I’m just learning about the new National Security Advisor, Gen H.R. McMaster. He is an active-duty Army LtGen who has earned an MA and a PhD in American History while serving. How does one do that while serving in the active duty military? Does the Army give time off for graduate school? He’s also authored a book, an expanded version of his dissertation, that’s on the required reading list for officer training. His book is quite critical of the officers who ran the Vietnam War.
Again, my question: How does one do that? Because it’s a scholarly book, I’m wondering if he was given time off to write or if he wrote as part of his job. I am admittedly not knowledgable on matters related to the military–just curious if this kind of thing is common?
Very common. Sometimes people get time off to do this, sometimes they do it in conjunction with their jobs. I got my masters degree while serving in the Air Force, active duty, no time off required. Just a lot of nights where I was going to class instead of relaxing.
In fact, in my squadron, if you wanted your assignment of choice, you were pretty much required to get a masters degree to be competitive. Didn’t know anyone who got a doctorate though, my group was pretty young, off to another assignment by age 24.
I attended MBA school with a guy who was in the marines at the time. His salary, or whatever you call it, was paid, and his “job” was MBA school. I know people who have become MDs through the military, and then they owed the military a certain number of years when they were done. I do believe this type of thing is pretty common.
My friend joined the coast guard right after she graduated from high school. She got her BA and MA while she was active duty (also had two kids). Some classes were part of training, but most were traditional college classes that she attended online, at night, on weekends, etc.
I got two masters degrees while on active duty in the Navy. The first one was at night on my own time. Then the Navy sent me to San Diego State full-time for a year and a half for the second one. A tough job, but someone had to do it!
Interesting. ^^Stevensmama, did you have to promise extra years of service like the programs for physicians and nurses? I wonder if UNC (McMaster’s grad school) had a satellite campus at one of the NC Army bases. Don’t think online work would have been an option in his era.
Going to grad school after your normal military work day (usually evenings or weekends). Most larger military bases offer satellite campus arrangements and/or online options with a variety of colleges. Typically the military member pays for these course, but can use their military educational benefits to greatly discount the cost. No additional military service required because you are doing this on your own time (with your own money).
This is the typical route for active-duty officers doing their PhD like Petreus, especially considering unlike many undergrad and Masters programs, doing a PhD is usually a full-time affair and the US military understands and accounts for that.
One grad classmate at Columbia was an Army Captain and West Point graduate who was assigned to start his PhD in history so he has the qualifications to start his 3-year tour as a West Point History instructor. Basically, doing the PhD full-time was his military job at that point.
Another acquaintance who completed his MA at Columbia in Poli-Sci and his PhD at MIT was a Naval officer from the intelligence branch.
One of my classmates in law school was an Army captain on active duty. He was actually promoted to captain while we were in law school. The deal was definitely that he owed the JAG Corps six or seven years, which was fine with him because he was planning at least a 20-year military career. He was a West Point grad in his mid-20s.
Easiest way is to be selected to teach at an academy. You will be allowed to go earn a masters in the course of study you will teach.
Selected to attend a Law, Medical School or other long term professional program that the military needs.
Certain military schools are long enough and have agreements with certain universities that completion of the course is enough or the addition of a couple of night classes will earn enough credits for the masters.