The correct answer to this question is different for everyone. If you were responsible for arming a gunship, warship or artillery battery and your crew asked you what sort of ammunition to load, your answer would take into consideration many factors. You would need information about the type of targets you would be going after, how much weight the aircraft or ship could carry, and how long before you would need to re-supply.

Degree or Certificate?
The same logic applies to pursuing an education. What is the difference between a degree and a certificate? A degree is built upon a general education that includes an area of specialization. In a degree program, you take a variety of academic courses that may include math and English, some humanities, often a foreign language, and a group of core courses in an area of specialization, i.e. accounting. A degree is typically about 120 semester hours of schoolwork. A certificate is more occupational in nature; it is a group of courses designed to place you at a certain skill level in a career field, very much like getting MOS or rate qualified. The completion time for certificate programs is usually shorter than that for most degree programs. It may range from nine to 39 semester hours, with an average program being 15–16 semester hours of class work.

Many certificate programs may eventually lead to a degree when combined with academic courses. Colleges and universities may offer both certificates and degrees.

What is Your Target?
What is your target or, in other words, why are you going to college? Graduation day is not the time to figure out that you do not have the right foundation for the job you want. If you are looking for something that will get you a good job when you leave the service, or if you are trying to meet the requirements for your next promotion, do enough homework to understand those requirements. For example, if you were seeking an associate’s degree to meet a promotional requirement and thinking about police work after the service, then get your associate of arts degree in law enforcement (or criminal justice) and kill two birds with one stone! In another example, while a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems would be a worthwhile goal, maybe the first step to obtaining the job you want is a certificate in network server development and maintenance.

Know Your Limits
Just like that gunship has limits on how much it can carry, you too have limits to how much time you can go to school. As you design your educational program, make sure that you could realistically meet the time requirements necessary to take college courses. Of course, the earlier you start taking courses, the more time you would have to complete a program. Some people find it best to leave the service and go to college full time. That is great if you could do that and still support a family. If you cannot, you would need to take classes one or two at a time and attend school over a longer period. These days, taking classes does not necessarily mean sitting in a classroom. The Internet offers almost limitless opportunities to take courses leading to degrees or certificates.

Consider the Cost
The cost of education is another important consideration. Individuals in the military have an amazing advantage in the educational opportunities. First, Uncle Sam will pick up 100 percent of your college tuition if you are active duty! This funding does not count against your Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB), which you could use when you leave the active-duty military. One relatively easy way to meet your educational goal is to take online courses while still on active duty to earn a certificate, that will provide you with marketable job skills when you leave the service (or perhaps change an MOS). Then, if you still want to pursue a degree, let the government continue to pay for your education while taking courses while still on active duty, or use the MGIB after leaving the service. Either way, the credits earned towards your certificate would likely count toward the credits necessary to earn your degree. Eligible service members who served after Sept. 10, 2001, also have a great new option: the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The new GI Bill will pay for up to 100 percent of the tuition for service members who meet the eligibility requirements, including a housing allowance, books and supplies.

Put Yourself in the Shoes of Someone Considering Hiring You
Let us put yourself in the shoes of a person who would consider hiring you. Let us also keep with our example of leaving the service to pursue police work. Which person do you think the police agency would be more interested in hiring: a person with a four-year degree in botany or someone with a law enforcement technology certificate from an accredited college? As you learned in the military, training develops a particular set of skills. That is the same reason you should go to school. Which of the two candidates here has the better skill set for a job in law enforcement? The same thought process works in high tech fields: What set of skills do you have to offer to a prospective employer? Employers hire the person who best fits their needs, especially if that individual could start to be productive right away without a lot of additional training.

Numerous institutions, both public and private, offer many different certificate and degree programs. In addition to law enforcement, you could find programs in teacher certification, corrections, computers, dental health, business and vocational areas such as welding and automotive service, to name a few. Certificate programs are very popular, judging by the number of people enrolling in them. However, degree programs offer a strong foundation for career advancement and for pursuing additional higher education degrees.

Do Your Research
Look into career areas that interest you and see if certificates or degree programs are available. Contact potential employers to discover what they require or desire in applicants. Do not forget that a great deal of information about companies is available via the Internet. Computers are available at almost every base or post education center.

The military is willing to invest a lot of money so that you can acquire this training. Obtaining a degree or certification results in a better job, better hours and more money for you and your family. Start preparing today for your life tomorrow!

Rio Salado College, one of the Maricopa Community Colleges located in Arizona, is the largest provider of occupational certificates in the country. In previous academic years, the college awarded more than 4,000 occupational certificates annually. Many of these are available online.