soldiers are afraid to come in to the education center," said Sgt. Alyssa Vasquez of the 105th Personnel Co., the education center's non-commissioned officer in charge, and Nashville, Tenn., native.

"They are first time students from high school and we are here to make the process easy and not as intimidating," she said.

There is no time like the present to begin planning for the future, said Cullen.

"The new semester starts in January," he said. "Now is the time for soldiers to start getting enrolled, get books, and get excited about their education."

• Date Taken: 11.15.2009
• Date Posted: 11.16.2009 02:37
• Story ID: 41623
• Location: BASRA, IQ