94th AAMDC rekindles education aspirations

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii-Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, attended and participated in the 94th AAMDC Education Mentorship Luncheon, Sept. 23, 2014, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

"The 94th AAMDC Soldier Mentorship Program event, was focused on encouraging and motivating the Soldiers of the 94th AAMDC to peruse their educational goals through informative briefings, interaction with college and university representatives, and thought provoking discussion, over lunch," said 1st Sgt. Joseph Collins, the first sergeant of HHB, 94th AAMDC.

The attendees started the day with a visit to the nearest military education center and an informative discussion with the counselors there.

"We kicked off the morning with counselors from the Tripler Education

Complex providing Soldiers with the most recent changes to the Army continuation education system then moved outside of the classroom where about ten colleges and universities were set up for interaction exclusively with our Soldiers."

After speaking to the counselors, the Soldiers ate lunch while listening to other Soldiers talk about the importance of attending college and graduating with a degree.

"We ended the event over lunch, where a diverse panel of Soldiers shared their experiences while earning their degree," said Collins.

"I shared with the Soldiers my experience as a student prior to joining the military," said Spc. Taraneh Lipscomb, the human resource non-commissioned officer in charge with HHB, 94th AAMDC who graduated from Concordia University-Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. "I shared how my experience had its ups and downs and how going to school through the military is an amazing opportunity because you have better access to funds to help you pay for school which is a huge issue that a lot of people run into in the civilian world."

"I talked with them about the importance of having a degree, if they are not thinking to make the military a career, in the civilian world having a degree is vital if you want a decent paying job. I touched on how the military is also looking for school when it comes to career advancement. I really tried to stress the importance of … earning a degree."

The Soldiers were provided useful information and advice on how to best set themselves up for success during their personal education journey.

"I learned the new regulations for [tuition assistance]," said Pfc. Ronney Magee, a human resource specialist with 94th AAMDC, who is working towards earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. "I learned how to create a GoArmy.Edu account. I also heard different accounts of peoples' experiences with using TA, going to school and being a full-time Soldier.

"It is important to inform Soldiers of all the opportunities that the Army has to offer. The last thing we want is for Soldiers to not be aware of what programs or help is out there to help them further their career," said Lipscomb.

"The purpose of having several people talk about their personal experiences was to get a couple of different perspectives on getting an education. I think you should always get advice or input on a situation from a person with personal experience when you are unsure," shared Magee.

"It is important for Soldiers to know that they are not alone and there are other people possibly experiencing the same thoughts and concerns that they are," said Lipscomb. "There are also other people that have gone through the stages of going to school, so being able to ask questions is also helpful."

The 94th AAMDC leadership strongly believes in effective mentorship that leads to positive, personal and professional progression.

"This event is just one in a series of events that will be held over the coming months, focused on providing our Soldiers with the tools they will require to remain competitive and relevant as the Army continues to drawdown," said Collins. "The Soldiers that attended this event are the future of our Army, and we as leaders have the responsibility to take the time to mentor them to replace us."

"When leaders make events like this a priority, it resonates throughout the ranks. Some of the Soldiers that came out for this event had never been to the education center, except to in-process. By hosting this event, we got them out of the workplace and into an environment where they could get the information, and interact with subject matter experts in the educational field. What is even better is that we have now essentially built upon the counseling process that is happening with that first line leader."

For several Soldiers, the event ignited an interest in starting their education and renewed their confidence to pursue their educational goals.

"I haven't gone to college, I thought I wasn't going to need it coming into the Army," said Pfc. Lidia Zavalzasalgado, an orderly room clerk with the 94th AAMDC. "All Soldiers should get educated on what the Army offers, if we don't look for help, then we will never know what's out there. I learned that it's never too late to get into school, because whether you stay in, or get out of the Army, a college education is good."

"I now feel very confident about pursuing my degree further," Magee shared. "I cannot wait to start back to school so I can be better prepared during and after my military career."

Due to the positive response from Soldiers, the 94th AAMDC leadership has planned to schedule additional events in the near future.

"We will at some point have another education event, but I need help from those first line leaders out there to keep the momentum of this event going through counseling and follow up discussion," said Collins. "We lit the fire, now I need leaders out there to keep it burning."