Higher learning important for service members

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Kristin High | A sign is posted in front of the library on Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 2, 2015. The base library is located across from the education and services center. The library offers various study materials including hundreds of books and CDs for College Level Examination Program and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support testing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kristin High)  

OSAN AIR BASE, SOUTH KOREA

07.02.2015

Story by Senior Airman Kristin High 

51st Fighter Wing

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea - In today’s Air Force, more Airmen are pursuing higher education, not only for personal development but professionally. Base education and training centers offer many different services to assist with this.

Here, the base education and services center has 10 individuals who assist with various aspects of military and personal growth. These individuals are responsible for educating and training all U.S. military and civilian employees on the peninsula.

“Our center offers assistance with education, training, formal training and various types of military testing.” said Eric Manogue, 51st Force Support Squadron education and training chief. Exams like the Air Force officer qualifying test, Air Force reading aptitude test, Officer Training School, Reserve Officer Training Corps, U.S. Air Force Academy, Biomedical Sciences Corps and Medical Service Corps.

The center makes up only a small portion of the 51st Force Support Squadron development flight, which includes the base library. The library, in conjunction with education and services offers various course study materials to assist with studying for tests.

“The library has hundreds of books and study materials for [College Level Examination Program] and [Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support] testing, which can help fast track an Airman’s degree plan,” said Manogue.

CLEPs and DANTES tests assess college-level knowledge in many subject areas and provide a mechanism for earning college credits without taking college courses. Students can earn from three to 12 credit hours from CLEP and DANTES tests depending on the subject.

“I have taken a math and English CLEP, and I’m currently studying for my speech CLEP,” Staff Sgt. Angela Gray, 6th Intelligence Squadron Imagery Missions supervisor, “If you study for [CLEPS], you save time that you would have been spending eight weeks inside of a classroom to learn.”

Gray is currently working toward a degree in graphic design.

“I have sought assistance here with the new tuition assistance changes and managing my classes,” she said. “I call the education center about twice a month to have one of the representatives there assist with getting my classes lined up for my Community College of the Air Force degree or getting classes transferred over to them.”

For members of Team Osan who are working toward their degree and prefer the classroom, there will be upcoming courses in August for biology, microeconomics, history, foreign language, mathematics, marketing, psychology and more. Most classes are offered in the evenings and on weekends; however some classes are available to take during the lunch hour as well.

To assist with enrollments, the education and training center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for walk-ins. Tuesdays and Thursdays are for appointments only.

• Date Taken: 07.02.2015
• Date Posted: 07.15.2015 01:49
• Story ID: 170051
• Location: OSAN AIR BASE, KR