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HSLDA's Homeschooling Thru High School Newsletter-- March 2007
The Military's Homeschool Policy
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Dear Friends,
Marching (!) right along through the school year, this month we would
like to share with you information regarding the military and its
enlistment policy towards homeschoolers. Although we realize not
everyone's child may be planning to enter the military, we felt
sharing pertinent information regarding how the military views
homeschool graduates would be helpful in case your child determines at
some point during his high school years that he or she would like to
explore this path after graduation.
We wish to commend and thank those of you in the homeschooling
community who have family members serving our country in the military.
We appreciate you and your family. The military is an honorable
profession, and we are grateful for the service you give and the
sacrifices you make.
As with any other option you are considering for your child's post
high school years, it is crucial to prayerfully and pointedly consider
all of the ramifications of a military decision. Seek out the Lord's
wisdom and guidance first, and then by all means involve other godly
counselors whom you respect to provide their input. For a spiritually
mature child, the military offers a wealth of training and the
opportunity to serve our country and guard our liberties. For a child
who is struggling spiritually, the military atmosphere may or may not
be conducive to encouraging spiritual growth. However, the Lord has
His people in all walks of life, and His purposes will be accomplished
anywhere -- in barracks, in mess halls, or in the desert of far-off
countries. If you are confident the military is where your child
should be, then trust the Lord to care for that child.
We leave as a matter of personal conviction the issue of women in the
military and whether or not this option should be considered for your
daughters. It is vital you search out Scripture on your own and also
take time to consider the views of people you respect.
With these thoughts in mind, let's move on to the actual military
homeschool policy to give you and your family helpful information you
can use in making your decisions.
ENLISTMENT
For those who are considering enlisting in one of the branches of the
military following high school graduation, we want to stress the
importance of your high school academic program. Remember, if the high
school years mark the end of your child's formal education, then you
should provide him with the broad base of knowledge and skills he will
need for his adult life. Should your child decide to take college
courses while serving in the military, he will have these foundational
high school courses to build on.
In 2007, the Department of Defense modified its enlistment policy
so that homeschoolers who receive an AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test)
score of 50 or above will enlist as Tier 1. Homeschool students who score below
50 will enlist as Tier 2.
All recruits in all tiers are required to take the Armed Services Vocational
Aptitude Battery test known as the ASVAB test. Included on the ASVAB are 4 critical
parts which comprise the recruit's Armed Forces Qualifying Test score (AFQT). It
is critical for a homeschooler who wishes to enlist as Tier 1 to study for and complete
practice ASVAB tests in order to attain an AFQT score of 50 or above. Scoring high on
the entire ASVAB test will additionally provide recruits with the most job
opportunities as well as signing bonuses. Some recruiting centers offer classes and/or
coaching to help recruits score well on this test. There are also websites which
provide practice tests (http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3821) as well as give
test taking strategies (http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3822).
The ASVAB test should be taken before enlisting. It can be repeated as often
as necessary at 30 day intervals in order to attain the necessary 50+ score. Again,
it is important that your son or daughter take the ASVAB before enlisting so he
or she will be enlisted as Tier 1 which will accord your child many worthwhile
benefits such as possible bonuses, promotions, specialized training, choices of
postings, and so on.
At the time of enlistment, a homeschooler will also be given an Assessment of
Individual Motivation (AIM) Test that measures other personnel characteristics
such as adaptability and motivation. This test will be used only for research
purposes for data collection and will not affect, in any way, the status of the
recruit.
No longer is a GED needed to prove your child has completed high school. Rather,
a high school diploma along with a parent-generated transcript of your son or
daughter's high school record will suffice. The transcript should be an original,
typed, professional looking document which is notarized to verify the signatures are
yours and that you are truly the people who schooled your child. For sample
transcripts and formatting see http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3819.
If specific concerns arise while speaking with a recruiter and you are an HSLDA
member, call us and a member of our staff will assist you often by calling the
recruiter and if that doesn't resolve the issue, we will speak with our contacts
at the Pentagon in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense who are always
helpful and accommodating to homeschoolers.
Enlistment also brings with it benefits for the recruit. These benefits may vary
among the different branches of the military, but let's look at the Army's incentives.
There are cash bonuses up to $20,000 for enlistments of three or more years and access
to the Army College Fund, which provides $70,000 for college. Certain months there may
be particular promotions offered if the recruiting office is behind in meeting its
recruitment goals. Also, if the recruit stays longer in the military, there may be an
additional incentive offered. Last but not least, he'll receive a monthly salary and
be given 30 days of leave a year!
Along with these monetary benefits, there are also the benefits of confidence-building,
acquiring new skills and training, and new life experiences which will stretch and mature
your child into an adult.
MILITARY ACADEMIES
The military academies offer a rigorous and comprehensive education.
Military academies are highly selective in their admission policies
and you should begin early in the high school years to investigate the
academic requirements for admission. Homeschool graduates have been
admitted to all of the service academies, and the academies lay out
clear admission policies on their websites. Extracurricular
activities are important for successful applicants (leadership
positions are a definite plus). Sports involvement is highly
recommended, and in some cases, mandatory for those making application
to the academies. Applicants must be physically fit and must also
secure a Congressional recommendation. For more information on the
service academies, check out these links:
Air Force Academy
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3838
United States Military Academy (West Point)
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3823
United States Naval Academy
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3824
United States Coast Guard Academy
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3825
United States Merchant Marine Academy
http://www.usmma.edu/admissions/default.htm
In order to have an edge up on meeting the requirements for admission,
prospective academy applicants may want to consider applying to one of
the summer sessions the military academies offer during the summer
after the junior year of high school.
> U.S. Air Force
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3826
> U.S. Army
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3827
> U.S. Coast Guard
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3828
> U.S. Navy
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3829
U.S. Service Academies Accepting Homeschoolers
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3830
Some of the benefits your child will receive from attending a service
academy include:
Excellent education and career training,
Entering military service as a commissioned officer,
Salary commensurate with level of commission,
Job opportunities in related field of interest following retirement
from service.
MILITARY SERVICE AFTER COLLEGE
If your child is interested in attending college first and then
serving in the military, you may wish to check out the Reserve Officer
Training Program (ROTC) affiliated with the college of your choice.
Students apply for the ROTC programs (which are highly competitive)
and are awarded scholarships which may include up to full tuition and
other benefits in exchange for an active duty service obligation
(usually four years) following college graduation.
Other than the obvious benefit of college tuition, your child will
have the opportunity of further training in his or her career while
also being compensated financially. Be aware, however, that if further
education is funded, many times this will add to the years of service
required.
Navy ROTC http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3831
Army ROTC http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3832
Air Force ROTC http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3833
If you are interested in additional information regarding homeschool
graduates and the military, check out the military section of HSLDA's
Homeschooling Thru High School website for more articles and
resources.
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3834
One last item, if you know a military family, take time to pray for
them and to thank them for their service. If the military family
currently has a member serving overseas, here are some ideas from the
Home School Heartbeat to serve this family and to let them know you
appreciate them: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3835
Join us next month, when we discuss some ideas for interesting courses
to inspire your child and broaden his high school plan.
Saluting you and the work you faithfully do each day,
Becky Cooke and Diane Kummer
HSLDA High School Coordinators
Check out our Blog (http://www.hslda.org/highschool/blog.asp) as we
have added many new entries which will be of interest to you.
Here's a heads-up if you are interested in your child taking an online
AP course next fall: registration for AP courses generally begin the
end of March or beginning of April and courses fill up quickly. Find
AP course providers on our website at
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3836 .
The HSLDA high school newsletter began in September, 2005. If you've
subscribed to the newsletter recently and would like to read back
issues on high school topics you may have missed, access the
newsletter archives at
http://www.hslda.org/highschool/newsletter.asp.
Becky and Diane's speaking engagements:
April 27-28, 2007 Annual Massachusetts Homeschool Organization of
Parent Educators Convention, Worcester, MA
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3655 (Becky and Diane)
June 8-9, 2007 Annual Christian Homeschoolers of Idaho State
Convention, Boise, ID
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3656 (Becky and Diane)
July 12-14, 2007 24th Annual Christian Home Educators Convention, Long
Beach, CA
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3657 (Diane)
July 13-14, 2007 Annual Northern Virginia Home Education Conference,
Chantilly, VA
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3837 (Becky)
September 21, 2007 Indiana Foundation for Home School MapYour Future
07,
Indianapolis, IN
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3693 (Becky and Diane)
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More reasons to join HSLDA...
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1108
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