Photo By Sgt. Tashera Pravato | U.S. Army Sgt. Lauren Adams of the South Carolina National Guard advises another...... read more read more
EASTOVER, S.C. -Bodies, shields and batons clash under the hot sun at the Military Operations in Urban Terrain site on McCrady Training Center in Eastover, South Carolina, March 19, as South Carolina National Guard Soldiers conduct riot control training.
Among the controlled chaos are three Soldiers in the 133rd Military Police Company who would be nearly unrecognizable in their civilian careers as full-time students in various fields unrelated to law enforcement.
“I tell people that I am in college and most people assume I’m a criminal justice major because my MOS (military occupational specialty) is 31B,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Lauren Adams. “I am and always will be a military police officer but that isn’t all there is to me.”
Adams joined the SC National Guard eight years ago so that she could serve her state and country. Getting education benefits through Federal Tuition Assistance, the GI Bill and the South Carolina National Guard CAP (College Assistance Program) was just an added bonus.
Adams has used these benefits to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is currently earning her master’s degree in childhood development. “My goal is transfer to the Citadel to earn a master’s degree in clinical psychology,” Adams said. “After completing the program, I’d like to work with individuals that have been affected by military service. Many veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder so I’d like to bring my experience as a professional and Soldier back to the SCNG.”
Another Soldier in the 133rd MP Co. who is attending school is U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael Hutcheson. He is currently earning a bachelor’s degree in environmental science with a focus is marine biology.
“I have deployed as an MP four times since I joined so everyone I knew was surprised when I chose my major. They expected me to go to law school,” said Hutcheson. “Actually, my first choice was art history and that really threw my battle buddies for a loop.”
Hutcheson hopes to be accepted into his university’s environmental masters program upon completion of his undergraduate work.
“I want to use what I learn in school to commission and become an environmental science officer (72D),” said Hutcheson. “The great thing about choosing a field I was unfamiliar with is that it has exposed me to jobs I didn’t know the Army had.”
Another citizen-Soldier that attends college full-time is Pfc. Rayna Addison. She is earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in the hopes of becoming a high school math teacher.
“I want to be able to pass on my love of math to others but continue my military career as an MP as well. However, I will still use my degree to advance my commissioning,” said Addison. “Being in the Guard gives me the chance to do something completely different than what I want to do as a civilian.”
And for Soldiers who wish to become commissioned officers, the South Carolina Army National Guard has multiple opportunities for those with college credits. The state is home to the Palmetto Military Academy, which is an Officer Candidate School that commissions officers every year. Other routes to using experience gained in college include joining the Reserve Officer Training Corp and attending Warrant Officer School.
| Date Taken: | 03.19.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 03.23.2016 16:00 |
| Story ID: | 193264 |
| Location: | EASTOVER, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 350 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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