Sometimes in life it's who you know that matters. But often, it is what you know. In the Army, what you know translates to test scores. That's where the Basic Skills Education Program comes in.
"BSEP is a part of the Functional Academics Skills Training (FAST) program. BSEP supports career and personal goals," Charles Williams, educations services specialist, said. "Also FAST supports the Noncommissioned Officer Education System and the Army's goal to retain quality personnel."
Without test scores within required ranges, a Soldier may find that they can't take their careers in the directions they want to go. That's where BSEP, which dates back as far as the Korean War, comes in. It is geared toward Soldiers whose Test of Adult Basic Education scores are below 10.2 and who have a General Technical score below 110.
Sgt. Chris Payne had set his sights on being a warrant officer. However, his GT score wasn't where it needed to be to make that dream a reality.
"It would help me better my career to see things from both the officer side and the enlisted side," Payne said. "I'm ready to move to the next step."
He knew about the BSEP. In fact, he had gone through a version of it at his first duty station in Korea. At the time, however, Payne said he lacked the maturity to really get any true benefit from it.
"I was new to the military and I wasn't thinking about the future," Payne said. "I didn't have the mindset to accomplish the mission."
After eight years in the green suit, Payne decided to take responsibility for the direction his career was going. He knew that if it wanted to succeed in the goals he had set for himself, he would have to give the program another try.
"I thought it was time to put more time into studying and preparing myself for the future," Payne said.
The program is self-paced. The Soldier attends in two-hour increments for a total of about 60 hours, Williams said. It uses a combination of instructor led and computer based studies to give each Soldier as much or as little help as they need. At any given time there are usually four Soldiers enrolled in each course, Williams said. Maximum enrollment is eight Soldiers.
"It takes about 30 days of uninterrupted training to complete the course," Williams said. "The student is provided a variety of modules including pencil and paper, and computer aided with assistance from the instructor."
Payne spends his mornings as an instructor for the 94 Yankee integrated test equipment and his afternoons as a squad leader with Charlie Company. Due to his demanding schedule, it took him about six weeks to complete the course. Finding a two-hour block of time wasn't always easy, he said, but instructors at the Education Center kept him motivated.
"With my teaching I didn't always have the dedicated time," he said. "But their dedication to me made me go forward in what I had to do. They took the time out to help me and I appreciate that. The one-on-one interaction was the best part."
It was a labor that paid off for Payne. After completing the BSEP in December, he saw a 20-point jump in his GT score. Having surpassed the requirement, he is working on the paperwork that accompanies his quest for warrant officer.
"I got what I need to apply for warrant officer school," he said. "I'm still working on my resume and letter of recommendation."
If he hadn't raised his score sufficiently, Williams said that Payne could have gone through the program again. While how much improvement a Soldier shows varies by individual, Williams said every Soldier who comes through sees some improvement.
Payne's success in the program has motivated him to continue his civilian education. He plans on using the education center to find a local engineering graduate program. He urges all Soldiers to make good use of the programs available to them, like BSEP.
"Anybody who has a low GT needs to do this," Payne said. "Everybody there (at the education center) is dedicated to teaching Soldiers to be productive and in better shape for their future."
Entering an education program is easy. An education counselor at the center will guide Soldiers through the process. They can request more information as a walk-in at the Education Center, building 3222 on Snooper Road, or call 876-3465.
"Soldiers need only to speak with a counselor to take advantage of the training," Williams said. "Commanders and counselors may refer Soldiers to participate in the FAST program. Also, Soldiers may refer themselves to participate in FAST. Counselors evaluate referred Soldiers to see if they require BSEP instruction prior to enrollment in other FAST components."
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