Informing military, dependents, retirees and others during education week

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  The week prior to Thanksgiving, the JBER-Richardson Education Center hosts its annual Education Week at the Community Education Complex on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The event is designed for military members, retirees, and their families, to inspire and interest them with education opportunities.

During this week, the education center hosts a college and career summit Nov. 19, inside the Community Education Complex.

"We give them the tools to start their education with workshops," said Rosy Macarah, JBER-Richardson Community Education Center transition counselor.

During these workshops, the participants learn about the many ways to receive assistance to further or begin their education. Many individuals are eligible for tuition assistance, federal loans or grants depending on their circumstance in the military.

"Not very many people may know they are eligible for tuition assistance or grants for college," Macarah said. "A lot of dependents and spouses are not aware there are benefits out there for them."

It is the mission of the education center to inform and educate so people can make a difference in their lives.

"Although we have education week, we inform people every day about the services we offer," said Beverly Suenaga, JBER-Richardson CEC education services officer.

Not only is the JBER-Richardson Education Center hosting the college and career summit during education week, this year's JBER Community College of the Air Force graduates more than 250 individuals receiving either Associate's or Bachelor's degrees at the Talkeetna Theater, Nov. 17. 

One Airman from the Equal Opportunity office is recieving a Health Care Management and Human Services Associate degree.

"These degrees are based off of my Air Force Specialty Codes, Health Care Management was my first AFSC as a medical administrator," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Jessica Tabor, 673d Air Base Wing equal opportunity specialist and a native of Papillion, Nebraska. "Human services is tied with the equal opportunity career field. Because I retrained, I have two different Associate's degrees."

Although Tabor will be receiving two Associate's degrees, she plans to continue her education even further. She is only one year away from a Bachelor's degree in human resources.

Both education centers provide the avenues available for all JBER community members to possibly receive tuition assistance, federal loans or grants. For military members there are many more ways to earn an Associate's degree sooner. College Level Examination Program and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support testing is one way to test out of some of the many required subjects the military member needs to complete in order to earn an Associate's degree. The education centers provide study materials for those who plan on testing through the CLEP or DANTE's system.

"Unfortunately, these tests are not available to dependents or retirees for free, but they can still take them for a small fee," Suenaga said.

The education center's members make it their mission to provide only the best options for education to the JBER community.

"Everything is mission-oriented and we have to make sure that our mission is complete with excellence, hands down," Suenaga said. "Our goal is to put each person that walks through our doors on a path to success."

For more information about furthering your education, contact the JBER-Elmendorf Education Center at 552-3164 or JBER-Richardson Education Center at 384-0970. You can also visit the 673d Force Support Squadron's website at www.elmendorf-richardson.com.