Creative Ways To Use Your Benefit
Using your GI Bill doesnt have to mean 4 years of sitting in a classroom, memorizing facts, and taking tests. There are a lot of other ways to take advantage of it. You can use it for vocational school, professional certifications and licenses, college certificate programs, flight school, on-the-job training, distance learning, and many other educational programs. Here are a few ideas to get the wheels turning.
Start Your Own Business
Think about your school or training as a ticket to independence. What skills can you learn that you could turn into a business?
One great example Ive heard of this entrepreneurial approach is a retired Marine Corps pilot who is in Gunsmith school. He plans to open his own shop when he graduates.
Find something that interests you that someone else would pay for, and research how to become an expert!
If you already have expertise that you want to turn into a business, use your GI Bill to help you learn the nuts and bolts of entrepreneurship. You can take business classes in important topics like marketing and financial management, or you can do an entrepreneurship training program offered by the Small Business Development Center .
Learn New Skills for a New Career
Ive heard several examples of veterans using their GI Bill for training at the police academy.
Many other vocational and professional programs could equip you with skills and certifications that would come in handy for future job opportunities.
Pursue a Hobby
Study or Live Abroad
Is It Hard To Be A Detective
Being a detective can be exciting, but it also requires hard work, perseverance, and long hours spent following leads and waiting for developments. There are two main types of detectives: police detectives and private detectives. If you want to know if you have what it takes to become a detective, follow these steps.
If I Do Not Get Hired By Your Agency Can I Obtain My Own Certification
Yes. The cost of attending RRCJA for an LE certification is about $5,000, which does not include the additional fees for background checks. If you are a military veteran, it is possible that your GI Bill or Veterans Benefits can be applied to pay for your academy training. For more information, please reach out to your Veterans Benefits Representative.
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How Will You Use Your Gi Bill
Did you come up with any good ideas? I hope these examples gave you some inspiration to think about how you could take advantage of your GI Bill for something youd actually be excited to do when you leave the military.
Whatever you doeven if you take that federal contracting jobdont let your GI Bill go to waste!
Stephanie Montague is an independent consultant, freelance writer, and the owner of Poppin Smoke. A strong champion of maximizing military and VA benefits, Stephanie created Poppin Smoke to encourage active duty and retirees to take advantage of their benefits and privileges to travel. She is happy that her husband did not return to work at the Pentagon when he retired from the Army in 2015.
Q: Do You Have A Minimum Education Requirement
A: Yes. You MUST have completed at least sixty semester credit hours toward an advanced degree from an accredited private or public institution that is accepted by the city, with a minimum G.P.A. of at least a 2.0.
NOTE: The college semester credit hour requirement may be waived for applicants who are Certified Officers with a High-school diploma and at least two years of prior full time law enforcement experience. The college semester credit hour requirement may also be waived for U.S. Military personnel that possess a High-school diploma and at least two years of active duty service with an honorable discharge. NO EXCEPTIONS
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What Is Training Like At A Police Academy
When you go through police academy training, expect an intensive focus on the physical requirements of becoming a police officer, the functionality and handling of multiple weapons and the academic understanding of the law and your roles in enforcing it.
Typical physical training at the police academy involves:
- Running
How Can I Teach At The Academy
First, you MUST attend an Instructor Development course. Then you must apply for your Instructor certification through the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board. Once you have received your Instructor certification through the LETB, you should submit a letter to the NILEA Executive Director.
In the letter, you should include a copy of your Instructor certification card/number, what type of certification you hold , and a statement that you would like to teach at the Academy. If you have developed a course/program of your own, include a course outline and a lesson plan. Last, be sure to include the name of your Chief, and your departments address so we know where to send the instructor request letters. Sorry, we can not send them directly to you, they must go through your Chiefs office.
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Where Can I Go To Get Help In Getting My Law Enforcement Degree
Your GI Bill: All branches of the service offer active-duty tuition assistance to help you on your path to a law enforcement degree, plus The Forever GI Bill and the Post-911 GI Bill are there for you after you get out.
Other Tuition Help: There are also many federal and state scholarships out there to help you with financial assistance to help you pursue your career in law enforcement. There are also other forms of Veterans Affairs benefits and military discounts offered by colleges and universities to help you on your way to earning your degree in law enforcement.
What Type Of Shift Will I Work
Each officer begins their career in the patrol division. Patrol shifts are 11 hours and officers will be assigned a day, evening or night shift, alternating between a 4 and 5 day-off cycle. The schedule looks like this: Work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday off Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday work Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday off Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
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What Are The Top Military Friendly Police Academy Programs For Veterans
A lot of law enforcement agencies actually prefer hiring individuals with a military training background. This is because most, if not all, of your military skills are either requirements or assets of a police officer’s job role.
Not yet decided where you want to go? The Military Times listed the top-ranking law enforcement agencies for veterans, which are:
- Tucson Police Department, Arizona
Law Enforcement Training Center
James L. Ward, Esq., Director, Law Enforcement Training Center
The LETC is a Franchise Fund Enterprise Center whose budget and staffing levels are based on revenue generated by reimbursable services provided by the center. The Director of the LETC is responsible for the advancement of global VA training policies and practices, management and oversight of all residence and field training programs. The LETC is organized into four divisions the Academic Programs Division, Technical Programs Division, Advanced Programs Division, and the Training Standards Division.
Academic Programs Division
Police trainees are qualifying on the firing range. Police trainees are required to qualify with the issued handgun before graduation.
This division provides oversight and management of the VA Basic Police Officer course and both the USAF Basic Police Officer and Security Officer courses. Responsibilities include developing programs and curricula designed to prepare newly hired police officers to provide professional law enforcement services in a health care environment conducting needs assessments of field operations to ensure currency and validity of training programs and to provide guidance to facility managers and Police Service Chiefs concerning training practice and policy.
Technical Programs Division
Police trainees also practice firing during low light situations. This allows the police trainee to be familiar with firing a handgun during night time hours.
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Post 9/11 Gi Bill Ojt Mha
The Post 9/11 GI Bill program bases your receivable stipend on your applicable MHA.
- First 6 months of training: 100% of applicable MHA
- Succeeding months of training: a 20% reduction per 6 months of training time
*You may also receive a monthly books and supplies stipend depending on your eligibility.
Can I Attend The Police Academy To Be A Police Officer While Staying In The Military Reserve
If you are a part of the Selected Reserve or the National Guard, don’t worry- you can still pursue your dreams of becoming a police officer.
Several law enforcement agencies employ flexible work structures to allow for the demands of being in the reserve and fulfilling military obligations.
Moreover, these law enforcement agencies typically have a reintegration program for officers returning from military duty. This is a coordinated effort between their academy and their behavioral sciences units, and is geared towards re-acclimating you to life as a local police officer.
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What Do You Do In The Police Academy
When accepted into a police academy, youll take part in classes and practical instruction learning state laws, criminal investigations, patrol procedures, firearms training, traffic control and more. The design of the police academy is to be an intensive learning experience, so expect to spend almost every moment of the day either learning, exercising or both.
A typical daily schedule for an academy recruit living on campus in a dormitory comprises:
- Awake at 5 a.m.
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History Of The Gi Bill
So Maggi, let’s dive into the GI Bill for those who are unfamiliar. Could you explain what it is?
Maggi: The GI Bill started in 1944 after World War II and it was originally called the Bill of Rights for GI Joe and GI Jane. That was shortened over time to the GI Bill. There were more than 15 million veterans that demobilized after World War II, and the GI Bill provided three major benefits:
Since the GI Bill started in 1944, it has changed considerably. Normally there are modifications after every conflict, and in 2009, the post 9/11 GI Bill went into effect. The post 9/11 GI Bill actually paid not only for tuition but it provided housing stipends so folks could go to school.
I served in the Air Force from 1994 to 1998 and I use what was called Montgomery GI Bill. The Montgomery GI Bill only paid a flat rate per month but it didn’t provide any kind of housing allowance. In the newest bill, the Forever GI Bill, there’s something like 31 benefits and 31 changes that take effect over a two-year period. It provides additional funding for STEM, and it provides a pilot program for code schools to get additional funding. The GI Bill is really hard to navigate not only for code schools getting approved, but also for veterans who want to use their benefits.
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Health And Dental Insurance
The City of Fayetteville Employee Healthcare Benefit Plan provides comprehensive and affordable health, dental and vision coverage while maintaining reasonable costs to employees. Coverage is available for all regular status employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week. Employees may also choose to cover eligible dependents. The City offers two health plans from which to chose. Premiums are deducted on a bi-monthly, pre-tax basis, with the City paying a portion of the premium. Coverage begins on the 1st of the month following the first 30 days of employment.
Paid Holidays:
The City of Fayetteville observes 11 paid holidays per calendar year. The approved holidays are New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, 2 days at Thanksgiving and 2 days at Christmas.
Listen To The Podcast Above Or Read The Transcript Below:
Liz: The first time I saw collaboration between coding bootcamps and government was actually in a White House Department of Veterans Affairs roundtable in September of 2014 they invited a few coding bootcamps at the time Hack Reactor, Flatiron School, Wyncode to talk about how accelerated learning programs could be leveraged to find jobs for our military veterans.
In that roundtable, it was clear that the use of the GI Bill for coding bootcamp tuition was on the minds of both educators and government. The first coding bootcamp to get approved for the GI Bill was Skill Distillery in Colorado, around July 2015. Skill Distillery is now part of a pilot program called VET TEC. And other schools around the US also went through this pretty long and arduous approval process. But recently in August 2017, Congress signed the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act aka The Forever GI Bill. On todays podcast, were talking about the current status of the GI Bill and Coding Bootcamps.
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Success Stories From Veterans Who Attended The Iletsb Intern Program At Swic:
CPO William C. Mueller #491
Illinois Conservation PoliceRegion II District IV
I attended the ILETSB Intern Program in 2009. Shortly after graduating I was employed full-time by the Steeleville Police Department in Randolph County. I was also a part-time Randolph County Sheriffs Deputy. After three years working full-time for Steeleville I decided to further my career and applied to the IDNR Conservation Police. When I tested for IDNR, it was the first class they were hiring in nearly 7 years and the testing process was very competitive. I directly attribute my success in the hiring process to my prior police experience, which would not have been possible without the ILETSB Intern Program. As many applicants experience, getting your foot in the door at a department can be hard. Especially for smaller departments without a budget to pay for recruit training. The intern program offers the opportunity for aspiring applicants to earn their certificate and make themselves more marketable in a very competitive profession. I can honestly say without a doubt in my mind, I may not be where I am today if it wasnt for the ILETSB Intern Program. If you have any further questions for me feel free to send them my way, Im always happy to help.
Deputy C. Boling
Williamson County Sheriffs Office
Can You Be A Cop With Military Disability
While laws usually protect the disabled from discriminatory hiring practices, law enforcement and some other careers can legally bar employment for people with certain disabilities. However, not every physical impairment is grounds for immediate disqualification from employment as a law enforcement officer.
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How Much Is The Monthly Housing Allowance When Attending The Police Academy
As we mentioned earlier, the GI Bill will provide a stipend that you can use during your training period in the academy. This stipend is equivalent to your monthly housing allowance, which is calculated based on the location of the facility where you are undergoing training.
You can use this stipend for your housing expenses, or to supplement your salary from the academy.
This is paid directly to you monthly on an arrears payment scheme . The rates on how much you can receive will vary depending on the GI Bill program you are receiving benefits from, and on what stage you are at in your training.
You can refer to the guide below:
Veterans And Service Members
The Baltimore Police Department appreciates the service performed by members of the United States military. Veterans and service members are eligible for the following benefits:
- Military Veterans who have served 3 years of active duty can retire at years at 60%.
- 15 days of paid annual military leave for members of the Active Reserves and National Guard.
- Eligible to receive full Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits while completing the 26-week academy.
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Police Academy Requirements For Age
Most police academies have an age minimum and maximum age limit however the police academy requirements for age vary from state to state. While the majority of states require that applicants be at least 21 years of age, few do allow applicants as young as 18 years old. In regards to the age limit, most police academies prefer that applicants be under the age of 36 years old. This is due to the police departments required retirement age of 56. Those 36 and older may still apply but will most likely only be eligible for part-time positions upon graduation.
*EXCEPTION: Applicants with prior active military duty are given leniency in regards to age.
When police departments are interested in hiring you to join the local law enforcement team, they sponsor your attendance at the recruit academy. At the academy, you learn everything you need to know about effectively performing police officer duties. If local police departments are not hiring, it doesnt mean you should be passive. Instead, take a proactive approach and pay for your own law enforcement academy training. Doing so can make you a frontrunner for open positions when the department starts hiring again.
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Contact your local or state law enforcement training academy. Ask the academy representative whether self-sponsorship is an option. Not all academies have a self-sponsorship option. If self-sponsorship is an option, request an academy self-sponsored admissions application.
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How Does My Gi Bill Work For On
Rather than redeeming your GI Bill benefits for college tuition, you can use these benefits to help cover your expenses while learning a new trade. GI Bill coverage is not the same for all veterans. If you have a post-9/11 GI Bill, your on-the-job training coverage will be different than those with the Montgomery GI Bill .
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