Educational opportunities build leadership: Application deadlines coming up soon!

By Andrea Wales, U.S. Army Human Resources Command Public Affairs OfficeJanuary 11, 2012

FORT KNOX, Ky. -- The U.S. Army Human Resources Command announced recently that some educational opportunities are still open or have fast-approaching application deadlines. These programs are designed to enhance the leadership skills of Soldiers and otherwise broaden their experience.

"The Soldiers who are selected for these programs are go-getters; they're tomorrow's leaders," said Joel Strout, HRC coordinator of these programs.

Whether you want to be selected for a think tank to research important Army topics or to explore a foreign country, you can't be selected if you don't compete.

"The Army is looking for exceptional officers or enlisted Soldiers who demonstrate the Warrior Ethos," Strout said. "They must not only demonstrate it but pass it on to subordinates."

These programs complement military education.

"They provide life experiences otherwise not offered in military training," Strout said.

Among others, these educational opportunities include

1. White House Fellows Program allows fellows to work with senior White House officials, cabinet secretaries or other deputies, according to the HRC Advanced Education Programs Branch web page on the HRC website at the Non-MEL Programs Main Page using the link in the Related Links box on this page, which requires AKO login. Through the White House Fellows Program, competitively selected officers and noncommissioned officers write speeches, help review and draft proposed legislation, answer congressional inquiries, chair meetings, conduct briefings and otherwise assist high-level government officials. For more information, refer to MILPER Message 11-295. Contact Strout at joel.strout@us.army.mil to learn more.

2. Information Assurance Scholarship Program (IASP) serves as a multifaceted program institutionalized within the Department of Defense to bring in and retain a corps of highly skilled IA/IT professionals to accommodate diverse war-fighting and unique mission requirements, according to this educational-opportunities web page on the HRC website. This program allows competitively selected officers and noncommissioned officers to attend school full-time to earn graduate-level degrees. The master's degree requires about two years to complete, and the doctorate requires about three years. For more information, refer to MILPER Message 11-286. Contact Strout at joel.strout@us.army.mil for more details on the program and how to apply.

3. Training with Industry (TWI) Program is a work-experience program to provide extensive exposure to managerial techniques and industrial procedures within corporate America to competitively selected officers and noncommissioned officers, according to this educational-opportunities web page on the HRC website. April 1, 2012, is the deadline to submit your request to compete to HRC. For more information, refer to chapter 6 of Army Regulation 621-1, Training of Military Personnel at Civilian Institutions. Contact Strout at joel.strout@us.army.mil for more information and how to apply.

More effective leaders are what these educational opportunities cultivate.

For a complete list of available programs and information on how to compete, Soldiers should contact Strout at joel.strout@us.army.mil or go to the Advanced Education Programs Branch web page on the HRC website at the Non-MEL Programs Main Page using the link in the Related Links box above.

For more information about U.S. Army Human Resources Command, visit: www.hrc.army.mil

Related Links:

U.S. Army Human Resources Command

HRC Advanced Education Programs Branch

Contact program coordinator Joel Strout.