Photo By Capt. Amber Kelly-Herard | Tech. Sgt. Pamela King, 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing, and Chief Master Sgt....... read more read more
Subscribe
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- There's much to be celebrated about a 28-year career in the Air Force, but Chief Master Sgt. Cynthia Solomito, Air Force Global Logistics Support Center command chief, has to earn one more thing.
In October of 2011, Solomito began working on a dual Master's of Science Degree in Human Resource Development and Management and Leadership.
"I took my first class at a junior college in the 70s and dropped out," said the native of Niceville, Fla. "I was having fun in the sun in Florida and my parent's were paying for it. I wasn't ready.
"In 1984 I became active duty and the deal was, to get a 'Nine' Enlisted Performance Report, you had to take one class," Solomito said. "I did not join the Air Force for education, but my co-workers were in college and convinced me to try it."
In 1992, Solomito earned her first Community College of the Air Force degree in Logistics Management. In 1997, she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Resource Management from then, Troy State University. When she became a first sergeant, she earned her second CCAF in Personnel Administration.
"After that I stopped," Solomito said. "If I could change one thing, I would not have stopped there, I would have continued my education from there."
In 2010, Solomito decided to go back to school.
"I registered three times, but I'm old school, I did not want to go to online school," she recalled. "Finally, I said enough is enough, and I enrolled online and I love it. With a busy lifestyle, online is the way to go.
"I didn't know; how much I missed learning, I'm like a sponge in class," said Solomito.
Solomito is using Air Force tuition assistance to pay for part of her education and the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill top-up option to pay for the rest.
"The Air Force has been totally instrumental in me continuing my education," Solomito said. "My education has been virtually free, I mean I earned it, but the Air Force pays for it. With the top-up, I don't even pay for books.
"The Air Force even gave me time. I had supervisors who let me go to lunch classes or leave work early to go to class," Solomito said. "I made up for the work later, but I was able to make my schedule for classes work."
Besides learning, Solomito finds she gets other benefits from education.
"When I talk to airmen about continuing education, I ask them what will happen if they don't get to re-enlist or if they retire without a degree," Solomito said. "I retire in September, and I still don't think I'm 100 percent marketable without a master's degree. It takes experience plus education."
As her Air Force days grow short, the chief is still learning when it comes to her next step.
"When I work with people I have to learn to 'speak civilian,'" she said. "Even in my online classes, I have to watch for acronyms."
All the education I took has been relevant to my career field.
"It keeps me young and more relevant," Solomito said. "It helps me talk to people when I am doing what I am saying. It adds credibility to what I'm saying.
"Education helps me talk more intelligently about things and keep up with current events happening in the world," Solomito said.
As a female and a command chief, Solomito is in a position few other women have been in.
"As a woman, it is a must to stay competitive, in the military and the workplace," Solomito said. "We have our first Air Force female four-star coming up, but we still have to stay competitive.
| Date Taken: | 03.28.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2012 12:14 |
| Story ID: | 86117 |
| Location: | SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 109 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Continuing education: Chief Master Sgt. Cynthia Solomito working on dual master's degree, by Capt. Amber Kelly-Herard, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT